DEI in APAC: A growing momentum

The momentum to foster more Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion seems to be growing steadily across APAC countries. How come the future of DEI looks so bright in such a disparate region? Where tradition and modernity are in constant dialogue, can inclusion truly progress? Drawing on both her professional journey and her personal experience as a bisexual woman growing up in Northeast India, Dhritisha helps us decrypt the current landscape of DEI in APAC.  

What brought you to a career advocating for DEI values? 

Honestly, I did not just wake up one day and decided to work in DEI. It was a gradual unfolding for me, an alignment of my values, lived experiences, and definitely professional calling. As a bisexual woman growing up in Northeast India, I have often lived in the in-between: navigating visibility and safety, authenticity and acceptance. I knew early on what it felt like to exist in spaces that weren’t always made for you. Over the years, I was always inquisitive about access, power, and belonging, not just for LGBTQIA+ folks, but across gender, disability, race, caste, age, and more. Understanding intersectionality made me who I am today. When I started working in people and culture functions, I realized DEI wasn’t just something I cared about; it was something I could influence from within the system. When turning to DEI, I chose to turn my personal experiences into structural positive change.  

What is the current landscape of DEI in the APAC region?  

APAC is not a monolith, but a kaleidoscope of cultural, social, and political contexts. It is a melting pot of different cultures and that is what makes working in DEI here very complex and rewarding at the same time. One needs to navigate everything from language and hierarchy to colonial legacies and urban-rural divides through a multiple-lens perspective. For instance, gender equity might be the focus in one market, while disability access or LGBTQIA+ rights are only nascent or less publicly discussed in another. One important highlight is the tension between tradition and modernity in the region, which often shapes how inclusion is perceived in the workplace. As a DEI professional, you must take a strategic and tailored approach for each of the APAC countries.   

What makes pushing for DEI in APAC different from other regions?  

I think one of the most unique outlooks is that DEI in APAC is not just about policy reforms, it’s also about building trust and cultural translation. Copying and pasting a global framework and then expecting it to resonate the exact way in the region will not work. You must work hand in hand with local champions and teams, understanding community values, and embedding DEI into ways of working without imposing a one-size-fits-all approach. For instance, in some markets, people are conservative in talking about queerness or even mental health, but that doesn’t mean people are not experiencing exclusion. It means we need to approach these DEI topics with cultural humility, patience, and creativity.   

So, in some places, we can find more established DEI frameworks whereas in others, the conversation is just emerging, correct?  

Some countries have had a head start, often due to legal frameworks, strong civil society movements, or global corporate footprints. In these places, we see mature policies around parental leave, accessibility, and LGBTQ+ rights being integrated into business practices. Nearly two centuries ago, women were not even allowed to vote. Today, we see women thriving and emerging as leaders. I believe DEI is a continuous and dynamic journey, not a destination. There is no finish line, and the path to inclusion may vary from one country to another. What excites me most though, are the places where the conversation is just beginning, where there is an emerging awareness, and you can feel the hunger for change. Often, it is younger employees or grassroots communities that start the ripple effect. I have had the privilege of being in rooms where DEI was being spoken about for the very first time, and there is something powerful about being part of that genesis. An emerging trend in the APAC region’s DEI landscape is the expanding focus beyond traditional gender diversity to broader dimensions such as disability rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and intersectionality.   

Would you say that the DEI agenda is gaining traction across the region?  

The DEI agenda is gaining traction, yes, but it goes at a different speed for each of the APAC countries. For instance, marriage equality is definitely gaining ground and momentum in APAC, but it remains uneven. On one side, there are countries like Thailand, Taiwan, and Nepal that have taken progressive steps by legalizing same-sex marriage. However, in much of the region, a legal and societal barrier must still be breached, making equality more of a journey than a given. With the pandemic, social justice movements, and shifting workforce expectations, the conversation has accelerated. People want action and positive change. They are no longer satisfied with surface-level statements.    

How come companies now prioritize DEI more concretely?  

I think the momentum is multi-directional. It comes from passionate employees, empathetic leaders, global expectations, and local advocacy pushed by a new generation that now values purpose and authenticity.  If you take Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, at a very human level, people just want to belong. They want to be seen, heard, accepted, and valued, and companies are beginning to realize that inclusion is not just a box you tick; it is a business and moral imperative. At my own level, I have seen how much visibility and authenticity matter. When I show up as my full authentic self, it automatically signals to others that they can, too.  And that is what diversity, equity, and inclusion are. It is not just a strategy, but an invitation for everyone to be seen and respected for who they are, without shame.   

From a personal perspective, how does this make you feel? 

For someone like me who grew up hearing that queerness should be hidden, or that leadership didn’t “look like me,” I can't tell you how incredibly meaningful it is for me to witness this shift. Of course, we still have a long way to go, but we are no longer at the starting line. Workplaces already play a pivotal role in bringing this transformation by making space for authenticity, safety, and visibility. I am so grateful to be part of Criteo, where inclusion is not just a value written on paper, but a lived commitment.