Research has consistently shown that even a modest 0.1-point increase in DEI ratings (on a 5-point scale) correlates with a remarkable 13% boost in an organisation’s business outcomes.

Despite this compelling evidence, approximately 30-35% of organisations still report less than 10% representation of diverse groups in senior management, and less than 5% at the Board and C-Suite levels.

The BasilTree DEI Maturity Framework empowers companies to evolve from isolated or ad hoc DEI initiatives to strategies that are impactful, cohesive, and deeply aligned with business priorities. By leveraging a modern, context-driven approach, the framework evaluates effectiveness across three distinct dimensions, with their interplay determining an organisation’s overall DEI maturity.

Maturity of Inclusion: how deeply and systematically inclusive practices are incorporated.
Maturity of Ownership: how deeply accountability is embedded.
Maturity of Impact: how it impacts strategy, performance and culture.

The overall DEI Maturity is arrived at by placing the weighted average of the three axes on a four-point scale. The framework gives greater weight to Maturity of Impact, to ensure emphasis on business outcomes.

The BasilTree DEI Maturity Levels

The framework will enable organisations to strengthen their DEI strategies, driving meaningful and sustained progress toward greater inclusivity and equity.

By tracking advancements across its dimensions, the framework encourages deliberate and measurable improvements, focusing on high-impact initiatives rather than surface-level actions with limited results. Its assessment approach combines absolute benchmarking within the framework and relative comparisons with industry peers. This analysis provides organisations with guidance to make lasting progress in integrating DEI into their culture and operations.

Please feel free to contact us for further details, or for a report with insights on your company’s DEI maturity level.