Including Religion as a Core Part of DEI is the Trend
A performance during the Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics triggered a backlash — including from France’s bishops — as many saw a sketch meant to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as being offensive and biased. Many took the sketch to be a parody of the Last Supper of Christ, which organizers denied being the intent.
Regardless of intent, it is important to have an awareness of how imagery can be misinterpreted. For example, while not all crescent moons are symbols of Islam, one must be aware of using them in ways that could unintentionally offend Muslims. Likewise, while not all meal depictions are of the Last Supper, being aware of possible misinterpretations is always best practice.
Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps apologized on Sunday for those offended by the scene. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly [the ceremony’s artistic director], we really did try to celebrate community tolerance,” Descamps said. “… If people have taken any offense, we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
Jolly said that religious subversion had never been his intention. “We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that.”
However, rather than being avant-garde and inclusive, the Olympic organizers are actually behind the curve when it comes to DEI — what they purportedly were trying to promote. The latest data show a significant surge in Fortune 500 companies including religion as part of their DEI initiatives, which helps them avoid such offensive and COSTLY mistakes (one Olympic sponsor has already withdrawn in reaction to the sketch).
Indeed, the world’s biggest companies are embracing religiously inclusive workplaces at a faster pace than ever before, according to the 2024 Corporate Religious Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI) Index and Monitor, released by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF) in May.
The REDI report finds that 429 (85.8%) Fortune 500 companies now mention or illustrate religion as part of their broader commitment to diversity, more than double the number in 2022 (202 companies, or 40.4%). According to the REDI Index, Accenture and American Airlines are the most faith-friendly Global Fortune 500 companies.
Perhaps the Olympic organizers have some things to learn from companies that are getting DEI right.
