Effective immediately, the company will be discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program as of Friday, following Meta’s announcement that fact-checking would be eliminated by Mark Zuckerberg.
An internal memo from Meta acknowledged the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI efforts in the United States, referencing recent Supreme Court decisions and the concept of DEI. It also highlighted the “reprehensible” views held by some individuals. Axios and Business Insider initially reported on the memo. Mehta confirmed the termination of DEI practices but did not provide further comment on how this decision aligns with the company’s overarching goals.
Janelle Gale, vice president of human resources, mentioned in the memo the discontinuation of various programs targeting underrepresented groups, such as the Diverse Slate Approach and Representation Goals, which are currently facing challenges. These programs were utilized to promote diverse employment practices.
Despite Meta’s efforts to increase diversity in the workforce, the company will no longer implement certain diversity employment practices, as stated in a new announcement.
Furthermore, the company will be ending its equity and inclusion training program and permanently disbanding its DEI-focused team.
The decision to terminate diversity efforts contradicts Meta’s AI-powered Instagram and Facebook profiles, which highlighted the need for a more representative team.
The termination of DEI initiatives follows Meta’s alignment with Donald Trump and the addition of Trump ally Dana White to the company’s board of directors. Meta joins a list of companies, including McDonald’s, Walmart, Ford, and Lowe’s, that have voluntarily halted their diversity initiatives or have been targeted by far-right groups.
Source: www.theguardian.com
