DEI hiring: what it really means in 2026
“DEI hiring” is a phrase that gets used a lot and explained rarely. Some hear it and picture quotas. Others hear it and picture basic fairness. That gap is where most of the confusion lives, and in 2026, with the EU pay transparency directive arriving and UK employers under more scrutiny on who they hire, it pays to be clear.
So here is a plain-English answer to what DEI hiring actually means, what UK law allows, and what good practice looks like, so you can hire well, stay within the Equality Act 2010, and build a team that reflects the people you serve.
What is DEI hiring?
DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI hiring is the practice of designing your recruitment so that talented people from every background have a fair chance to apply, be assessed on their merit, and join. It covers your job adverts, where you advertise, how you sift CVs, who sits on your interview panels, and how you decide.
The point of DEI hiring is not to favour one group over another. It is to remove the quiet advantages and disadvantages that skew a process before anyone notices. A job advert full of aggressive language, a CV sift that rewards a familiar university, an interview panel that all looks the same: these narrow your shortlist without improving it. DEI hiring is the work of catching them.
Is DEI hiring legal in the UK?
Yes, and the distinction that matters is between positive action and positive discrimination.
Positive discrimination, which means choosing someone because of a protected characteristic regardless of merit, is unlawful in Great Britain under the Equality Act 2010. You cannot give someone a job simply because they are a woman, or set aside roles for a particular group.
Positive action is lawful. Sections 158 and 159 of the Equality Act 2010 let employers take proportionate steps to help groups that are under-represented or that face particular disadvantage. In practice that can mean encouraging applications from under-represented groups, offering mentoring or development, or, under the “tie-break” provision in section 159, choosing a candidate from an under-represented group when two applicants are equally qualified. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishes guidance on where the line sits, and ACAS offers practical advice for employers who want to stay compliant.
The Act’s nine protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Good DEI hiring keeps all of them in mind, not just gender.
What DEI hiring is not
It is not quotas. Hard quotas that reserve roles for a group are not lawful in UK recruitment, and most credible programmes do not use them. Targets are different: aiming for a more balanced shortlist is allowed, requiring a set number of hires from a group is not.
It is not lowering the bar. Done properly, DEI hiring raises shortlist quality because you assess a wider pool against the same clear standard. The merit principle stays; what changes is who gets a fair look.
It is not anti-men, and it is not box-ticking. The honest version of this work is about better decisions, not performative ones.
How to do DEI hiring well
Start with the job advert. List only the skills that genuinely matter, drop the inflated wish list, and check the language for terms that quietly deter women and other groups. CIPD research shows overlong requirement lists shrink and skew your applicant pool.
Then look at your process. Structured interviews, where every candidate answers the same core questions against the same scoring guide, reduce the pull of gut feel and bias. Diverse panels help too, and anonymising the first CV sift, so names and schools are hidden, is a simple step many UK employers now use.
Finally, measure. Track where candidates drop out of your funnel by stage. If women apply but rarely reach the final round, the problem is your process, not your pipeline. Our guide to diversity and inclusion jobs in the UK covers the roles behind this work, and how to read a company’s gender pay gap figures is a useful companion on pay equity.
Why it matters in 2026
Transparency is rising. The 2026 EU pay transparency directive is reshaping how employers report and defend pay decisions, and UK firms with European operations already feel the pull (see our explainer on the 2026 EU pay transparency directive). Candidates increasingly check who they are about to work for. Fair, well-documented DEI hiring is no longer a nice-to-have. It is how you protect your decisions, widen your talent pool, and build a workplace people want to stay in.
Frequently asked questions
What does DEI hiring mean in simple terms?
It means designing recruitment so everyone capable gets a fair chance to apply and be judged on merit, by removing bias from how you advertise, sift, interview and decide. A fairer process, not a fixed outcome.
Is DEI hiring legal in the UK?
Yes. Positive action is lawful under sections 158 and 159 of the Equality Act 2010, while positive discrimination (hiring someone because of a protected characteristic, regardless of merit) is not. ACAS and the EHRC publish guidance for employers.
Does DEI hiring mean using quotas?
No. Hard quotas that reserve roles for a group are not lawful in UK recruitment. Balanced shortlists and aspirational targets are allowed, but the hiring decision itself must rest on merit.
Does DEI hiring lower standards?
No. A well-run process assesses a wider pool against the same clear standard, which tends to raise shortlist quality, not lower it.
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This is educational information, not legal advice. How the Equality Act 2010 applies depends on your circumstances, sector and the specific role. For guidance on your situation, contact ACAS (free and impartial) or the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Last reviewed: June 2026