In this chapter, we zoom in on a set of diversity practices that prevail in organizations: training, mentoring, and networks. These practices meet scholarly critique for their lack of transformation. They are often seen as targeting ‘the Other’ employees to get them at par with majority employees, leaving the current system intact. However, it can be questioned whether values, practices and routines indeed remain intact in the organizations that engage in diversity training, mentoring, and networks. The aim of this chapter is to come to a better assessment of the transformative potential of these popular diversity practices. The notion of transformative potential means the potential for diversity practices to diminish inequalities by changing organizational work practices, norms, routines and interactions. We use the so-called 3D model that provides a systematic way of assessing diversity practices. We find that training, mentoring and networking can denote so many different things that it is as incorrect to dismiss any single of these interventions, as it is to praise them in general. We conclude that a multi-dimensional power perspective challenging structural discrimination and addressing conflicting interests is key to any diversity practice that strives for transformative change.

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PurposeThe article is based on a study of the changes in the methods used in working with gender equality issues in management in Sweden from the early 1990s until the early 2000s.Design/methodology/approachThe material consists of interviews with 20 people who work either as employees in organisations or as business owners/consultants in the field of increasing the numbers of women at executive levels. In the article, they are referred to as “equality professionals”.FindingsThe changes that have taken place may be described in two ways – partly changes in how the work is pursued within organisations, and partly through the work having moved to other arenas. When summarising the material, four overriding trends can be identified that characterise the changes in gender equality work: (1) a more radical understanding of gender equality among groups positive to change; (2) a professionalisation of gender equality work; (3) a shift from organisational projects to working with individuals; (4) a shift from organisational projects to influencing organisations from other public arenas.Research limitations/implications – Its focus on Sweden as well as its focus on a specific, quite small (20) group of people.Practical implicationsUseful and interesting for those working with gender equality, especially as Sweden is sometimes put forward as “the world's most gender equal country”.Originality/valueThe article has value because it shows the Swedish context as well as the longitudinal approach, i.e. that the study focuses on a 10‐year period (1993‐2002) and includes comparative material.

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