Berksshire Hathaway removes diversity and inclusion from annual report
Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) – Berksshire Hathaway Warren Buffett on Saturday joined the increasing list of US companies to publicly change their approach to discussing their commitment to diversity and involvement.
The Berksshire annual report includes a section describing how operating companies from 189 conglomerates, employing about 392,400 people, depend on human capital and resources and that each establishes practice to attracting and retaining employees.
Last year’s report states that companies have partially accomplished this through employment practices “intended to identify qualified candidates and promote diversity and involvement in the workforce.”
This year’s report has left a debate on diversity and involvement, ending that passage after the “candidate”.
Buffett’s assistant did not immediately respond to the commentary request.
Berksshire has long said that its decentralized structure allows individual operational companies to make their daily operational decisions without interfering with the top.
The company has joined dozens of major US companies, including Amazon.com, Boeing, Citigroup, Ford, McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley and Walmart in combating public support or initiative for diversity, equality and involvement in a workplace.
Such initiatives were attacked by many conservatives, including US President Donald Trump, who tried to eliminate Dei from the Federal Government.
At the annual Berksshire annual meeting last May, the shareholders voted almost 4-1 Marz’s proposal to reveal Berksshire more about his efforts to promote Dei in the workplace.
The Berksshire Board of Directors opposed the proposal.
Buffett has been leading Berksshire since 1965. The company based in Nebraska owns Geico Car Insurance, The BNSF Railroad and a number of energy, industrial, retail and services.
(Reporting Jonathan Stempel in New York; Mounting Rod Nickel)