Meta, Amazon scale back diversity programmes ahead of Trump inauguration

WASHINGTON – Facebook owner Meta Platforms and Amazon.com are winding down diversity programmes ahead of Republican Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency as conservative opposition to such initiatives grows louder.

Some of America’s biggest businesses have been scaling back their diversity measures, years after pushing for more inclusive policies in the wake of protests against the police killings of George Floyd and other black Americans in 2020.

Meta is ending its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers, it said in an internal memo to employees on Jan 10 – the latest in a series of actions cheered by conservatives.

In less than two weeks, Meta has scrapped its US fact-checking programme, elevated prominent Republican Joel Kaplan to be its chief global affairs officer and elected Mr Dana White, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ultimate Fighting Championship and Trump’s close friend, to its board.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led social media giant has been attempting to mend relations with a leader who has railed against its political content policies and threatened its CEO with imprisonment.

In a departure from its past practice, Meta in December announced a US$1 million (S$1.37 million) contribution to Trump’s inaugural fund, joining big companies from Wall Street to Silicon Valley that have pledged donations.

Amazon.com is “winding down outdated programmes and materials” related to representation and inclusion, aiming to complete the process by end 2024, it said in a December memo to employees seen by Reuters on Jan 10.

Conservative groups have denounced DEI programmes and threatened to sue companies over them, emboldened by a US Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that struck down affirmative action in university-admission decisions.

Just this week, Mr Elon Musk and other Trump allies blamed DEI programmes for hindering the response to raging wildfires in Los Angeles, without evidence.

“The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing,” Ms Janelle Gale, vice-president of human resources at Meta, said in the memo, which was seen by Reuters and originally reported by Axios.

She cited recent Supreme Court decisions “signalling a shift” in how US courts will approach DEI programmes going forward.

A US appeals court in December ruled that Nasdaq could not impose rules designed to increase diversity in corporate America by requiring companies listed on the exchange to have women and minority directors on their boards or explain why they do not.

“The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others,” Ms Gale wrote.

Meta will no longer have a dedicated team focused on DEI. Chief diversity officer Maxine Williams will be taking on a new role “focused on accessibility and engagement”, according to the memo. REUTERS