Meta and Amazon Scale Back DEI Initiatives, According to Reports
Meta and Amazon have allegedly scaled back their diversity initiatives. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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Meta and Amazon have reportedly discontinued their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, with internal documents indicating that political factors and concerns about perceived preferential treatment influenced these decisions, as reported by multiple news outlets on Friday. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has been at the forefront of this shift.
Axios shared a memo purportedly sent to employees by Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of human resources. In the memo, Gale notes that “The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing.” She also mentions that “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.” Regarding hiring practices, Gale stated, “On hiring, we will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, but we will stop using the Diverse Slate Approach.” She added, “We previously ended representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. Having goals can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender. While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it.”
Additionally, Reuters referenced a memo from Amazon that indicated the company is “winding down outdated programs and materials” associated with representation and inclusion, aiming to complete this overhaul by the end of 2024. Amazon’s vice president of inclusive experiences and technology, Candi Castleberry, described in an employee note that “Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes – and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture.”
Other major corporations, such as McDonald’s, Ford, and Walmart, have also recently scaled back or completely abandoned their DEI initiatives. The concept of “diversity hires” has faced criticism from conservatives, who argue that it can be discriminatory and detrimental to business performance.
The 2023 US Supreme Court decision, which ruled that considering race in college admissions is unconstitutional, has sparked more than 60 lawsuits challenging DEI practices within companies and institutions, as reported by the Guardian.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Axios shared a memo purportedly sent to employees by Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of human resources. In the memo, Gale notes that “The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing.” She also mentions that “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.” Regarding hiring practices, Gale stated, “On hiring, we will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, but we will stop using the Diverse Slate Approach.” She added, “We previously ended representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. Having goals can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender. While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it.”
Additionally, Reuters referenced a memo from Amazon that indicated the company is “winding down outdated programs and materials” associated with representation and inclusion, aiming to complete this overhaul by the end of 2024. Amazon’s vice president of inclusive experiences and technology, Candi Castleberry, described in an employee note that “Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes – and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture.”
Other major corporations, such as McDonald’s, Ford, and Walmart, have also recently scaled back or completely abandoned their DEI initiatives. The concept of “diversity hires” has faced criticism from conservatives, who argue that it can be discriminatory and detrimental to business performance.
The 2023 US Supreme Court decision, which ruled that considering race in college admissions is unconstitutional, has sparked more than 60 lawsuits challenging DEI practices within companies and institutions, as reported by the Guardian.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
