Don’t let the backlash against inclusion and diversity (I&D) programs deter you, Joy Johnson-Carruthers, SHRM-SCP, founder and CEO of Nashville-based consulting firm JTraining Solutions, told attendees at SHRM INCLUSION 2024 outside Denver. Some employers have scrapped or dialed back those initiatives or dismantled their related departments—she pointed to Tractor Supply as one example—but HR professionals can still promote I&D in how they conduct themselves.

“How are you going to use your power, your title, your influence” to promote inclusive, diverse workplaces? “How are you going to use your story to help someone else?” Johnson-Carruthers asked during her session Nov. 5.

The U.S. Army veteran, former police officer and former college professor offered some answers with the following tips: