Against the tide: How Infosys champions DEI beyond the culture war

Across the globe, the narrative around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is evolving in very different ways. In the US, DEI has been drawn into a highly politicised struggle. What began as a progressive push to address systemic inequality has, in many cases, become entangled in partisan rhetoric and executive reversals. 

Under President Donald Trump's first term, federal agencies were instructed to halt diversity training programmes deemed “divisive”, culminating in a 2020 executive order that banned references to critical race theory and similar topics in federal training sessions. This move created a chilling effect, with both government agencies and corporations hesitating to advance DEI work.

Former US President Joe Biden reversed that order upon taking office and encouraged a renewed DEI commitment across sectors. However, the backlash didn’t vanish. In several states — most notably Florida and Texas — legislation has now banned DEI offices in  universities. Companies like Google, McDonald’s, and Target have scaled back or restructured their DEI departments amid mounting political scrutiny, lawsuits, and shareholder pressure.

But while DEI falters in parts of the West, companies across India and Southeast Asia have doubled down, not out of compliance or ideology, but strategic foresight. DEI in the region is viewed less as a cultural flashpoint and more as a driver of innovation, business sustainability, and human capital development.

Infosys, the Bengaluru-based IT services giant, exemplifies this forward-looking approach. Its DEI journey reflects a deliberate, structured, and value-driven model that integrates inclusion into every part of its global operations. Here's how.

Leading with inclusion as strategy

Infosys does not treat DEI as an optional add-on or a marketing narrative. It anchors diversity in its Code of Conduct under the principle of “Respecting Each Other”, ensuring it remains a foundational ethic rather than a transient campaign.

This is further embedded into its long-term ESG Vision 2030, where DEI stands alongside other sustainability goals, such as climate positivity and digital equity. As part of this vision, Infosys is targeting 45% representation of women in its workforce by 2030, and has linked this goal directly to executive performance and corporate scorecards.

To operationalise these ambitions, the company has established DEI Councils across its global footprint. These function at business unit, regional, and location levels, ensuring accountability while being sensitive to local cultures and contexts. This decentralised structure allows for responsiveness and customisation without compromising on overarching goals.

A global workforce leads to inclusion

Operating in over 55 countries, Infosys employs individuals from over 159 nationalities, making it one of the most globally diverse technology employers. Its commitment to inclusion extends across race, ethnicity, generation, and cultural background.

The company is intentional about creating platforms for cross-cultural collaboration and emphasises inclusive leadership development to foster a sense of belonging across borders. It also actively supports military veterans and their families, acknowledging their unique experiences and helping ease the transition into civilian careers through tailored integration support.

This global mindset helps Infosys move beyond the narrow and often polarising DEI definitions seen in Western debates, and elevates its strategy instead to a holistic model of diversity built around global talent and local sensitivity.

How to do gender inclusion right

One of Infosys’s boldest DEI goals is increasing women’s representation in its workforce by 2030. Rather than relying on quotas or surface-level metrics, Infosys has designed a multi-tiered strategy focused on attraction, development, re-entry, and retention.

Its key programmes include:

• #IamTheFuture: A leadership development initiative in partnership with Stanford Graduate School of Business, focused on empowering women for executive roles.
• Orbit Next: A year-long accelerator that equips high-performing women leaders for future leadership positions across the tech and consulting verticals.
• Restart with Infosys: A career re-entry programme tailored for women returning after breaks, offering structured reskilling, mentorship, and reintegration support.
• iMother app and Mom’s Net: Digital tools and workplace support for new mothers, including nursing rooms, peer networks, and flexible return-to-work options.
• Return-to-Work Post-Maternity: A model of success, this initiative has achieved a 92% return rate, with 88% of returning mothers staying with the company for at least one year.

These interventions address a critical drop-off point for women in tech: mid-career and post-maternity transitions. Infosys's programmes signal not only support but also long-term investment in female talent.

Beyond gender, inclusion for all identities

Infosys actively invests in creating a barrier-free workplace for individuals with disabilities through a blend of infrastructure, technology, and education. Some of the company's initiatives include:

• Accessibility living lab: A training and innovation center that helps teams build accessible solutions and test them in real-world environments.
• Digital accessibility platform: Enables it to audit and improve the inclusivity of its own tools and digital products.
• Internship programme for people with disabilities: Offers hands-on industry exposure and mentoring to prepare candidates for permanent roles. Infosys is recognised as a Disability Confident Recruiter, reaffirming its commitment to accessible and equitable hiring.
• LGBTQIA+ inclusion: As a signatory to the UN Standards of Conduct for Business on LGBTI Rights, Infosys has taken concrete steps to ensure the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ employees:
• Learning modules: Organisational-wide training focused on building awareness and allyship.
• iPRIDE Employee Resource Group: Promotes a safe and inclusive workplace and advocates for LGBTQIA+ voices within the company.
• Inclusive benefits: Healthcare packages include gender-affirming procedures and support for same-sex partners, ensuring that benefits do not exclude based on identity.

Infosys received a top rating in the Corporate Equality Index, underscoring the robustness of its LGBTQIA+ inclusion practices.

Collaboration and external partnerships

Infosys recognises that driving DEI at scale requires ecosystem-wide collaboration. Some of its key partnerships include 'Women wizards rule technology' in collaboration with NASSCOM, a programme that upskills women in tech through advanced training, mentorship, and leadership pathways, and 'Aspire for her', a platform supporting women in career transitions and re-entry, providing access to networks, resources, and professional development.

Infosys’s DEI efforts have earned multiple accolades, including being named a “Champion of Inclusion” in Avtar’s Most Inclusive Companies Index and recognition in global DEI and sustainability rankings.

An important driver of this success is a deliberate integration of DEI within its broader Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. DEI metrics influence decision-making not only internally but across Infosys’s entire value chain from supply chains to client engagements and investor communication.

Its governance model emphasises stakeholder inclusivity, aiming for representation across its board and leadership while encouraging supplier diversity and community-focused projects.

Choosing values over culture wars

Infosys's approach to DEI is not reactive to political tides or swayed by noisy external pressures. Instead, it is rooted in long-standing ethical frameworks, business sustainability, and a belief that inclusive growth fuels innovation.

Infosys stands as a global exemplar of how companies can advance DEI without falling prey to political polarisation or performative activism. With strong policies, ambitious yet attainable targets, and inclusive initiatives that span gender, disability, culture, and LGBTQIA+ identities, Infosys is redefining the DEI debate in genuinely applicable, practical terms that create a better future for its employees.