getty imagesMeta and Amazon are scaling back diversity programs, joining companies across corporate America rolling back hiring and training plans that conservatives criticize, citing legal and political risks.
The move comes just days after Metaplatform, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it was ending fact-checking programs that President-elect Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have criticized.
In a memo to employees about decisions affecting hiring, vendors and training efforts, Meta cited “changing legal and policy environments.”
Walmart and McDonald’s are among other companies that have made similar decisions regarding diversity efforts since Donald Trump was re-elected.
The memo sent to employees said: First reported by Axios According to the BBC, the owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp said the term “DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) has become “paid for”, citing a Supreme Court ruling on race in university admissions.
The tech giant said it will continue to look for diverse employees but will end its current approach of selecting from a diverse pool of candidates.
In a memo to employees in December, Amazon said it was “retiring outdated programs and materials” related to representation and inclusion and aimed to complete the process by the end of 2024.
“Rather than having individual groups build programs, we’re focused on programs with proven results. We also aim to create a more truly inclusive culture,” said Candi Castleberry, Vice President of Inclusive Experiences and Technology at Amazon. I wrote in the memo that was first reported. by Bloomberg on Friday.
This move is a sign that the retreat that began two years ago is accelerating. Republicans have stepped up their attacks on companies like BlackRock and Disney.Accused progressive activism of being “woke” and threatened political punishment.
Big brands like Bud Light and Target have also faced backlash and boycotts regarding their efforts to appeal to LGBTQ customers.
Many of the diversity, equity and inclusion plans were implemented following the Black Lives Matter protests that broke out in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd by police.
A recent court ruling strengthened criticism that the program was discriminatory.
Supreme Court in 2023 Destroying the right of private universities to consider race In admission decisions.
Another appeals court decision invalidated a Nasdaq policy requiring companies listed on that stock exchange to have at least one woman, racial minority or LGBTQ person on their boards, or explain why.
It also said it would stop trying to work with a “diverse” set of suppliers and instead focus on small and medium-sized businesses.
It also plans to stop offering “equity and inclusion” training and instead offer programs that “alleviate bias against people of all backgrounds.”
Mehta declined to comment on the note, and the news was immediately met with both criticism and celebration.
“I’m just sitting back and enjoying every moment of this,” said Robbie Starbuck, a conservative activist who has successfully campaigned against the policy at companies such as Ford, John Deere and Harley-Davidson.
The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said workplace inclusion policies help attract and retain top employees and are “directly tied to long-term business growth.”
“Those who abandon these commitments are shirking their responsibilities to employees, consumers and shareholders,” said RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equity Program.
Meta’s move comes just days after the tech giant announced it was ending fact-checking programs criticized by Trump and Republicans and promoting conservatives to key leadership positions.
In a nearly three-hour interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg said he has always been concerned about becoming the arbiter of “truth” and was “underprepared” when the issue first heated up after the 2016 election. said.
He said calls to delete information have become unreasonable under the Biden administration. For example, he said that during the pandemic, the company came under pressure to remove content such as descriptions of vaccine side effects.
This helped spark a wider political backlash, including his own, he said.
“I feel like I now have a lot more control over what I think policy should be,” he said, adding that the U.S. government “should not be the tip of the spear.”
“If the U.S. does that for the tech industry, it’s basically open season for the rest of the world,” he added.
