VINERI, 13 Martie, 13:30-14:30
Amfiteatrul ,,Nicolae Mărgineanu”
Diversity Inclusive Leadership
Elena Doldor, Ph.D.
Elena Doldor is Professor of Leadership and Diversity at Queen Mary University of London (UK), in the School of Business and Management. She is also Research Impact Director in the School, and a member of the Centre for Research in Equality and Diversity (CRED). A leading expert in diversity and leadership, Elena has carried out research in this area for 20 years. Her projects explore career progression and leadership development in organizations, with an emphasis on gender and ethnicity, organizational politics, inclusive talent management, and diversity on corporate boards. Her work has been published in world-leading academic journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, Human Relations, The Leadership Quarterly, Human Resources Management Journal, British Journal of Management, and International Journal of Management Reviews.
Elena is passionate about using her research to support change and regularly engages as a speaker, consultant, or advisor with organizations and policymakers seeking to advance diversity in leadership ranks. She has co-authored widely cited practitioner reports that have shaped national UK policy related to women on boards. Prior collaborations include the Davies and Hampton-Alexander UK national reviews on women on boards, the Government Equalities Office, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, FCDO, KPMG, EY, Aviva, Barclays, First City Monument Bank Nigeria, Moving Ahead, and Wates.
After starting her undergraduate studies in Psychology at Babes-Bolyai University (Romania), Elena obtained an MSc in Organizational Psychology from Pierre Mendes University (France), and a PhD in Management from Cranfield School of Management (UK). She was also a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University (USA).
SÂMBĂTĂ, 14 Martie, 11:30-12:30
Amfiteatrul ,,Nicolae Mărgineanu”
DEI is not DEAD: From Fatigue and Resistance to Impact
Claudia Toma
Universite libre de Bruxelles
Despite increasing organizational investment in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), empirical evidence shows that progress remains slow and that disparities between advantaged and disadvantaged groups persist. Our research provides evidence that DEI practices often have asymmetric effects: women and other disadvantaged groups experience gains in inclusion and job satisfaction but also DEI fatigue, while advantaged groups, particularly men with traditional gender beliefs, may respond with threat, resistance, or decreased identification. These intergroup dynamics limit the effectiveness of DEI initiatives.
To address this challenge, we propose the DEI Policy Impact Model, a new framework that shifts attention from the number of DEI activities to their actual impact, defined as the equitable reduction of disparities in key organizational outcomes. The model identifies three essential components: 1. Impact as measurable reductions in group disparities, 2. Employees’ psychological experience (inclusion, psychological safety, and perceived support) as the central mechanism linking DEI to outcomes, and 3. Coherence among DEI practices, rather than their symbolic visibility. This model provides a clearer roadmap for evaluating and designing DEI policies that drive meaningful, evidence-based organizational change.
Claudia Toma is a Professor of Social Psychology and Organizational Behavior at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, Université libre de Bruxelles, and a Fulbright Schuman Scholar. Her main research areas include diversity management, leadership, judgment, and decision-making. She is the founder of LEAD Lab and the Solvay Behavioral Lab. She serves as Advisor to the Rector on gender and diversity policy and is the academic co-director of an inter-university certificate on DEI. She has published in leading journals and has extensive editorial experience. Claudia Toma is the co-director of the “Psychologies et Société” book series, published by the Editions de l’Université de Bruxelles.
