Although moral framing provides a compelling theoretical basis for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training, its effectiveness can be enhanced by incorporating culturally responsive training designs rooted in principles from culturally responsive assessments (CRA). We focus on teaching and assessment as they relate most directly to implications for training. We define CRAs as methods that integrate participants’ cultural backgrounds, values, and preferences into the design and delivery of programs to enhance engagement, inclusivity, and outcomes. Grounded in the principles of culturally responsive teaching (CRT), CRA emphasizes the importance of addressing the dynamic interplay between individuals’ cultural contexts and the training environment (Gay, Reference Gay2002; Montenegro & Jankowski, Reference Montenegro and Jankowski2017). Principles such as shared power, engagement, high expectations, flexibility, and asset-based approaches can transform morally framed DEI training into a more inclusive and impactful experience. By adopting a culturally responsive, informed design for DEI training, we believe the trainees’ experiences will become more relevant and effective. In this commentary, we argue that both moral foundations theory and cultural responsiveness emphasize the need to consider values and ethics in shaping reactions to DEI training. Together, these approaches offer a more nuanced understanding of individual differences, suggesting that both should be integrated when designing DEI training.
Cultural responsiveness encompasses more than just race and gender. Montenegro and Jankowski (Reference Montenegro and Jankowski2017) offer an expanded definition of culture as it relates to individual assessments and the development, selection, and implementation of assessment tools and methods in higher education. Although cultural responsiveness has been mainly applied within student populations, we see significant potential to extend these principles into the HR lifecycle (Gallegos et al., Reference Gallegos, Smith, Syed, Brooks and Martín-Raugh2024). This broader view of culture encompasses three key elements: (a) explicit, (b) implicit, and (c) cognitive. Explicit elements are the visible and shared aspects that identify people with a specific group, such as behaviors, customs, language, heritage, and religion. Implicit elements refer to the shared beliefs, values, ethics, identities, and common experiences (e.g., immigrants adapting to life in a new country). Cognitive elements are group experiences that shape individuals’ acquisition of knowledge, behavior, communication, self-perceptions, work ethic, and collaboration (e.g. how people from different educational backgrounds approach problem-solving). Maneethai and colleagues (Reference Maneethai, Johnson, Atwater and Witt2025) discuss moral foundations theory in a way that closely aligns with the implicit elements of cultural responsiveness.
The current discussion of moral foundations framework in DEI training is limited to trainee’s differences in moral preferences (e.g., care vs. loyalty) and excludes the explicit and cognitive elements that culturally responsive training design could address. If individual differences in moral values influence reactions to training, it is possible that other factors within the explicit and cognitive elements of culture also contribute to shaping trainee reactions. By incorporating culturally responsive principles into morally framed DEI training, we can enhance engagement and improve inclusivity, leading to better long-term outcomes. In the following sections, we provide an overview of culturally responsive approaches and their applications to DEI training development. We also offer implications for theory and research in industrial-organizational psychology.
Culturally responsive approaches: An overview
Core principles
Walker et al. (Reference Walker, Olivera-Aguilar, Lehman, Laitusis, Guzman-Orth and Gholson2023) propose five principles to enhance CRAs: shared power, engagement, high expectations, flexibility, and asset-based perspectives. “Shared power” involves including diverse stakeholders in all stages of design to ensure assessments reflect inclusive cultural contexts. “Engagement” emphasizes fostering belonging and cognitive participation, which improves motivation and outcomes. “High expectations” highlights the potential of all participants to achieve, countering negative stereotypes. “Flexibility” addresses diverse cultural and individual needs, allowing for adaptable content and delivery methods. Last, “asset-based perspectives” focus on leveraging participants’ cultural strengths rather than highlighting deficits (Walker et al., Reference Walker, Olivera-Aguilar, Lehman, Laitusis, Guzman-Orth and Gholson2023). CRA has proven effective in educational contexts for improving engagement and learning outcomes (Aronson & Laughter, Reference Aronson and Laughter2016) and has direct applicability to workplace training, particularly in DEI initiatives.
By tailoring content and delivery methods to align with these contexts, CRA fosters a sense of belonging, promotes psychological safety, and enhances the overall effectiveness of programs. This approach mirrors the characteristics of CRT, which encourage educators to recognize the influence of diverse cultural backgrounds on students and the curriculum. CRT also emphasizes building connections between classroom and home experiences, employing varied instructional strategies to accommodate different learning styles, fostering students’ appreciation and understanding of culture, and incorporating multicultural perspectives into the subjects being taught.
Relevance to training programs
Culturally responsive approaches hold significant relevance for DEI training, which frequently involves participants with varying cultural and moral frameworks. DEI training, like formal education, often seeks to address complex social dynamics and interpersonal relationships within a group. Although CRT informs the development of trainers’ perspectives on teaching DEI material and underscores the importance of diversity, CRA principles focus on the design characteristics of the training itself. Programs grounded in CRA principles ensure that training content is relevant and meaningful to participants by embedding cultural sensitivity into the design process (Long, Reference Long2009). Additionally, CRA promotes psychological safety by creating an environment where participants feel their identities are recognized and respected, thus reducing resistance to training (Kwak et al., Reference Kwak, Bell, Blair and Bloom2024). Finally, CRA principles extend beyond local contexts to multinational organizations, offering a framework for adapting DEI training to diverse cultural settings. This adaptability is critical for ensuring that training remains effective across varying regional and cultural landscapes.
Applying culturally responsive approaches to DEI training
Engage stakeholders throughout development
The principle of shared power emphasizes the importance of involving stakeholders from various organizational levels, roles, and cultural backgrounds in the creation of DEI training programs. This collaborative approach ensures that the training is co-designed to meet the needs of all participants while reflecting their lived experiences, priorities, and cultural contexts. Incorporating feedback from diverse stakeholders fosters trust, mutual respect, and shared ownership of the initiative, aligning with the principle of engagement. It also incorporates the asset-based perspective by valuing the unique experiences, cultural insights, and skills each stakeholder brings, focusing on strengths rather than deficits.
High expectations enhance stakeholder involvement by emphasizing the collective capability of all contributors to create a meaningful and impactful program. These expectations challenge biases and stereotypes, fostering equitable standards while promoting growth and well-being. Stakeholders can also embrace the principle of high expectations by integrating opportunities for higher order thinking into the design process, such as scenario-based activities that encourage participants to critically apply their knowledge. Together, these principles establish a collaborative and inclusive foundation for training development that reflects the diversity of the organization and highlights the contributions of all participants.
Grant trainees agency in training delivery
Flexibility in training delivery and assessments enhances DEI initiatives by empowering participants to make autonomous choices in how they engage with content and respond to tasks. This approach aligns with the principles of engagement and flexibility, fostering active participation and accommodating diverse preferences and needs. Providing options for learning pathways, modes of delivery (e.g., audio, video, text, images), and response formats (e.g., written reports, oral presentations, interactive activities) ensures that participants feel a sense of competence, autonomy, relevance, and accessibility.
High expectations can be seamlessly integrated into flexible learning by offering opportunities for participants to engage in higher-order thinking, such as problem-solving and reflective exercises rooted in real-world applications. Immediate feedback and personalized alternatives further enhance this flexibility, enabling participants to learn from their decisions, refine their understanding, and explore new approaches that deepen their engagement. This adaptability not only accommodates diverse preferences while maintaining equitable standards but also fosters autonomy, competence, and relevance. Participants are equipped to meet these expectations and empowered to contribute ideas that guide the evolution of future training programs.
This approach of using CRA principles in training design and development creates a dynamic and inclusive training environment that resonates across all moral foundations. By prioritizing individual well-being and accessibility (care), it ensures participants feel supported and engaged. It fosters equitable opportunities for participation (fairness), accommodating diverse learning preferences while promoting autonomy and growth. Through collective input and collaboration, it strengthens group cohesion and unity (loyalty) while respecting organizational hierarchies and ensuring legitimacy through leadership involvement (authority). Additionally, it upholds transparency and ethical integrity (purity), allowing participants to engage in ways that align with their cultural and ethical values. Together, this integration reinforces the organization’s commitment to inclusivity, celebrates diverse contributions, and delivers an impactful learning experience aligned with both individual values and organizational goals.
Theoretical and practical implications
Incorporating culturally responsive approaches to diversity training can expand moral framing research by integrating theories from education into training contexts. This integration may also offer insights into how cultural and moral dimensions influence perceptions of assessment fairness and procedural justice, thereby advancing CRT, CRA, and moral framing theories. By bridging these frameworks, researchers and practitioners can explore new avenues for creating assessments and training programs that resonate with diverse organizational constituents and enhance the overall legitimacy and impact of organizational DEI efforts.
More practically, organizational researchers can enhance DEI training by integrating CRA principles to promote inclusivity and effectiveness. For training designers, this means incorporating these principles to engage employees, such as involving employees in developing storytelling and role-playing exercises for care and harm messaging and offering varied engagement methods like discussions or creative expression (Gay, Reference Gay2002; Sleeter, Reference Sleeter2011). For organizations, CRA principles help foster inclusive environments by collaboratively defining organizational goals, ensuring culturally sensitive team-building activities, and encouraging leadership involvement through cofacilitation and modeling respect (avoiding "us-versus-them" framing; Walker et al., Reference Walker, Olivera-Aguilar, Lehman, Laitusis, Guzman-Orth and Gholson2023; Paris, Reference Paris2012). For researchers, investigating the impact of morally framed DEI training across cultures and preferences is crucial, as cultural responsiveness must be embedded in broader diversity efforts to prevent negative organizational outcomes, such as turnover and workplace withdrawal (Hellerstedt et al., Reference Hellerstedt, Uman and Wennberg2024).
Conclusion
By incorporating principles rooted in cultural responsiveness, such as shared power, engagement, flexibility, high expectations, and asset-based approaches, training designers can create programs that resonate with diverse participants, fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety. Organizations benefit by using CRA to adapt training to the unique needs of their workforce, promoting inclusive goals and reducing divisiveness. For researchers, investigating how culturally responsive and morally framed DEI training impacts outcomes across different cultural contexts is essential for advancing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in DEI initiatives. By bridging these approaches, DEI training can become a more dynamic and inclusive tool, ultimately contributing to stronger, more equitable organizational environments.
Competing interests
We have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
