Each part does a different job. Diversity is about the mix of people in the organisation, equity is about fair access to opportunities and fair outcomes, and inclusion is about whether people feel able to contribute once they are there. Typical DEI work includes reviewing pay gaps, auditing job adverts for exclusionary language, tracking who progresses through each hiring stage and offering reasonable adjustments to candidates.
Recruiting is where many DEI commitments either hold or fall apart, because each stage of the funnel can widen or narrow the pool. Measuring pass rates by group at every step, using structured interviews and consistent scoring, and reviewing any tool's outcomes for adverse impact turn broad aims into checks a team can act on. Approaches and legal limits vary by country, particularly around positive action.