Business/ Technology: Corporate America scales back diversity efforts amid legal and political scrutiny
Major corporations, including Meta and Amazon, are significantly reducing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, citing legal challenges and shifting political pressures. The moves mark a broader trend across corporate America as companies face increasing scrutiny from conservative critics and the courts.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced it would end several DEI programs, including efforts to hire and train from diverse candidate pools and work with minority-owned suppliers.
The decision, outlined in a staff memo, follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action in college admissions.
Meta noted that DEI has become a politically “charged” term and emphasized a shift toward bias mitigation programs that apply universally.
Amazon has also unveiled plans to phase out older DEI programs by the end of 2024.
The company aims to centralize efforts around initiatives with “proven outcomes,” according to a memo from its VP of inclusive experiences, Candi Castleberry.
The rollback mirrors decisions by firms like Walmart and McDonald’s, as well as financial giants JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock, which recently withdrew from climate-risk groups.
The retreat comes after years of heightened DEI commitments following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
However, recent court rulings and conservative backlash have led to a reevaluation, sparking polarized reactions across the corporate and political landscape.
