Celeste Warren: Why Equity Is a Business Imperative, Not a Trend

For nearly three decades, Celeste Warren led Global Diversity and Inclusion at Merck, one of the world's most respected pharmaceutical companies, rising to Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Today she's an author, consultant, and founder of her own non-profit — and she has no patience left for performative diversity work.In this bonus episode, host Rainer Karcher and co-host Anthea Wagner talk to Celeste about the difference between equality and equity, why "global important, locally relevant" became her guiding strategic principle, and what it actually feels like to be the only person in the room who looks like you. Celeste traces her commitment back to her father, the first Black teacher and principal in her region, and to a career built on trial and error rather than theory.The conversation doesn't shy away from the current moment: since January 2025, a wave of executive orders in Washington has rolled back federal DEI programmes, and several major companies have quietly gone silent on commitments they once broadcast loudly. Celeste explains why some of that retreat is deserved — because the work was never truly embedded — and why the organisations that understood equity as a competitive advantage, not a compliance checkbox, are still standing.We also dig into her Equity in Action Model, six leadership actions built for managers rather than executive suites, and the single, low-cost habit she says has more impact on team performance than any strategy deck: the regular one-on-one.In this episode:Growing up as the daughter of a school-desegregation pioneerGlobal strategy, local relevance: why one-size-fits-all diversity work failsMicroaggressions and the fight to feel you belong in the roomThe DEI backlash since 2025: who was ever really committed, and who wasn'tMaking the business case for equity to a CFO — and a CMOThe Equity in Action Model: six actions for managers, not just leadership teamsWhat gives Celeste hope: working with Gen Z through Destination STEMThis week's Transformation Challenge: Pick up your phone and schedule regular one-on-ones with your direct reports. If you already have them, don't cancel them.Music pick: "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" — McFadden & WhiteheadAbout our guest:Celeste Warren spent 28 years at Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the US and Canada), the last decade as Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence. She is the author of "The Truth About Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn't, and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right", founder of Celeste Warren Consulting LLC, and co-founder of Destination STEM, Inc., a non-profit supporting students of colour in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.Links:Celeste Warren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-warren-she-her-3728784/Celeste Warren Consulting: https://crwdiversity.com/The Truth About Equity (book): https://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Equity-Really-Everyone/dp/1967587000Heartprint GmbH: https://heartprint.eu