When I started working in diversity and inclusion (or D&I) in 2006, a handful of consultants worked in this space. None of the major consulting firms were playing in the space; if they were, it was an afterthought that lived in the human capital practice. Most of the available D&I consultants were solopreneurs, which came with limitations in their ability to scale up their offerings.

You may have noticed pronouns popping up all over the place: in email signatures, online profiles, and even as people introduce themselves: “Hi, my name is Michael, and my pronouns are he/him.” But why does it matter?