Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has canceled major Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs for hiring, training and choosing suppliers — according to a leaked memo.
Meta will no longer maintain a dedicated DEI team. The company has decided to shift from DEI-specific programs to broader initiatives aimed at fostering fair and unbiased practices across all backgrounds.
The company recently said it is also focusing on renewed free speech principles.
"I warned Meta in October that they were one of my DEI targets for 2025," said American anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck in an X post.
"We told the media this would happen and many laughed in my face. I wonder what the look on their face is today?"
Instead of equity and inclusion training programs, Meta plans to build programs that focus on "applying fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all."
Meta has decided to end efforts explicitly aimed at sourcing business from diverse-owned businesses. Instead, the focus will be on supporting small and medium-sized businesses more generally.
The "Diverse Slate Approach" to hiring, where a diverse pool of candidates was considered for every open position, has been discontinued.
While Meta will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, the structured approach to ensure diversity in hiring slates has been eliminated.
Meta joins a huge list of companies that have scaled-back or canceled DEI programs:
Walmart, Ford Motor Co., Harley-Davidson, Lowe's, Boeing, John Deere, Toyota Motor Corp., Caterpillar, Tractor Supply Co., Brown-Forman Corp., McDonald's, Molson Coors, Microsoft (cut DEI roles), Starbucks (removed DEI requirements from management bonuses), CVS (shifted from diversity-focused to merit-based appointments), American Airlines, Nissan, Craftsman, Jack Daniels (Brown-Forman Corp.), Black & Decker and Indian Motorcycle.
