Meta Ends DEI Programs, Disbands Diversity Team; Shares Rise 3% Ahead of Trump's Inauguration

Jan 10, 2025, 06:47 PM

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, is terminating its major diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs effective immediately, according to an internal memo obtained by multiple media outlets. The move includes ending DEI initiatives related to hiring, training, and selecting suppliers, as well as eliminating representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. As part of the overhaul, Meta will disband its DEI team and eliminate the role of chief diversity officer. The company will discontinue the "Diverse Slate Approach" to hiring and end its supplier diversity efforts. Meta cited the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI efforts in the United States as rationale for the decision, mentioning that the term "DEI" has become charged and is understood by some as suggesting preferential treatment of certain groups. The decision comes ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, marking a significant shift in strategy as Meta aligns with the incoming administration. Meta's shares rose by 3% following the announcement. Other major corporations, including Walmart, McDonald's, Amazon, and Google, have made similar moves to roll back DEI programs in recent weeks. Meta's memo stated that the company will instead focus on building "cognitively diverse teams, with differences in knowledge, skills, political views, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences." The company will no longer require employees to interview candidates from underrepresented backgrounds for open roles, signaling a broader shift in its approach to diversity and inclusion.