When it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), most organisations have moved past the point of debating why it matters. The conversation now centres on what’s working—and how to measure it.

As DEI programmes mature, and scrutiny from boards, investors, and employees intensifies, the question is no longer whether to invest in inclusion, but how to ensure that investment delivers tangible results. These results may not always appear in traditional KPIs. The value of DEI often reveals itself in quieter shifts: who stays, who leads, and who feels empowered to speak.

Measuring the return on DEI therefore requires more than compliance checklists. It calls for a balance of quantitative and qualitative metrics—metrics that track systemic patterns without losing sight of individual experiences.

Here are 15 clear, actionable metrics that can help organisations evaluate their DEI efforts, identify areas for growth, and demonstrate impact in meaningful ways.

1. Workforce Demographics

Start with the basics: who is represented in your organisation? Analysing demographic data across levels, functions, and geographies helps surface gaps and patterns of inclusion—or exclusion. This should go beyond gender and ethnicity to include age, disability, sexual orientation, and other dimensions relevant to your workforce. Disaggregated reporting helps uncover where diversity is concentrated and where it’s missing.

2. Hiring Funnel Diversity

Understanding who is hired is only part of the story. A closer look at each stage of the recruitment process—from applicants and shortlists to final hires—can expose points where diverse candidates are being screened out. This metric can highlight structural biases or inconsistencies in sourcing, evaluation, and selection practices.

3. Promotion Equity

Who gets promoted, and at what rate, is a powerful signal of organisational fairness. Tracking promotion data by demographic group helps assess whether all employees have equal access to advancement opportunities. Uneven patterns may indicate barriers in leadership development, bias in evaluation, or a lack of sponsorship for certain groups.

4. Retention and Turnover by Demographics

It’s not enough to bring in diverse talent—retaining them is the true test of inclusion. Analysing turnover rates by demographic group can reveal whether particular communities are experiencing exclusion, microaggressions, or lack of growth. High attrition among underrepresented employees is often an early warning sign.

5. Pay Equity Audits

Fair compensation is one of the most visible and impactful forms of equity. Regular audits of pay practices help uncover disparities that may be hidden in broader payroll data. These audits should account for role, level, experience, and location, and aim to ensure that any gaps are explained by legitimate factors—not bias.

6. Engagement Scores by Identity

Employee engagement surveys are common—but their real value lies in how the data is segmented. Analysing engagement by identity group can show how different employees experience the workplace. Lower scores among specific groups may indicate gaps in inclusion, support, or recognition.

7. Inclusion Index

An Inclusion Index is typically built from employee survey data that measures perceptions of respect, safety, fairness, and belonging. It distils subjective experiences into a clear organisational snapshot. While inherently qualitative, it offers a powerful measure of DEI culture—especially when tracked over time.

8. ERG Participation and Influence

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) often serve as a litmus test for inclusion. Tracking their reach, leadership participation, and influence in organisational decisions can indicate how seriously employee voices are taken. Strong ERG engagement also reflects trust, community, and psychological safety.

9. Training Completion and Behaviour Change

Training sessions on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and equity principles are common—but their effectiveness depends on participation and behavioural follow-through. Measuring both completion rates and post-training changes in behaviour or awareness provides a more honest view of impact.

10. Equity in Performance Reviews

Performance reviews influence career progression, compensation, and development opportunities. Examining review data for disparities across demographic lines can uncover hidden biases. Look for patterns in scores, promotions, and qualitative feedback to ensure evaluations are based on merit—not perception.

11. Exit Interview Themes by Demographics

Exit interviews are a valuable source of truth—especially when analysed through a DEI lens. Consistent themes across certain groups (e.g. lack of inclusion, unfair treatment, or stalled growth) can flag systemic issues. This feedback loop is essential for evolving culture and improving retention.

12. Customer Diversity and Representation

While DEI is often internally focused, external representation also matters. Assessing how well customer-facing teams and messaging reflect the diversity of your market can highlight missed opportunities or mismatches between values and reality. In some industries, this can directly influence brand trust and loyalty.

13. Innovation and Diverse Team Input

Research consistently links diverse teams with stronger innovation outcomes. Tracking product development, idea generation, or problem-solving outputs alongside team diversity helps demonstrate how inclusion drives business performance. This is particularly relevant for creative, R&D, or strategy teams.

14. External Perception of Inclusion

Brand perception is shaped not just by what companies say, but by how they are seen to act. Monitoring sentiment from employees, customers, media, and social platforms provides a real-time pulse on how inclusive an organisation appears. Public commitments must be matched by internal culture.

15. Correlation with Business Outcomes

Lastly, connect DEI progress with broader business results—whether that’s revenue growth, client retention, or productivity. While causality can be complex, tracking how inclusive practices correlate with performance trends helps build a more strategic case for DEI investment.

Why This Matters Now

In today’s climate, DEI cannot remain a side initiative or siloed function. Economic headwinds, talent mobility, and rising social expectations all underscore the need for workplaces that are inclusive, fair, and future-ready. But none of that can be achieved—or sustained—without measurement.

Organisations that take DEI seriously must be willing to look under the hood, confront uncomfortable truths, and use data not just to report progress, but to drive it. These 15 metrics aren’t exhaustive, but together they form a practical, human-centred framework for holding inclusion accountable.