Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, has become essential for driving innovation and sustainable growth. Research shows that diverse teams are more likely outperform their competitors and make more informed decisions, yet many companies face challenges in creating DEI strategies that result in lasting change.
During a recent LinkedIn Live event hosted by Devex in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, or IFC, experts discussed how technology, including artificial intelligence, is helping organizations around the globe advance their DEI efforts.
“I actually believe the greatest driver of diversity, equity, and inclusion is allowing colleagues time for the things that matter,” said Catty Bennet Sattler, director of human resources at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR. “And that’s where technology comes in and really offers this opportunity to streamline, simplify, and offer a more customized experience.”
Bobby Jefferson, global head for DEI and former vice president and chief technology officer for global health at DAI, said that improved accessibility was the most impactful DEI outcome he had been involved with. Having projects and programs in conflict zones, AI and other technologies can help those living in such areas in dealing with mental health and physical health issues through telehealth, he said. “Just listening passively, [AI tools] can create the entire treatment notes for the physician.”
Speakers during the event provided a look at both the promise and challenges of using technology and AI to support DEI initiatives, sharing practical insights on how these tools can be leveraged to drive meaningful change and achieve long-term inclusivity goals.
Leveraging AI to support inclusive communication
The Inclusive Communication Advisor, a chatbot developed by IFC, is one example of an AI-driven tool designed to foster inclusive communication practices in the workplace. Sarika Narinesingh, a professor at George Brown College and communications and learning consultant at IFC, explained how the advisor improves DEI learning by offering real-time, personalized guidance to employees to help them develop their inclusive communication skills.
“One of the great benefits of this … advisor is that it gets at one of the biggest barriers to learning,” she said, adding that the tool creates a safe space for employees to ask questions and learn without judgment since the advisor was designed within the World Bank Group’s Responsible Use of AI Guidelines along with their own personal data policy.
Rani Pooran, IFC’s program lead for DEI, emphasized the importance of embedding inclusivity into all aspects of the organization’s operations. “We’re obviously in the business of inclusion with our people, because we’re in the business of social and economic inclusion with clients and communities across the world,” she said. “Technology like [the advisor] helps scale our efforts and ensures that inclusivity is built into the very fabric of our organization.”
Data as a driver of inclusion
Data emerged as a central theme in the discussion, with speakers emphasizing its power in enabling organizations to make informed, inclusive decisions.
“Perhaps the biggest asset I find is having all the data in one place and being able to provide all of our managers with a dashboard that says, ‘This is what your office looks like, or your region looks like. Here’s where you’ve got some gaps in terms of diversity. Here’s also where you have some opportunities,’” said Bennet Sattler. “It gets really, really tangible when you have the data in front of you,” she said, adding that the dashboard helped UNHCR reach gender parity in all international professional categories in 2024.
Adrienne Alberts, chief diversity officer at the American Red Cross, noted the importance of combining quantitative data with qualitative insights to drive impactful DEI strategies. “We are doing listening in the organization and in the communities that we serve to ensure that we are indeed meeting their needs,” she said.
Managing risks
As AI tools become more widespread, concerns about data privacy, bias, and fairness have come to the fore.
“How do we pull all of this together, whether it’s the fantastic chatbot that IFC has built, or other technology, so that we’re evaluating it based on the way that we need it, but also that we’re not building bias into the system?” asked Monica Oldham, manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the World Bank.
Desmond Andrades, manager of architecture and technology at IFC, explained that the chatbot includes a feedback mechanism to identify and address gaps in its content. By grounding the tool with updated and relevant information, IFC works to minimize inherent risks and reduce potential biases.
Keisuke Ohtani, application architect at IFC, added that building the chatbot on a standard AI model, rather than relying on a general-purpose platform such as ChatGPT, allows them to carefully select and validate the content. This approach not only grounds the tool with accurate information but also helps reduce the risk of inaccuracies, such as hallucinations, in its responses.
Pooran acknowledged the challenges associated with AI but emphasized the importance of awareness and proactive measures. “There’s this fear that AI will make us lazy, and actually, we cannot eliminate bias, [but] we can take mitigation measures and try and raise awareness of how those biases show up, and those are very much the principles that we’re working with,” she said, adding that critical thinking and professional judgment is an important part of the work.
Inclusive innovation: An inside look at AI’s potential to achieve the SDGs
Artificial intelligence has the potential to become a pivotal tool in accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. A new survey of more than 1,000 development professionals explores how AI can be harnessed for the greater good.
The importance of ensuring DEI tools are inclusive and representative of diverse perspectives was also highlighted. “One of the things we did make sure to do is that [the Inclusive Communication Advisor] reflects people’s different backgrounds. … We have a robust DEI council with many different members, and they were part of the beta testing,” said Narinesingh, adding that the tool is still a work in progress.
Looking ahead
As organizations continue to navigate the challenges of advancing DEI, technology and AI offer a powerful set of tools to enhance these efforts. However, speakers agreed that technology should be seen as part of a broader strategy for cultural change, not a solution in and of itself.
“I think the most important thing is not to use tech for tech’s sake,” said Narinesingh. “Of course, it’s important to keep aware of the trends. AI is obviously on everyone’s radar, but talk to the people … listen to what they need, and what’s actually going to complement them.”
Watch the full event recording.
About the author
Devex Partnerships
Thanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. In collaboration with our partners, Devex’s partnerships editorial team produces content to promote a partner’s work or perspectives on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector — including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions — the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you’d like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email partnerships@devex.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
