Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is more than a standalone initiative—it's a strategic lever for driving innovation, alignment, and growth in remote-first and global organizations. In this episode of the Freedom of Work podcast, host Leah Cottham is joined by Anthony Vaughan, from Boundless and the E1B2 Collective podcast, to dive deep into how leaders can weave DEI into the very DNA of their business.

Leah and Anthony unpack why traditional DEI efforts often fall short when treated as separate from core business priorities, how global companies must localize DEI efforts to meet regional and cultural needs, and the essential role of leadership vulnerability, hiring manager training, and psychological safety in fostering inclusive remote teams.

Key highlights include:

• The myth that DEI is purely about race, gender, and checkboxes.
• Why DEI must connect to revenue, product innovation, and team alignment.
• How remote leaders can spot and prevent exclusion in distributed teams.
• The importance of region-specific benefits and benchmarking for global workforces.
• Practical steps for embedding DEI into leadership, recruitment, and daily operations.

Whether you're an HR leader, executive, or founder of a remote or distributed team, this episode offers actionable insights to evolve DEI from a nice-to-have initiative into a business-critical function.