Several U.S. companies began scaling back or changing their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in recent months, a trend that has intensified following President Donald Trump‘s executive order dismantling federal DEI programs.
For some businesses, the rollback on DEI policies was tied to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June 2023, which ended affirmative action in college admissions. Other companies received pushback from some conservative customers, both in-person and online.
What Is DEI?
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are created to promote fair treatment and full participation of all individuals, particularly those from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups.
Such initiatives build upon the action taken by former President Lyndon B. Johnson when he issued Executive Order 11246 in 1965, which required government contractors to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated [fairly] during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.”