Meta abandons diversity and inclusion agenda as it prepares for another Trump administration
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Joining companies such as John Deere and Walmartthe parent company of Facebook and Instagram Meta Platforms Inc. is addressing its diversity, equity and inclusion program that includes recruiting, training and supplier selection, a company spokesperson confirmed Friday.
The move, which was the first reports Axioscomes after the social media giant’s decision to discontinue its third-party fact-checking program and reduce policies on hate speech and abuse.
Citing an internal memo sent to employees, Axios said the Menlo Park, Calif.-based tech giant said the U.S. Supreme Court “recently issued decisions that signal a shift in how courts will approach DEI. … The term ‘DEI’ has also come under fire, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.”
In practice, that means Meta will no longer have a team focused on diversity and inclusion, and the company said it will instead “focus on how to implement fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for everyone, regardless of your background.”
The company will also end its “diversity approach” to hiring, which meant that a diverse pool of applicants was considered for each job opening.
Other companies that have recently curbed DEI programs include McDonald’s and a car manufacturer Ford as well as Walmart and a manufacturer of agricultural equipment John Deere.
Amazon also said it was ending some of its DEI programs, though it did not specify which ones. In a Dec. 16 memo to employees that Amazon shared Friday, Candi Castleberry, senior executive director of human resources, said the company is “retiring obsolete programs and materials, and we aim to complete this by the end of 2024. “
“We also know that there will always be individuals or teams who will continue to do well-intentioned things that are inconsistent with our company-wide approach, and we may not always see this immediately. But we will continue with it,” she wrote.
Instead of “individual groups building programs,” she added, Amazon is “focusing on programs with proven results — and we aim to foster a truly more inclusive culture.”
