Now, just days after Trump promised to terminate DEI policies in the federal government, and issued an executive order that determined there were just two sexes, companies are rushing to ditch their DEI drives.
One former tech executive told me this week that it was obvious US firms were being driven to drop their DEI agendas because they are ultimately in the business of making money.
In recent weeks, tech firms Google, Amazon and Meta have scaled back their DEI teams, after their chief executives sat in the front row at Trump’s presidential inauguration.
It is a real battleground in the US, with retail giant Target facing a class-action lawsuit by investors who claim the firm’s DEI initiatives led to a consumer backlash against its Pride merchandise, causing a sales slump and falling share price.
Meanwhile, firms ranging from American Express and Apple to Coca-Cola and Warren Buffet’s investment fund Berkshire Hathaway are all facing shareholder votes over their DEI initiatives and hiring goals.
