A growing number of companies, including Target, Meta, and Walmart, are scaling back or eliminating their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. This trend coincides with President Trump's executive order to end federal diversity programs and follows a wave of backlash against DEI initiatives in American corporations.
The trend of companies discontinuing their diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI ) programs is escalating. Target is the latest addition to a growing list that includes Meta and Walmart, all announcing the retraction of multiple DEI initiatives.
This decision follows closely on the heels of President Donald Trump signing an executive order to terminate diversity programs across the federal government and mandating the placement of all federal DEI staff on leave while their respective departments are dissolved. This shift away from DEI policies is indicative of a broader societal backlash against diversity programs within American corporations. Last year witnessed tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta, and Zoom scaling back their DEI programs, and law firms, including Winston & Strawn, grappling with lawsuits stemming from affirmative action policies. Certain DEI initiatives have been met with resistance from conservative groups and activist organizations, fueled by online campaigns, many spearheaded by Robby Starbuck. Starbuck, a prominent conservative activist with a substantial social media presence, contends that these initiatives diverge from the values espoused by the predominantly conservative consumer base of these companies.Despite this pushback, a Washington Post-Ipsos poll conducted in April revealed that 61% of Americans endorse DEI practices. Companies like Costco and JPMorgan have publicly defended their diversity initiatives. The Human Rights Campaign criticized companies' decisions to curtail DEI programs in an August statement to BI. 'Decisions to cut DEI initiatives send a clear signal to employees that their employers simply don't care about equality in the workplace. Putting politics ahead of workers and consumers only hurts the same folks that these businesses rely on,' wrote Eric Bloem, the nonprofit group's vice president of programs and corporate advocacy.The article further details how various companies have implemented these cuts to their DEI programs.
DEI Diversity Equity Inclusion Corporate Backlash
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