The Donald Trump administration's policy to abolish programs that encourage diversity in gender, race, and ethnicity in hiring is spreading to major technology corporations in the U.S.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 5th (local time), Google has reported that it has eliminated its goal of hiring more from underrepresented groups and has begun reviewing its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. In an email sent to employees, Google stated, "We will no longer set hiring goals to improve the diversity of our workforce."
After the death of Black man George Floyd due to police overreach in 2020, which raised calls for racial inequality to be addressed, Google set a goal to increase the proportion of executives from "underrepresented groups" to 30% by 2025. This aims to increase the representation of senior positions held by marginalized groups, including Black individuals, Latinos, and women.
However, a sentence stating, "We are committed to making Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion a part of everything we do and nurturing a workforce that reflects the users we serve" was removed from the parent company Alphabet's annual report released that day. This sentence had been included in reports from 2021 to 2024.
Google is also reportedly reviewing the executive order issued by the Trump administration that limited DEI policies in the U.S. government and federal agencies. The company noted, "We are evaluating necessary program changes to comply with legal requirements."
Nonetheless, Google stated that it will continue its policy of opening and expanding offices in cities with diverse workforces. Google mentioned, "We will continue to invest across the U.S. and in various countries around the world, but we will no longer set specific targets." According to Google's 2024 Diversity Report, the proportion of Black employees in the U.S. stands at 5.7%, while Latinos account for 7.5%.
DEI is a policy aimed at protecting marginalized races, genders, and classes that have faced discrimination in U.S. history, but President Trump and his supporters have argued that it represents reverse discrimination against whites and men. In line with this, President Trump signed an executive order to eliminate diversity promotion policies shortly after taking office last month.
Previously, Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms dismantled its team overseeing diversity policies. Meta's Vice President of Human Resources, Janelle Gale, told employees, "The legal and policy environment surrounding DEI efforts in the U.S. is changing." Amazon also notified employees that it plans to scale back some diversity policies by removing the phrase "DEI is good for business" from its website in December of last year.