A Comparative Study of DEI Practices Across Selected Industries

Abstract

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (DEI) Currently, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is considered an integral element of the operations of any company that wants to ensure employees’ satisfaction, as well as prosperity and sustainability. In general, the Hospitality sector demonstrates excellent performance in terms of DEI in the workplace, while the Manufacturing sector performs considerably worse, especially regarding gender representation. At the same time, the Logistics sector is characterized by continuous improvement and progress in DEI, mainly at the level of human resource management practices. Nevertheless, the key factor that would positively influence the retention rate in the workplace, as well as the sense of equity among employees in all sectors under consideration is the introduction of inclusive recruitment policies and the elimination of nepotism.

Introduction

The text examines Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices across three industries: Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Logistics & Supply Chain. DEI has evolved from a corporate social responsibility concept into an important business practice because diverse and inclusive workplaces can improve employee performance, customer reach, innovation, and organizational success.

Industry and Company Focus

The study compares:

• Manufacturing: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a major aerospace and defense manufacturer.
• Hospitality: Radisson Blu Atria, a luxury hotel focused on customer service and guest experiences.
• Logistics & Supply Chain: Delhivery Limited, a technology-driven logistics and delivery company.

Each sector has different DEI challenges because of differences in workforce composition, work environments, technology, and customer requirements.

Literature Review

Previous studies generally show a positive relationship between DEI and organizational performance. Effective DEI practices can:

• Improve employee productivity and engagement.
• Increase innovation and adaptability.
• Improve service quality.
• Strengthen supply-chain resilience.
• Increase employee retention and organizational commitment.
• Create a more collaborative and fair workplace.

The literature also emphasizes the importance of inclusive leadership, fair HR policies, unbiased recruitment, DEI training, workplace equality, disability inclusion, LGBTQ+ support, and DEI measurement tools such as dashboards.

Objectives

The study aims to:

1. Compare DEI practices across the three industries.
2. Examine how inclusive organizational culture affects DEI effectiveness.
3. Assess HR policies, recruitment, training, and DEI metrics.
4. Develop a framework for measuring DEI effectiveness.

Research Gap

Although many studies examine DEI outcomes individually, there is limited research comparing DEI implementation across different industries using quantitative statistical methods. This study attempts to fill that gap by comparing Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Logistics & Supply Chain.

Methodology

The research uses a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional design. Primary data were collected through a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire from HR managers and employees of HAL, Radisson Blu Atria, and Delhivery. Secondary data came from company reports, HR policies, and academic literature.

The study uses Microsoft Excel, along with statistical techniques such as:

• Descriptive statistics
• One-Way ANOVA
• Multiple Linear Regression

Hypotheses

The research tests whether:

• Fair HR recruitment, training, and skill-development practices improve employee retention.
• Workplace inclusion, representation, and reduced favoritism improve perceptions of fair pay and promotion.

Initial Findings

The demographic results show significant differences between sectors:

• HAL: Strongly male-dominated, with about 81% male employees and a large proportion of experienced engineering staff.
• Radisson Blu: Female-dominated, with about 63% female employees and a relatively younger workforce. It also shows some LGBTQ+ representation.

References

[1] Corbett, C., et al. (2025). Strengthening supply chain resilience through workplace diversity and inclusion. Operations & Supply Chain Review, 14(2), 45-62. [2] Das, A., & Mukherjee, R. (2024). Inclusive leadership in manufacturing environments: Safety and participation. Journal of Industrial Relations, 58(1), 112-128. [3] Dhanisha, M. (2025). Innovative DEIB strategies in Indian corporate sectors: A multi-case evaluation. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Journal, 44(3), 201-219. [4] Im, J., et al. (2025). Organizational justice and DEI adoption in the global hospitality sector. Tourism Management, 98, 104780. [5] Jocelyn, G. G. (2026). Global Review on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace. Academic Press. [6] Kaur, H. (2025). Strategic HR interventions driving DEI implementation. Human Resource Management Review, 35(1), 89-104. [7] Singh, V., & Nair, P. (2025). Impact of inclusive recruitment on employee retention. South Asian Journal of Management, 32(2), 145-167. [8] Thomas, E., & Mathew, J. (2025). Empirical modeling of DEI practices and firm performance. Journal of Business Research, 162, 108-122.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Chandan V, Dr. Richa Das. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.