As corporate America grapples with political and cultural pressures around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), new data reveals a striking correlation between companies’ DEI policy choices and their reputational standing as attractive employers.
Using our 2025 Employer Attractiveness rankings and a review of recent news coverage, we analyzed how DEI policy shifts among the 30 largest and most visible companies in the Fortune 500 index are reflected in the informed public’s willingness to consider them as potential employers.
The data paints a clear picture: companies that maintained their DEI commitments generally improved their reputations, while those that reversed course tended to see their attractiveness decline.
Caliber’s Employer Attractiveness Score represents the percentage of people who say they would strongly consider working for a given company. It is based on responses to the statement:
“If I were looking for a job, I would consider [COMPANY] as a place to work.”
Respondents rate this on a 7-point scale, and the score reflects the percentage who selected a 6 or 7—indicating strong agreement. Importantly, the score is calculated only among those who are already familiar with the company, making it a targeted indicator of reputational strength among informed members of the public.
Five companies stood firm on their DEI commitments, and all five saw their Employer Attractiveness scores rise between 2024 and 2025:
Eleven companies that rolled back or rebranded their DEI policies saw a decline in their public perception as attractive workplaces:
Caution: Home Depot’s rollback came in May 2025, so its 19-point plunge may not be solely attributable to that decision.
These results suggest some companies may be navigating the reputational terrain better than others, perhaps due to brand strength, crisis management, or timing of DEI changes.
Several companies’ DEI positions were unclear or their scores didn’t shift significantly:
These results are harder to interpret, either due to unknown DEI policy activity or limited media attention.
The average score change for the 5 companies that have maintained DEI policies was 5.6%. For the 11 that have rolled back or rebranded them it was –4.6%.
While outliers exist, the prevailing trend is clear: maintaining a DEI commitment correlates with increased attractiveness among the informed public.
Conversely, companies that retreat from these values risk reputational damage, even if some changes are recent or nuanced.
In the context of employer branding, these findings underscore a growing reality: inclusion remains a competitive advantage—and the public is watching.
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