Shane Windmeyer on DEI in 2026: What’s Changing, What’s Holding, and Why Progressive Insurance Still Matters

Summary

Shane Windmeyer discusses how DEI in 2026 is not disappearing, but it is being reshaped by legal scrutiny, political pressure, and changing corporate behavior. While many organizations are pulling back on public DEI language or renaming programs, employees and job seekers continue to care deeply about fairness, growth, and respect. As a result, DEI is shifting from a branding exercise to an operational one, evaluated through leadership behavior, decision-making consistency, and employee experience rather than slogans.

The article highlights Progressive Insurance as a case study in “holding steady while defining clearly,” showing how organizations can retain DEI commitments by anchoring them to values, performance, and governance. It also examines North Carolina as a contrasting environment, where public institutions face tighter constraints while private employers adapt their language and structures.

Ultimately, the piece argues that the most durable form of DEI in 2026 is operationally defined, governed at the leadership level, and measured through lived employee experience. For leaders, the opportunity is to build workplaces that deliver fairness without relying on rhetoric. For job seekers, the opportunity is to evaluate employers based on how opportunity, voice, and growth actually work in practice.

Read the full article here


Location: North Carolina, USA

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