A group opposed to affirmative action filed a lawsuit accusing McDonald’s of not going far enough when it recently rolled back several diversity initiatives by continuing to maintain a program that awards scholarships to Latino and Hispanic students.American Alliance for Equal Rights, a group founded by affirmative action foe Edward Blum, in a lawsuit filed on Sunday in federal court in Nashville, alleged the decades-old scholarship program unlawfully discriminates against students from other ethnic groups ...

Company Actions - Amazon has updated its corporate website to downplay DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and removed a 2021 post that emphasized DEI focus [1] - Amazon is curbing some of its DEI programs, following similar actions by Meta, which also announced the end of its diversity efforts [2] - The company is winding down outdated DEI programs and materials as part of a review of current initiatives [2] Industry Trends - Tech companies, including Amazon and Meta, are reversing prior commitments to DEI, possibly in anticipation of a presidential administration hostile toward DEI [1][2] Internal Communication - A senior HR executive stated that the company is focusing on programs with proven outcomes and aims to foster a more inclusive culture, rather than having individual groups build programs [3]

Amazon is halting some of its diversity and inclusion initiatives, joining a growing list of major corporations that have announced similar moves in the face of increasing public and legal scrutiny.In an internal note last month to staffers obtained by CNBC, Candi Castleberry, Amazon's VP of inclusive experiences and technology, said the company was in the process of "winding down outdated programs and materials" as part of a broader review of hundreds of initiatives."Rather than have individual groups buil ...

Following a week in which Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta was getting rid of factchecking, as of Friday the company is also terminating its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, effective immediately.An internal memo from Meta acknowledged that “the legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing”, while pointing to recent supreme court decisions and the “charged” view some have of DEI as a concept. Axios and Business Insider firs ...

Meta is reportedly killing its DEI programs — just days after CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the tech giant would no longer restrict speech on its popular social media platforms.The Facebook, Instagram and Threads parent said it will no longer take the controversial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies into consideration before hiring, training and picking suppliers, Axios reported Friday. According to a memo sent by Janelle Gale, vice president of human resources, the company said it was pivoting a ...

Meta's DEI Rollback and Employee Reaction - Meta announced the rollback of its DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, leading to significant internal criticism [1][2] - Over 390 employees reacted with a teary-eyed emoji to the internal post announcing the changes, while 200 reacted with a shocked emoji and 195 with an angry emoji [2] - Employees expressed disappointment, with comments such as "This is unfortunate disheartening upsetting to read" and "What happened to the company I joined all those years ago" [2][4] Changes to Content Moderation Policies - Meta's decision to roll back DEI initiatives follows changes to its content moderation policies, including the elimination of third-party fact-checkers in favor of a community notes model [2][5] - The updated guidelines allow users to make allegations of mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation, citing political and religious discourse [3] Internal Criticism and Leadership Response - Meta's VP of HR, Janelle Gale, stated that the term DEI has "become charged" and is seen by some as suggesting preferential treatment, leading to the decision to eliminate DEI-focused teams [4][5] - Employees criticized the move, with one stating, "I am ashamed to work for a company which so readily drops its apparent morals because of the political landscape in the US" [4] - Another employee expressed concern that the changes "go against what we as a company have tried to do to protect people who use our platforms" [4]

Core Viewpoint - Meta is making significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, including the termination of various internal programs aimed at increasing diverse hiring, in response to a shifting legal and policy landscape in the United States [3][5][6]. Group 1: Changes to DEI Policies - Meta is ending the "Diverse Slate Approach," which considered candidates from underrepresented groups for open roles [3][8]. - The company is discontinuing its diversity supplier program and equity and inclusion training programs [3][8]. - The DEI team is being disbanded, with Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams transitioning to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement [3][5]. Group 2: Employee Reactions - Several employees expressed criticism of the new policy, with one comment gaining over 600 reactions, highlighting concerns about the company's commitment to its stated values [4]. Group 3: Context and Rationale - The changes are influenced by recent Supreme Court decisions signaling a shift in how DEI efforts are approached legally, with a focus on avoiding any perception of preferential treatment based on inherent characteristics [6][8]. - Meta emphasizes the importance of serving a diverse user base through cognitively diverse teams, which are believed to enhance innovation and problem-solving [7][10]. Group 4: Future Direction - While the company will continue to source candidates from diverse backgrounds, it aims to eliminate any impression that hiring decisions are based on race or gender [8]. - Meta plans to focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses rather than specifically sourcing from diverse-owned businesses [9].

In Brief Axios reports that Meta is eliminating its biggest DEI efforts, effective immediately, including ones that focused on hiring a diverse workforce, training, and sourcing supplies from diverse-owned companies. Its DEI department will also be eliminated.  In a memo leaked to the outlet, Meta said it was making these changes because the “legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing.”  Meta is not alone: Microsoft and Zoom have rolled ...

Meta is dropping many of its DEI initiatives, BI confirmed.The company sent a memo announcing the changes on Friday.Meta's VP of human resources said the legal and policy landscape in the US was changing.Meta is rolling back its DEI programs, Business Insider has learned.AD The company's vice president of human resources, Janelle Gale, announced the move on its internal communication platform, Workplace, on Friday, which was seen by BI."We will no longer have a team focused on DEI," Gale wrote in the memo. ...

A Costco board member has taken aim at companies rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, calling for businesses to “maximize” DEI instead as the wholesaler faces pressure to join the growing list of brands ditching the controversial practice.Jeff Raikes, co-founder of the Raikes Foundation and former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has served on Costco’s board of directors since 2008, according to Costco’s corporate website.Raikes and other board members have come under scru ...