Best Inclusive Leadership Examples in 2025: How Top Leaders Are Driving DEI

Inclusive leaders learn to see in 3D. Beyond managing tasks or driving strategy, they see the third dimension: diversity. They understand that inclusion isn't instinctive; it's intentional.

As Dr. Steven Jones explains in his leadership talk, our brains process 11 million bits of information per second but can consciously handle only 40. To keep us safe, the brain defaults to what feels familiar. Similarity equals safety. And that's where unconscious bias takes root, especially the kind known as "similar-to-me" bias.

And that’s the invisible challenge many leaders miss. Inclusion isn’t a value you declare. It’s a leadership skill you practice daily, deliberately, and often imperfectly. From equitable delegation and inclusive feedback to bias recognition and psychological safety, real inclusion is built through competence, not just compassion.

That’s also why the gap persists. Nearly 80% of employees want to work in organizations that value diversity, equity, and inclusion, yet more than a third say their current companies still fall short. These outcomes don’t stem from bad intent. They stem from unskilled leadership. Inclusion doesn’t follow from hiring diverse talent; it follows from leaders who know how to build systems where everyone can thrive.

It's not enough to say "diversity matters." What truly matters is building inclusion across those differences. Because you can have diversity without inclusion, and you can have both without equity.

“There's a lot of talk about diversity these days. We tend to think about that in terms of things like racial diversity, gender diversity, and ethnic diversity. Those things are all important. But it's also important to have diversity in how people think. ”

Richard Thaler

Nobel laureate

That's where inclusive leadership becomes essential. In too many workplaces, bringing up differences still feels risky. For many, inclusion isn't a policy. It's whether your ideas are heard, or whether your name costs you a promotion. If agreement becomes the unspoken requirement for belonging, innovation suffers. Diversity of thought stalls.

And the numbers back this up. 78% of employees in companies with strong DEI policies say people from all backgrounds have the same opportunity to succeed. Yet 84% still experience microaggressions, and nearly 40% have turned down jobs because a company didn't feel inclusive. These are not isolated experiences. They are signs of deeper, unresolved leadership gaps.

So, what does inclusive leadership look like when done right?

From Microsoft's culture shift, Walgreens' equity push, and Accenture's bold transparency, we'll explore three examples of leaders turning inclusion into action and what we can all learn from them.

Real-World Inclusive Leadership Examples: 3 Case Studies Every Leader Should Know

Case 1: Satya Nadella’s Inclusive Culture Shift at Microsoft

In 2014, when Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft, the company was admired for its engineering power but not necessarily for its empathy. The culture was competitive, fast-moving, and often left inclusion behind.

That changed when Nadella made inclusion personal.

In 2017, he published a deeply personal essay about raising his son Zain, who had cerebral palsy. It wasn't a corporate memo. It was a father's reflection, and it sparked a company-wide reckoning. Accessibility wasn't just going to be about product compliance anymore. It was going to be about people.

The shift began within. Nadella asked his teams to think beyond code and infrastructure, designing with every employee in mind, especially those with disabilities. He challenged Microsoft to lead not just in technology but in humanity.

It sparked a complete rethink of how Microsoft approached accessibility and inclusive design.

One of the first to carry that torch forward was Tricia Fejfar, Partner Director of User Experience at Microsoft Digital. She helped define the new direction:

“Designing for and building experiences that reflect the diversity of the people who use them makes sure we put our people at the center of our work. Until people recognize that, and honor it in the work they do, they can't begin to make sure what they build will take care of everyone's needs. ”

Tricia Fejfar

Partner Director of User Experience at Microsoft Digital

With that mindset, accessibility transformed from a checklist into a core design principle.

Fejfar led the push for a coherent design system, one that every team could use to make internal tools accessible by default. This wasn't just a design upgrade; it was a cultural intervention. Every component, from UI elements to interaction flows, had to reflect inclusivity from the start.

The first true test? Rebuilding the fragmented, inaccessible employee platform into a single, seamless app: Microsoft MyHub.

Before MyHub, employees needed to juggle up to eight different tools for routine tasks. For most, it was inefficient. For employees with disabilities, it was exclusionary. With the new design system, MyHub became a unified, fully accessible experience, vetted and shaped by users with real needs.

One of those users and shapers was Manish Agrawal.

Blind since birth, Manish is a senior program manager on Microsoft's Accessibility team. But more than his title, it's his impact that stands out. He doesn't just advocate for accessible tools. He helps build them, test them, refine them, and ensure they work for everyone.

“Being able to do my job at Microsoft based on my skills and not be blocked by my blindness has made a big difference in my life. ”

Manish Agrawal

Product leader, Windows AI

His presence in the process made sure that MyHub wasn't just accessible on paper but empowering in practice. With every review and beta test, Agrawal ensured that people with disabilities weren't just accommodated, they were respected as essential users.

By 2020, Microsoft took another bold step: disclosing disability representation publicly. 6.1% of its U.S. workforce self-identified as having a disability. Modest, yes, but monumental for transparency in tech.

Chief Accessibility Officer Jenny Lay-Flurrie called it "a small but incredibly important step" in a longer journey. "While we are proud of the progress," she emphasized, "there is clearly more to do."

And that's what makes Microsoft's story so powerful.

It isn't a story of perfection. It's a story of persistence of empathy that became action, of leadership that became culture. 

From Nadella's personal awakening to Fejfar's design transformation to Agrawal's lived expertise, this was not a one-person mission. It was a coalition. And it continues.

Because the work is far from done.

One in ten people with disabilities globally still lack the assistive technology they need to participate fully at work. Microsoft knows this. It admits it. And it's building anyway, with accessibility as a lens for every product, every policy, and every person.

As Bing Zhu, one of the design leads, says, "We're still learning. But we're committed to building a future where everyone, not just some, can thrive."

That's what inclusive leadership looks like in motion.

It doesn't end with an app. Or a dashboard. Or even a disclosure report. It begins again every time someone decides to build with everyone in mind.

And for Microsoft, the mission is clearer than ever: empower every person. Every means every.

Case 2: Rosalind Brewer’s DEI Advocacy at Walgreens Boots Alliance

When Rosalind "Roz" Brewer stepped into her role as CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance in 2021, she wasn't just making headlines; she was making history. She became the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company at the time. But the bigger story wasn't the title. It was the moment.

Corporate America was at a crossroads. The killing of George Floyd had shaken the conscience of the business world. Companies released statements, pledged donations, and promised change. But behind closed doors, many leaders whispered the same doubts: Where do we begin?

“To avoid performative justice and make a real difference, I believe it starts with people asking: Am I being seen? Am I being heard? Some companies are already holding listening sessions, bringing multiple viewpoints into big decisions, and engaging partner networks in new ways. Before jumping into training and development, pause. Start grassroots. Hold listening sessions with diverse employees. Learn from their perspectives. They're your best resource to drive real change. ”

Rosalind (Roz) Brewer

Roz Brewer didn't wait for answers. She embodied them.

Brewer had spent her career navigating spaces where she was often the only Black woman in the room. Her lived experience gave her an unflinching perspective on what true inclusion really requires. And she was clear: the problem wasn't a pipeline of talent. It was a pipeline of trust. Companies weren't struggling to find Black or Latinx talent. They were struggling to create environments where that talent could thrive.

"Inclusion," Brewer said, "isn't about hitting diversity numbers. It's about making people feel safe enough to be their full selves and respected for it."

At Starbucks, she didn't lead from a corner office. She held regular breakfasts with baristas and frontline employees. These were not symbolic. They were transformative. Employees voiced their concerns. Ideas sparked. People connected. Inclusion wasn't being delegated. It was being lived.

When a racial bias incident occurred at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, Brewer helped drive the company's response. It wasn't just another training session. It was a national moment of reckoning. Starbucks closed stores for a day of anti-bias education led not by outside experts, but by peers. Baristas talking to baristas. Conversations flowed from the workplace to homes and communities. Brewer had turned a crisis into a culture reset.

At Walgreens, she brought the same fire.

She pushed back against surface-level DEI. Pledges were not enough. Relationships mattered more than metrics. Brewer championed formal mentorship and sponsorship programs tools that ensured underrepresented talent wouldn't just be hired, but would rise. "Imagine a new hire meeting a senior leader monthly," she said. "That changes everything."

Her leadership wasn't just about visibility. It was about voice. She made space for underrepresented employees to be heard, to be seen, and to help shape the future of the company. She challenged other leaders to do the same. To stop hiding behind discomfort. To pick up the phone and ask, "How are you? How can I help?"

Brewer believes inclusion starts at home, in community, and in everyday decisions. She opened up conversations not just in boardrooms, but in families. She reminded leaders that DEI isn't a program. It's a mindset.

What makes her story unforgettable isn't just what she did, it's how she led. With courage. With consistency. And with the conviction that leadership means showing up even when it's hard.

In a world where some leaders still play it safe, Brewer dares to stir the pot and invites others to do the same.

Because the future doesn't belong to companies that talk about inclusion. It belongs to those who built it.

Case 3: Accenture’s Systemic Inclusion Model

What happens when a company of 700,000 people decides that everyone, regardless of ability, gender, identity, race, or background, deserves not just a seat at the table but a place where they belong?

At Accenture, inclusion isn't a department. It's the culture.

It starts with a powerful belief: "Unique individuals, united by purpose." That purpose? Delivering on the promise of technology and human ingenuity. But innovation, they know, doesn't happen in echo chambers. It demands perspectives that challenge the norm, voices that have been sidelined, and leadership that listens first.

Led from the top by their Chair and CEO, Accenture embedded inclusion into its business strategy, not as a side project but as a core driver of 360° value for clients, communities, and employees. Every leader, from board members to managers, is held accountable through Leadership Essentials, a framework that expects inclusive behaviors, not just inclusive intentions.

Beck Bailey, Accenture's Global Chief Diversity Officer, puts it simply: "Diverse perspectives and lived experiences are the heartbeat of innovation and change."

That heartbeat fuels every decision, from hiring practices and benefit design to product development and leadership promotion.

To bring this belief to life, Accenture built one of the most dynamic inclusion ecosystems in the corporate world:

• 100+ Pride networks across 45 countries
• Neurodiversity groups offering peer sessions and learning support
• Disability alliances active in 29 countries
• Faith, refugee, social mobility, and veteran networks providing cultural and emotional support

These are more than networks. They are ecosystems of safety, advocacy, and growth.

Each network tells a story. Each story tells us why inclusive leadership isn't optional. It is essential.

• Molthatlhego Maffa, a security analyst, spent years hiding his neurodivergence. At Accenture, he found a space that didn't ask him to fit in but encouraged him to stand out. Now, he's a vocal advocate for neuroinclusive cultures.
• Liliane Claudia, quadriplegic since 14, didn't just thrive as a designer at Accenture Song. She co-created the Liliane Canvas Control, an Adobe accessibility plug-in that puts autonomy in users' hands.
• Annayah Jean (AJ) Fernandez Rivera, a trans woman, broke barriers to lead major technology programs across continents. It took years for her to feel safe being her full self at work. Now she ensures others won't have to wait as long.
• Wilson Marcondes launched Brazil's Color Brave movement, bringing raw, respectful conversations about race and identity into the boardroom and beyond.

Each of them shows us what's possible when leadership meets empathy with action.

Accenture doesn't stop at stories. They've codified their values into systems:

• Transparent pay equity reporting
• Merit-based growth opportunities across all backgrounds
• Equitable, inclusive benefits for physical, emotional, and financial well-being
• Formalized accountability at all leadership levels

They've turned belonging from a buzzword into a measurable business metric.

The Emotional Center: "Everyone Is Welcome Here." This is the line that anchors it all.

It's not just said in policy documents or town halls. It lives in how teams are built, how leaders are evaluated, how tools are designed, and how every individual is treated.

And when people feel seen and heard, something extraordinary happens: They innovate. They lead. They stay. They build.

7 Inclusive Leadership Habits Every Leader Should Build in 2025

What makes inclusion real isn't policies. It's daily habits and intentional actions that shape how people feel at work. The most inclusive leaders in 2025 don't just talk equity. They embody it in how they listen, design, decide, and develop others.

Here are seven habits drawn from the playbooks of Microsoft, Walgreens, and Accenture: habits you can start building from day one.

1. Lead with Lived Empathy, Not Abstract Values

Inspired by Satya Nadella's leadership at Microsoft

When Satya Nadella spoke about raising his son with cerebral palsy, he was showing the company who he was and who they needed to be.

That vulnerability became Microsoft's pivot point. Engineers began designing not just for performance but for humanity. Inclusion was no longer a side campaign; it became a leadership lens.

Employees with highly empathic senior leaders report higher levels of creativity (61%) and engagement (76%) than those with less empathic senior leaders (13% and 32%, respectively).

Start every quarter with a personal reflection shared in team spaces. It could be about challenge, identity, or growth. When you lead with your story, you give others permission to bring theirs.

2. Design for Everyone from the Start

Inspired by Tricia Fejfar and Manish Agrawal at Microsoft

MyHub didn't become inclusive by accident. It happened because leaders like Fejfar asked: "What if our tools were broken for someone? How do we rebuild them with that someone in mind?"

And then they invited Manish Agrawal to the table, not for feedback but for co-creation. Inclusion was not performative. It was participatory.

When launching any new process or product, bring in users from underrepresented or marginalized groups during design, not just at testing. Co-design is inclusion in action.

3. Let Listening Be Your First Act of Leadership

Inspired by Rosalind Brewer's grassroots approach at Walgreens and Starbucks

After George Floyd's death, Brewer didn't rush into PR-safe diversity pledges. She urged a pause. She asked leaders to listen to actually hear what it's like to feel invisible at work.

At Starbucks, she met regularly with baristas not to direct but to learn. That's how trust was built. That's how systemic gaps came into view.

According to the Zenger Folkman Study, leaders rated poor listeners ranked at the 15th percentile in trust; those excelling in listening landed at the 86th percentile.

Block time monthly for "quiet leadership" one-on-one or group listening circles with no agenda and no hierarchy. Don't fix it. Don't defend. Just absorb. Those Insights will reshape your core.

4. Make Sponsorship Your Leadership KPI

Inspired by Brewer's call to action for rising talent

Brewer pushed hard on this point: mentorship is supportive. Sponsorship is transformative. The difference? A mentor advises. A sponsor opens doors and speaks your name in rooms you haven't entered yet.

Companies don't fail to hire diverse talent; they fail to elevate it. Sponsorship is the bridge.

According to the Harvard Business Review, only 5% of Black employees have sponsors, compared to 20% of White employees. Additionally, women are 54% less likely to have a sponsor than men.

Choose two high-potential employees from underrepresented backgrounds. Commit to championing them, connect them with senior stakeholders, advocate for stretch roles, and give the public credit for their wins.

5. Make Inclusion a Measure of Leadership, Not Just a Message

Inspired by Accenture's Leadership Essentials accountability system

At Accenture, inclusion isn't an initiative; it's how performance is measured. Leaders don't get points for caring. They get evaluated for creating measurable outcomes.

That mindset reframed inclusion as core to strategy, not as "nice to have," but as "cannot win without."

Add inclusion metrics to leadership scorecards, such as hiring equity, retention of diverse talent, psychological safety ratings, or ERG engagement. Make it matter during reviews, not just during campaigns.

6. Build Spaces Where Difference Isn't Just Accepted, It's Celebrated

Inspired by Accenture's community networks and lived stories

Neurodivergent employees. LGBTQ+ leaders. Employees with disabilities. Accenture didn't just welcome them; they empowered them to lead.

Liliane Claudia created tools for accessible design. AJ Fernandez Rivera transformed trans representation in leadership. They didn't have to assimilate. They helped architect culture.

According to McKinsey, companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.

Fund and elevate employee-led networks. Invite them to make strategic decisions. Normalize story-sharing at all levels. Inclusion gets real when the difference isn't silenced. It's spotlighted.

7. Be Transparent Even When You're Not Proud of the Numbers

True inclusion doesn’t require perfect numbers; it requires honest ones.

When organizations disclose underrepresentation data, even when the figures are modest or disappointing, they send a powerful message: we're not there yet, but we’re not hiding. That kind of transparency builds far more trust than inflated metrics ever could.

Choose one area of underrepresentation in your team or company. Share where you stand, even if it’s uncomfortable. Name the gap. Then, name the steps you’re taking to close it. Transparency builds credibility and momentum.

Remember This

You don't need a DEI title to build inclusion. You need courage. You need consistency. You need to turn these principles into practice, again and again.

And the best part? Every one of these habits is within reach. Not someday. Today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Inclusion starts with a mindset shift and becomes real through everyday decisions. As we’ve seen from Nadella’s vulnerable leadership, Brewer’s bold grassroots action, and Accenture’s systemic transformation, inclusive leadership means more than good intentions. It’s about recognizing the invisible defaults, confronting silent biases, and choosing equity in every moment that matters.

But even the most committed leaders face a real barrier: turning awareness into action. Because bias doesn’t always show up in meetings, it hides in hiring decisions, promotions, product designs, and who feels safe to speak up. And this can’t be undone by a keynote or a checklist. It takes skill. Precision. Practice.

That’s where Edstellar comes in. We partner with organizations to build inclusion not just as a value but as a measurable leadership capability.

We begin with clarity. Our Skill Matrix software provides a precise visual map of your team’s current strengths and skill gaps across key inclusion competencies, including bias recognition, psychological safety, equitable communication, and cross-cultural collaboration.

From there, we co-design targeted learning journeys. Every training program is instructor-led, tailored to your organization’s realities, and designed for sustainable behavior change, not just awareness.

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All of it is backed by our consult–design–deliver–evaluate model, ensuring measurable impact from start to finish.

Ready to Take the First Step?

You just need to start with clarity and courage. Schedule your free consultation with Edstellar. We’ll help you design a program that aligns with your business goals and people strategy.