As market researchers, our responsibility is to understand people, to uncover what drives their decisions, what shapes their behaviors, and how they experience the world around them. To do that well, we need to meet people where they are. That means designing research that reflects their reality, in all its nuance and complexity.
In recent months, there’s been a growing movement, politically and culturally, to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in institutions, workplaces, and public discourse. This shift has made some organizations hesitant to use DEI-related language or even ask questions that touch on identity. But here’s the thing: just because DEI is being politically de-emphasized doesn’t mean diversity itself has disappeared. People haven’t stopped being different. They haven’t stopped bringing their full selves to the workplace, their communities, or the products and services they interact with and use. When we, as researchers, pretend otherwise, when we let that complexity fade into the background, we compromise the quality of our work.
DEI isn't a political statement in this context. It's a lens that helps us see the full picture.
It's about precision. It's about ensuring that when we say we're capturing a market, we're not actually just capturing a narrow slice of it. That doesn’t mean every project needs to lead with DEI. Not every survey is about race, or gender, or systemic barriers. But sometimes, identity plays a critical role in how someone thinks, decides, or behaves. And when that’s the case, we need to be willing to ask the questions that reveal those dynamics.
This may look like:
• Offering inclusive gender and sexuality options in demographic questions
• Considering how socioeconomic status, disability, or geography may impact a respondent’s lived experience
• Revisiting screeners that may unintentionally exclude certain communities
• Avoiding biased or outdated terminology
• Including sample quotas that ensure broader representation of the people we’re trying to understand
This isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about getting the data right.
In market research, our north star should always be data quality. To achieve that, we need to stay open, curious, and responsive to the evolving social fabric of the world around us. That includes recognizing that diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t simply trends; they are foundational to understanding the complexity of human behavior and decision-making. When we allow fear, politics, or discomfort to steer us away from this foundation, we introduce blind spots. We risk delivering insights that don’t hold up under scrutiny, and we risk underrepresenting the very people that our clients need to hear from.
At its best, market research brings truth to light.
It helps businesses make smarter, more human decisions. And that only happens when our methods reflect the reality of who people are, not just who we assume them to be.
So yes, language matters. Representation matters. Inclusion matters.
Because when we design research that welcomes everyone into the conversation, we don’t just produce better data; we produce better outcomes. No matter what broader debates are taking place, our role as researchers is to reflect reality. Let’s make sure we don’t lose sight of that.
Contact: Ariane Claire, Research Director, myCLEARopinion Insights Hub
A1: Avoiding identity questions to sidestep controversy doesn’t make our data safer, it makes it less accurate. When we ignore identity, we miss key context that shapes behavior and decision-making. Responsible research means asking the hard questions, not erasing complexity.
A2: DEI isn’t a trend, it’s a lens for seeing reality more clearly. Politics may shift, but diversity is constant. If we stop measuring it, we stop understanding real-world markets. DEI helps ensure our methods reflect the full landscape, not a filtered version of it.
A3: When clients push back, it’s a chance to educate, not retreat. Inclusive questions aren’t about making statements; they’re about getting clean, representative data. Explain how outdated or narrow demographic options can distort insights and lead to poor business decisions.