Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, and Amazon.com are scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as conservative opposition to such programs gains momentum.
The moves come ahead of Republican Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, signaling a broader shift in corporate America’s stance on inclusion efforts.
Meta announced in an internal memo on Friday that it would end several DEI programs, including those related to hiring, training, and supplier diversity. This follows recent actions by the company, such as discontinuing its U.S. fact-checking program, elevating Republican Joel Kaplan to chief global affairs officer, and appointing Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a close ally of Trump, to its board.
In December, Meta contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, a departure from its historically cautious approach to political ties. The social media giant appears to be mending its relationship with Trump, who has previously criticized its content policies and threatened CEO Mark Zuckerberg with legal action.
Amazon is also winding down its DEI-related programs, with plans to phase out “outdated materials and initiatives” by the end of 2024. A December memo to employees, seen by Reuters, cited evolving legal and policy landscapes as the basis for the decision.
The retrenchment comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down affirmative action in university admissions, which has emboldened conservative groups to challenge corporate DEI efforts. Janelle Gale, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, noted in the memo that recent legal rulings signal a shift in how courts may approach diversity initiatives.
“The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others,” Gale wrote. She confirmed that Meta will no longer have a dedicated DEI team, and its Chief Diversity Officer, Maxine Williams, will transition to a role focused on accessibility and engagement.
The rollback of DEI programs marks a stark contrast to the corporate pledges made following the 2020 protests against police killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans. Companies, including Meta and Amazon, had previously embraced inclusion initiatives to address systemic inequities.
Criticism of DEI programs has intensified, with some conservative leaders, including Elon Musk, claiming without evidence that such initiatives hindered responses to crises like the Los Angeles wildfires.
