Several big companies have reportedly nixed or softened their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language as President Donald Trump wages war on such initiatives.
NPR reported Friday that several of the nation’s largest companies have scrubbed some or every reference to DEI from recent annual reports to investors, the outlet’s analysis of regulatory filings showed.
The NPR article continued:
The companies that have recently deleted or softened their DEI language include Disney, Google, GM, GE, Pepsi, Intel, PayPal, Chipotle, Comcast, 3M, Regeneron, and Philip Morris, according to the NPR analysis. Most companies have not disclosed the reasons for the changes, although some told NPR that they are re-evaluating some of their DEI programs as well as examining Trump’s executive orders.
These changes come after Walmart, Target, Amazon, Meta, Ford, and other big companies have made headlines for ending or changing some diversity programs. Now NPR’s analysis finds that many more companies are quietly changing how they talk about DEI to investors.
Google is cutting its racial hiring quotas and reviewing its DEI programs, saying it will no longer set specific hiring targets based on a person’s race, Breitbart News reported Thursday.
“This decision comes as part of a broader pullback from DEI efforts across Silicon Valley, with companies like Meta and Amazon also scaling back their diversity initiatives,” the article said.
Following his inauguration in January, Trump signed an executive order rescinding one from President Lyndon B. Johnson which mandated government contractors take affirmative action, per Breitbart News:
The order more broadly ceases diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) “discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending,” the White House noted.
The federal government’s hiring practices will now be merit-based, with employees being rewarded for “individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work.”
Trump previously vowed to end former President Joe Biden’s (D) DEI mandates, stating, “We’re going to stop the destructive and divisive Diversity Equity and Inclusion mandates all across government and private sector and return our country to the merit system.”
Meanwhile, some DEI professionals are worried about the future of their careers in the midst of a Trump presidency.
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