DEI erased from public universities in Ohio and Kentucky

C-suite leaders in sustainability should take note — a sharp political shift is reshaping the values landscape in U.S. higher education. New laws in Ohio and Kentucky ban diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at public universities, gutting DEI offices and restricting discourse on climate, immigration, and even foreign policy.

Ohio’s sweeping SB 1, effective in June, goes further — punishing non-compliant institutions by pulling state funding, banning faculty strikes, and mandating a new version of U.S. history. Some universities have already started dismantling DEI programmes in anticipation.

This raises serious questions for employers: What happens when tomorrow’s workforce is shaped in spaces stripped of inclusive values?

Read the full article to explore what this means for future talent pipelines and corporate responsibility.