In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, a wave of “change” cascaded across corporate America as CEOs scrambled to respond. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)* officers were hired at break-neck speed, but four years later, these roles have been slashed dramatically. While it’s undeniably demoralizing to see the attention and importance companies previously placed on EDI wane in this way, there are still guardians of these values fighting to keep them in the limelight in an ongoing capacity. Cheryl S. Durst, the Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), is at the forefront of this fight and has been throughout her 30-year career.
Durst is the first African-American woman inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame and recipient of its first-ever Leadership Award. To her, protecting and implementing EDI ideologies is a way of life. To learn more about her journey through EDI leadership and the state of EDI in 2024, I asked Durst a few questions directly.
*While DEI and EDI can be used interchangeably, many in this space prefer to lead with Equity, including Durst.
(Interview is edited for clarity and length.)
So many things in life are about the strength of our values— and EDI practices are no exception.
Let’s rewind to the beginning of your career. How did you begin your fight for diversity and inclusion in the interior design industry?
The EDI “space” is just life for all of us. As a Black, female leader in an industry that has skewed around 90 percent white and is still predominantly led by men, I have been a part of bringing inclusivity to the design industry from day one. When I took on the role of Executive Vice President and CEO of IIDA in 1998, I received racist threats. We have made tangible progress since then, but there is certainly still work that we need to do, and it is urgent work.
There is certainly still work that we need to do, and it is urgent work.
I consider fostering inclusion for people of all backgrounds, abilities, and ages and creating opportunities for greater diversity within the industry a core part of my mission. During my tenure at IIDA, we’ve prioritized this work by launching initiatives and scholarships that empower the next generation of designers, recognize women and people of color doing great work in the profession, and advance both discussion and action around EDI for companies and individuals.
We’ve also worked to promote an understanding of how design impacts human behavior and affects all aspects of shared spaces— essentially, how design can extend a welcome to all.
What advice would you give to companies struggling with embedding EDI initiatives into their business? What’s the jumping-off point?
Diversity initiatives begin with authentic intentions, but those intentions must lead to tangible, empowering action. In other words, we must walk the talk— transparency is a big part of that. So, start with gathering data: engage your staff in an inclusive, open study of your EDI practices and workplace inclusion in your organization. How is your organization’s culture experienced by everyone with access to it? Are you actively working to do business with partners who share your values around EDI?
Find out where you really stand and share that information, as well as the steps you’ve mapped out to change things. Those next steps are the key: take action to create change and stick with that journey. Too many companies start strong but fade on the follow-through. Bring your intentions to the forefront, seek participation and feedback, and invest your energy in continuous progress.
Too many companies start strong, but fade on the follow-through. Bring your intentions to the forefront, seek participation and feedback, and invest your energy in continuous progress.
How do you suggest companies ensure EDI initiatives remain an on-going priority and are not just a tokenistic fad that fizzles out?
So many things in life are about the strength of our values— and EDI practices are no exception.
Research has shown that employees are more engaged, and retention rates rise when everyone understands the “why” of their work. What are we investing our time and attention in, and what are we striving to achieve collectively? Inclusivity and greater diversity should be a part of your organization’s values, which should be clearly, consistently, and constantly communicated to everyone.
Embrace radical transparency. How are we doing on our goals? What are our next steps, and how should we adjust as we reflect on feedback? What does our recruitment look like, and could we be doing more to support a robust cohort of diverse young talent?
When everyone is engaged in the great project of creating an inclusive workplace and business environment, we can hold ourselves accountable for making progress and create an organization that actively fosters acceptance, comfort, and creativity—an organization everyone is proud to be a part of.
What positive strides have you seen in companies embracing EDI? Where do you see the most room for improvement?
I’m an optimist. And I have seen amazing progress. Design, of course, is essentially human and concerned with humanity, so it makes sense that our industry would understand and embrace the need for inclusiveness, broader perspectives in our work, and new voices at the table. That inclusiveness makes our work richer and ultimately improves the lives of our clients and end users. Design touches every life, often in profound ways, so our ability to impact every kind of community is incredibly powerful.
Design touches every life, often in profound ways, so our ability to have impact on every kind of community is incredibly powerful.
I have been especially encouraged to see many companies working to build more robust pathways for young people to discover design and pursue careers in the industry. This outreach is how we build the design industry of the future, and at IIDA, we have seen this firsthand. In just four years of our Design Your World pathway program, we have seen multiple program alums entering design school, taking the next steps toward making design their profession. Building a pipeline for a more inclusive design workforce is a long game, but seeing these amazing results so quickly is incredibly exciting.
We’re also launching a program to cultivate IIDA student membership at HBCUs, so we’re continuing to build a path that will support these young designers through school and into their early careers, building resiliency.
Of course, there is plenty of work to be done! I’m excited to see designers advocating for sustainability regarding the built environment’s impact on under-resourced communities. That thinking challenges us to do more, to educate ourselves, and to be stronger advocates for creating a better model.
We also need to continue to broaden our ideas about what constitutes diversity. Are we truly embracing neurodiverse designers and end users? Are we addressing age inclusiveness for a multi-generational workforce? Are we inclusive of all faiths and all definitions of gender in our public spaces?
And, although many of our design industry partners are championing diversity through multiple entry points, I’m wary of a shifting mood in the corporate world at large, a pulling back on organizational EDI focus. We have seen many people who were hired as leaders for company-wide EDI lose their jobs as attention shifts away from keeping these issues front and center.
I’m proud of our work at IIDA and in this industry. I think we sit in a fortunate place— inherently focused on humanity, with the ability to powerfully impact the lives of everyone. The more we champion diversity and inclusivity in all its forms, the better we fulfill our mission to serve. And that’s something designers can do better than anyone else: bring purpose and human-focused values to the world around us.
