Equality versus Equity

Our ability to be 'normal' in society is often affected -impacted - by our inherited factors. If we grow up in lower socio-economic status (SES) families, we tend to find work in agriculture, manufacturing, and construction. Our peers who begin in more socially advantaged circumstances tend to find work in the service sectors; such as trade, transportation, and public administration (OECD, 2024). Our rangatahi from lower socio-economic backgrounds often see themselves with a future in manual agriculture, manufacturing, and construction occupations more than their more privileged peers (OECD, 2024); their identity is as manual workers.

Merit, Equality, and Individuality (MEI) looks at success factors. MEI overlooks structural and historical barriers which limit individual access to opportunities, ignoring the detrimental impact of financial status, social class, gender, ethnicity, and disadvantage. These barriers may play out as unconscious bias in hiring, a lack of qualifications from the 'right' schools, or applicants having limited professional networks. As lower-educated rangatahi are already on the back foot entering adulthood, MEI can reinforce the status quo (Ahsan, 2025). Societies adopting an MEI approach may be known as a "meritocracy". It is also reflective of equality: everyone has the same chances, so should be TREATED THE SAME (IISC, 2016; The Equity Tool, 2024). 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) acknowledges that there are systemic inequities. DEI promotes a more nuanced approach to fairness, emphasising diversity, equity, and inclusion. Providing the inside of our organisations looks the same as we New Zealanders do collectively (i.e. as our broader society in Aotearoa), our organisations will effortlessly stay current with our national culture. It is when our organisations get out of step with social norms that they more likely to appear in media headlines. Or in court. Representation of all society's groups, supported by resources and opportunities tailored to  our individual circumstances, and creating environments where we all feel valued and can contribute according to abilities, makes for a healthy society (Ahsan, 2025). This is reflective of equity: everyone has DIFFERING NEEDS, and we should assist those who need more help because we are a compassionate and humanistic society (IISC, 2016; The Equity Tool, 2024). 

A DEI approach helps us to confront the structural barriers that affect our lives within our society; while MEI is an 'ideal', our societal value is based on our individual success (Ahsan, 2025). 

So let us consider the image accompanying this post. On the left, we have an illustrator of three differently aged men watching a baseball game over a fence, with all three male figures given the same box to view the game - equality (IISC, 2016, commissioning Angus Maguire). We then have the same figures supplied by what they NEED to all see the game - equity (IISC, 2016). Then on the right we have an expansion of the IISC idea of three figures watching a sports match over a fence (2016), which may or may not be football/soccer, showing a man, a young woman wearing glasses - who may or may not be of Asian ethnicity - and a small figure in a wheelchair (The Equity Tool, 2024, after Angus Maguire). The Equity Tool (2024) illustration is more representative of systemic barriers for women and minorities, and adds value to the original (IISC, 2016).

However, The Equity Tool (2024) should have cited IISC (2016) and Angus Maguire. We must honour our sources :-)

Bronnie & Sam

References:

Ahsan, M. (2025, February 6). DEI vs. MEI: The complex balance between equity and meritocracy. Electricity Human Resources Canada. https://ehrc.ca/dei-vs-mei/

IISC. (2016, January 13). Illustrating Equality VS Equity. Interaction Institute for Social Change [commissioning Angus McGuire]. https://interactioninstitute.org/illustrating-equality-vs-equity/

OECD. (2024). Challenging social inequality through career guidance: Insights from international data and practice. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/619667e2-en

The Equity Tool. (2024). Equity and Wealth. https://www.equitytool.org/equity/

 * Bronnie Gunn has kindly prepared much of the material for this post