The winds of change are blowing through Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, signaling a shift in the company’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Once a champion of these programs, particularly in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, Meta now appears to be scaling back its public commitment to DEI, mirroring a broader trend across corporate America. This shift is evident in several recent developments, including a change in the company’s internal Q&A policy, the quiet dismantling of DEI programs, and a noticeable thaw in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s relationship with former President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of DEI initiatives.
One of the most visible signs of this change is Meta’s altered approach to employee questions at company-wide meetings. Traditionally, employees voted on questions they wanted executives to address, with DEI-related queries often topping the list. However, Meta leadership has recently informed employees that the popularity of a question no longer guarantees a response from executives. This move suggests a deliberate effort to control the narrative around DEI within the company and avoid potentially contentious public discussions on the topic.
This shift in internal communication coincides with a broader trend of corporate reticence on DEI matters. Over the past year, numerous US companies, particularly in the tech sector, have discreetly removed or downplayed mentions of diversity goals and programs in their annual reports. This retreat is largely attributed to mounting public criticism of DEI initiatives, fueled by civil lawsuits and pressure from activist investors who argue that such programs are discriminatory or ineffective. The changing political landscape, marked by the return of former President Trump, a staunch opponent of DEI, has further contributed to this corporate caution.
Meta’s evolving stance on DEI is also reflected in its CEO’s increasingly cordial relationship with Donald Trump. Zuckerberg has made noticeable efforts to mend fences with the former president, culminating in a recent settlement of a lawsuit filed by Trump over the suspension of his Facebook account following the January 6th Capitol riot. Meta agreed to pay a substantial sum, reportedly around $25 million, with a significant portion earmarked for Trump’s future presidential library. While Zuckerberg refrained from mentioning the settlement during a recent earnings call, he conspicuously praised the current administration’s pro-business stance and emphasis on American technological leadership, aligning himself with a political narrative often critical of DEI initiatives.
The apparent de-emphasis on DEI at Meta is not a sudden shift but rather a gradual process that has been unfolding behind the scenes for some time. Sources within the company suggest that the dismantling of DEI programs has been a “slow, painful death,” predating the recent political and legal pressures. While Meta had made significant strides in diversifying its workforce, doubling the number of women and Black employees since 2019, the momentum appears to have stalled. The departure of Sheryl Sandberg, Meta’s former chief operating officer and a strong advocate for DEI, marked a turning point. Sandberg had spearheaded many of Meta’s diversity initiatives, including an internal civil rights audit. Her exit, coupled with subsequent widespread layoffs affecting thousands of employees, significantly impacted the company’s progress on diversity.
The confluence of these factors – the change in internal communication policy, the broader corporate retreat from DEI, the rapprochement between Zuckerberg and Trump, and the internal dismantling of DEI programs – paints a picture of a company recalibrating its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. While the long-term implications of these changes remain to be seen, they suggest a move away from the proactive, publicly championed DEI efforts of the past towards a more cautious and less visible approach. This shift reflects a broader trend in corporate America, where companies are increasingly navigating a complex landscape of legal challenges, investor pressure, and shifting political winds, forcing them to reconsider their public commitments to diversity and inclusion.
