Mayo Clinic Renames DEI Office to ‘Office of Belonging’

The Mayo Clinic is renaming its DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) office to instead be called the “Office of Belonging.”

“Since 2020, Mayo Clinic has intentionally focused on belonging as a cornerstone of staff wellbeing,” Andrea Kalmanovitz, Mayo’s director of media relations, said in a statement quoted in the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“In keeping with this focus and recent national events, we’re embracing an opportunity to accelerate Mayo Clinic’s belonging journey to reflect our culture of collaboration and respect and support positive patient experiences,” Kalmanovitz added.

The rebrand comes following President Donald Trump’s January executive order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” directing federal agencies to end all DEI practices and asking the private sector to “end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”

The “Office of Belonging” page on Mayo Clinic’s website says that “Our vision is to create a global environment of empowered belonging. This requires building an environment of psychological safety, making Mayo Clinic a place where people from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences can access the best health care and where all staff can bring their authentic best selves.”

On its website, Mayo Clinic says that it received $500.7 million in 2024 from federal and state sources for research funding.

The “Office of Belonging” page gives a nod to DEI priorities, stating that “Equity is embodied in every aspect of Mayo Clinic, from the individuals who constitute it to the organization as a whole. We embrace all people who come through our doors, whatever their race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, military service, faith, or culture. Success is only possible when we include diverse experiences, perspectives, thoughts and voices in everything we do.”

The Mayo Clinic, established in 1864, now says its “work regarding belonging is delivered through the internal community of passionate people, committees and initiatives ― recognizing that this work is neither centralized nor hierarchical.”