Which US companies are pulling back diversity initiatives?

Companies cite the Supreme Court’s decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions

Meta is the latest major company to roll back DEI initiatives. (Jeff Chiu / AP Photo)

Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. joined a growing list of companies pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Like others before it, the social media giant cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision in July 2023 that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.

DEI policies typically are intended as a counterweight to discriminatory practices. Critics argue that education, government and business programs that single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unfair, and the same opportunities should be afforded to everyone.

Joel Kaplan, Meta’s freshly appointed global policy chief, told Fox News Digital that the move will ensure the company is “building teams with the most talented people” instead of making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics.

“This is ultimately about doing what’s best for our company and ensuring that we are serving everyone and building teams with the most talented people,” Kaplan told Fox News Digital. “This means evaluating people as individuals, and sourcing people from a range of candidate pools, but never making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics like race or gender.”

Here’s a look at other companies that have retreated from DEI.

McDonald’s: Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald’s said earlier this month that it is ending some of its diversity practices.

McDonald’s said on Jan. 6 that it will retire specific goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels. It also intends to end a program that encourages its suppliers to develop diversity training and to increase the number of minority group members represented within their leadership ranks.

McDonald’s said it will also pause “external surveys.” The burger giant didn’t elaborate, but several other companies have suspended their participation in an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees.

Walmart: The world’s largest retailer confirmed in November that it would not be renewing a five-year commitment for an equity racial center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd, and it would stop participating in the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.

Walmart also said it will better monitor its third-party marketplace to make sure items sold there do not include products aimed at LGBTQ+ minors, including chest binders intended for transgender youth.

Additionally, the company will no longer consider race and gender a litmus test for improving diversity when it offers supplier contracts.

Ford: CEO Jim Farley sent a memo to the automaker’s employees in August outlining changes to the company’s DEI policies, including a decision to stop taking part in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.

Ford, he wrote, had been looking at its policies for a year. The company doesn’t use hiring quotas or tie compensation to specific diversity goals but remains committed to “fostering a safe and inclusive workplace,” Farley said.

“We will continue to put our effort and resources into taking care of our customers, our team, and our communities versus publicly commenting on the many polarizing issues of the day,” the memo said.

Lowe’s: In August, Charlotte-based Lowe’s executive leadership said the company began “reviewing” its programs following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling and decided to combine its employee resource groups into one umbrella organization. Previously, the company had “individual groups representing diverse sections of our associate population.”

The retailer will also no longer participate in the HRC index, and will stop sponsoring and participating in events, such as festivals and parades, that are outside of its business areas.

John Deere: The farm equipment maker said in July it will no longer sponsor “social or cultural awareness” events, and it would audit all training materials “to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages” in compliance with federal and local laws.

Moline, Illinois-based John Deere added “the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy.”

Tractor Supply: The retailer said in June that it was ending an array of corporate diversity and climate efforts.

Tractor Supply said it would be eliminating all of its DEI roles while retiring current DEI goals. The company added that it would “stop sponsoring non-business activities” such as Pride festivals or voting campaigns and no longer submit data for the HRC index.

The Brentwood, Tennessee-based company, which sells products ranging from farming equipment to pet supplies, also said it would withdraw from its carbon emission goals to instead “focus on our land and water conservation efforts.”