Amazon removes diversity references from annual report, shifting DEI focus to "proven outcomes". Meta, Google and Disney are among those rolling back DEI initiatives and programs.
Amazon.com opens new tab removed a reference to "inclusion and diversity" in its annual report filed on Thursday, after it told employees in a December memo that it was winding down its programs as part of corporate America's broader retreat from such policies.
Some of America's biggest businesses have been scaling back diversity initiatives, 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.
President Donald Trump and his administration have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies inside and outside the government. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday in a note to staff said the Justice Department would "investigate, eliminate, and penalize" illegal diversity programs in the private sector.
For the last two years, Amazon's "human capital" section of its annual report said: "As we strive to be Earth's best employer, we focus on investment and innovation, inclusion and diversity, safety, and engagement to hire and develop the best talent."
In the 2024 version, that sentence has been cut.
The company also cut a reference to a goal to "promote equity" in a sentence about continuing efforts to refine employee hiring and development.
Amazon's website states it is "committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company.
In December, Amazon executive Candi Castleberry said in a letter to employees that it is "winding down outdated programs and materials" related to DEI by the end of 2024. As part of the change, individual groups would no longer be responsible for building programs and initiatives would be integrated into "existing processes."
"Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes – and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture," Castleberry said in the note.
Amazon did not comment on whether it would remove or rename DEI employee positions.
Big technology companies Meta Platforms and Alphabet's Google are among those rolling back programs in the face of attacks from conservative groups, who have threatened to sue firms over them.
Disney's 2024 annual report, which was published in September, removed mentions of its "Reimagine Tomorrow" program, which was an online space for "amplifying underrepresented voices" featuring some of Disney's diversity, equality and inclusion commitments and actions.
However, it added a DEI initiative to hire U.S. military veterans.
Twelve state attorneys general, including New York, California and Washington, last week issued a joint statement in opposition to Trump's characterization of DEI saying they are "committed to enforcing federal and state civil rights laws to protect" workers from discriminatory practices.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
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