Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. joins a growing list of companies pulling back on diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives.
Like others before it, the social media giant cited a July 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action in college admissions.
Conservative activists have gone after companies – both in the courts and on social media – in an attempt to set a similar precedent in the working world. They have focused on workplace initiatives such as diversity programs and hiring practices that prioritize historically marginalized groups, and have broadened their objections to programs that address gender identity and sexual orientation.
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DEI policies are generally intended to counteract discriminatory practices. Critics argue that educational, government and corporate programs that select participants based on factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unfair and that everyone should be given the same opportunities.
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s newly appointed global policy chief, told Fox News Digital on Friday that the move will ensure the company “builds teams with the most talented people” rather than making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics.
“Ultimately, this is about doing what’s best for our company and making sure we serve everyone and build teams with the most talented people,” Kaplan told Fox News Digital. “This means we should assess people as individuals and select people from a range of candidate pools, but never make decisions based on protected characteristics such as race or gender.”
Here’s a look at some of the other companies that have opted out of DEI:
Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald’s said earlier this month it is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action in college admissions.
McDonald’s said on January 6 that it will withdraw specific targets for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels. It also plans to end a program that encourages its suppliers to develop diversity training and increase the number of minority group members within their own leadership ranks.
McDonald’s said it will also pause “external investigations.” The burger giant did not elaborate, but several other companies have suspended their participation in an annual Human Rights Campaign survey that measures workplace inclusivity for LGBTQ+ employees.
The world’s largest retailer confirmed in November that it would not renew its five-year commitment to an equity racial center established in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd, and that it would stop participating in the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index .
Walmart also said it will better monitor its third-party marketplace to ensure items sold there do not include products targeted at LGBTQ+ minors, including coffin binders intended for transgender youth.
Additionally, the company will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test for improving diversity when offering vendor contracts, and will not collect demographic data when determining funding options for these grants.
CEO Jim Farley sent a memo to the automaker’s employees in August outlining changes to the company’s DEI policy, including a decision to stop participating in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.
Ford, he wrote, had been examining his policies for a year. The company does not use workforce quotas or tie compensation to specific diversity goals, but remained committed to “promoting a safe and inclusive workplace,” Farley said.
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“We will continue to focus our efforts and resources on taking care of our customers, our team and our communities, rather than publicly commenting on the many polarizing issues of the day,” the memo said.
In August, Lowe’s leadership said the company was beginning to “review” its programs following the positive Supreme Court ruling and decided to merge its employee groups into one umbrella organization. Previously, the company had “individual groups that represented different segments of our affiliate population.”
The retailer will also no longer participate in the HRC index and will stop sponsoring and participating in events, such as festivals and parades, that fall outside its business areas.
The farm equipment maker said in July that it would no longer sponsor “social or cultural awareness events,” and that it would audit all training materials “to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages” in accordance with federal and local laws.
Moline, Illinois-based John Deere added that “the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification has never been and is not company policy.” But it noted it would still continue to “monitor and promote” the company’s diversity.
The retailer said in June it was ending a series of corporate diversity and climate efforts, a move that came after weeks of online conservative backlash against the national retailer.
Tractor Supply said it would eliminate all of its DEI roles and revoke current DEI goals. The company added that it would “stop sponsoring non-business activities” such as Pride festivals or voting campaigns – and would no longer submit data for the HRC index.
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The Brentwood, Tenn.-based company, which sells products ranging from farming equipment to pet supplies, also said it would back away from its carbon emissions targets and instead “focus on our agricultural and water conservation.”
The National Black Farmers Association called on Tractor Supply’s president and CEO to resign shortly after the company’s announcement.
