Meta and Amazon are axing their diversity programmes, joining firms across corporate America that are rolling back hiring and training initiatives criticised by conservatives, citing legal and political risks.
The move comes just days after Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it was ending a fact-checking programme criticised by President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans.
In a memo to staff about its decision, which affects, hiring, supplier and training efforts, Meta cited a “shifting legal and policy landscape”.
Walmart and McDonalds are among the other companies to have made similar decisions regarding diversity efforts since Trump won re-election.
In its memo to staff, which was first reported by Axios and confirmed by the BBC, Meta cited a Supreme Court ruling concerning race in college admissions, while also noting that the term “DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) had become “charged”.
The tech giant said it would continue to look for diverse staff, but end its current approach, which seeks to make selections from a pool of diverse candidates. In a December memo to employees, Amazon said it was “winding down outdated programmes and materials” related to representation and inclusion, aiming to complete the process by the end of 2024.
“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,” Candi Castleberry, Amazon’s VP of inclusive experiences and technology, wrote in the note which was first reported by Bloomberg on Friday.
Financial firms JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock, also pulled out of groups focused on risks from climate change this week.
The moves are a sign of the acceleration of a retreat that started two years ago, as Republicans ramped up attacks on firms such as BlackRock and Disney, accusing them of “woke” progressive activism and threatening political punishment.
In a nearly three-hour interview with podcaster Joe Rogan Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg said he had always been concerned about being the arbiter of “truth” and was “ill-prepared” when the issue first heated up after the 2016 election.
He said the demands to take down information became unreasonable under the Biden administration. For example, he said the company faced pressure during the pandemic to remove content like statements about vaccine side effects.
&uuid=(email))