They define these terms as:

Belonging is one’s physical, emotional and psychological safety; the indescribable feeling of being welcome.

Dignity is one of the most universal concepts to describe the sacred nature of each individual’s personhood.

Justice is the repairing and restoring of individuals.

They explain that the BDJ process involves building trust, “collective consciousness”, and tension to inspire action towards a culture that allows everyone to thrive. The article further states that “The key to BDJ is centring those people who are most on the margins, shifting the way we understand expertise. We must embrace the paradigm shift that occurs during the unlearning of dominant normative values.” According to Decolonize Design, by incorporating BDJ into their operations and brand identity, companies can increase recruitment and retention, productivity, innovation, customer loyalty, and partnerships, while benefiting the communities they do business in.

The WEF believes that organisations must equip people with the proper tools to dismantle, disrupt and demand more within organisations if they want to structurally address individual and institutional challenges in workplaces. The BDJ framework offers a completely different approach that prioritises Belonging, Dignity, and Justice over the status quo.

The WEF has made it clear that DEI initiatives are no longer sufficient, and organisations must take a more holistic approach if they want to create healthy work environments that benefit all employees. According to advocates of the BDJ framework, by embracing it, organisations can create a culture that allows everyone to reach their full potential and thrive.

In summary, this thought-provoking article highlights how language can easily be altered without proper understanding and how it can permeate institutions without notice. These seemingly harmless words and phrases, which I refer to as “ideological container words,” can take root and grow insidiously. It is crucial to recognise, comprehend and keep a vigilant eye on these terms to prevent them from infiltrating and affecting our thinking and values.