Diversity Equity Inclusion
Erika Irish Brown on why DEI is a business imperative at Citi
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Citi’s Erika Irish Brown delves into how diversity, equity, and inclusion drive organisational success and are integral to Citi’s identity.
As a wave of corporate cost-cutting sweeps across industries, many organisations are scaling back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta have made headlines for layoffs and slashed DEI budgets, sparking concerns about losing hard-won progress.
“DEI is part of our DNA,” says Irish Brown. Citi's Chief DEI Officer and Head of Talent believes DEI is not only central to who Citi is but it also fuels Citi’s business success.
In this exclusive interview, Erika shares how Citi is leveraging data, technology, and innovative programs to support DEI and Talent. She details new initiatives in India and explains why embedding DEI into an organisation’s strategy and culture is crucial.
Here are the edited excerpts:
Mastufa: The DEI landscape has undergone significant changes due to AI, economic pressures, and political shifts. How do you view the current state of DEI, especially with many organisations scaling back their efforts?
Erika: It’s undoubtedly a challenging time and I believe several factors are impacting the DEI landscape. However, when organisations are truly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion—when it’s embedded in their business strategy and integral to their overall talent strategy—it becomes a non-negotiable. At Citibank, for example, DEI is not just a priority; it’s a business imperative. It’s deeply ingrained in our human capital strategy and essential for our people and our success.
There are indeed companies that have chosen to step away from DEI during these challenging times, but for us, it’s part of our DNA and reflects who we are.
There are indeed companies that have chosen to step away from DEI during these challenging times, but for us, it’s part of our DNA and reflects who we are. It’s about talent, informed decision-making, and how we engage with the communities, customers, and clients we serve.
Mastufa: Citi has consistently emphasised its DEI priorities, but how is the organisation adapting these commitments in the current climate, especially as it undergoes significant restructuring?
Erika: Citi is simplifying its structure, aligning global teams with our five key businesses and the supporting functions. Throughout this process, talent remains our focus, ensuring the right people are in the right roles.
Citi is undergoing a simplification process, aligning global teams with its core businesses while ensuring the right people land in the right roles.
Maintaining workforce diversity while evaluating talent on skills, competencies, and global roles is crucial. Our DEI strategy is driven by three principles: transparency, metrics, and engagement.
We prioritise transparency, sharing pay equity data and MD class demographics. Metrics are essential as we track progress against our representation goals.
Engagement is central to our efforts. We aim to foster a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered, with everyone from team members to leaders contributing to retaining top talent and ensuring success.
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