Factbox: Companies scale back and modify diversity policies after Trump's order

Molson Coors Beverage Co

20/03/2025 13:32

Expands to include non-US companies; adds American Express, Berkshire Hathaway, General Motors, GSK, Kohl's, Novartis, Roche, UBS, Victoria's Secret

March 20 (Reuters) - From Google to drugmaker GSK, many major U.S. and some European companies have dropped or considered altering their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies following President Donald Trump's executive order to curtail such programs in the U.S.

Even before Trump took office, big corporations were under increasing pressure from conservative groups to cut back or tweak their DEI policies aimed at boosting racial and ethnic representation at the workplace.

Here are some of the companies that have already scrapped their DEI policies or are facing pressure to modify the language around such programs on their websites and regulatory filings:

COMPANY
STATEMENT
Accenture ACN.N
Accenture will start "sunsetting" the diversity goals it implemented in 2017, along with career development programs for "people of specific demographic groups", according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.
Amazon.com AMZN.O
The e-commerce giant was "winding down outdated programs and materials" as part of a review of hundreds of initiatives, according to a memo sent to employees in December.
American Express AXP.N
The financial services provider removed "representation related goals" for performance awards in 2024.
Berkshire Hathaway BRKa.N
Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway removed references to diversity and inclusion in hiring practices from its annual report.
BlackRock
The world's largest asset manager recently eliminated a 30% diversity target for boards from late 2021.
Boeing BA.N
The planemaker has dismantled its global DEI department, according to Bloomberg News. Boeing's diversity vice president Sara Liang Bowen announced in October on LinkedIn that she had left the company.
Brown-Forman BFb.N
The Jack Daniel's maker said it would ensure executive incentives and employee goals are tied to business performance, end participation in the HRC survey and scrap its quantitative workforce and supplier diversity goals.
EPAM Systems EPAM.N
The software firm removed a subhead dedicated to its commitment towards diversity and inclusion from its 2024 annual filing.
Ford Motor F.N
The automaker said it will change its DEI program, including ending participation in an LGBTQ advocacy group's ranking system.
General Motors GM.N
In a letter to the SEC in January 2025, the automaker said it had already "substantially implemented" proposals to remove DEI policies it had received from conservative advocacy group NLPC.
Goldman Sachs GS.N
The Wall Street giant dropped an entire section dedicated to "diversity and inclusion" from its annual filing.
Google GOOGL.O
Alphabet's Google is scrapping its goal to hire more employees from underrepresented groups and is reviewing some DEI initiatives.
GSK GSK.L
The British drugmaker said it will no longer set targets to increase diversity and gender in leadership positions.
Harley-Davidson HOG.N
In August, the motorcycle manufacturer said it would not participate in the HRC survey and had ended its DEI initiatives.
Institutional Shareholder Services
The top proxy adviser will no longer consider the gender, racial, or ethnic diversity of U.S. company boards when making its voting recommendations.
Kohl's KSS.BLUE
The department store chain changed the title of its chief DEI officer to chief inclusion and belonging officer, and broadened its supplier diversity program.
McDonald's MCD.N
The fast-food chain is retiring its goal for diversity in corporate leadership and shifting away from some diversity practices. It said its diversity team will now be called "global inclusion team".
Meta Platforms META.O
The social media company ended its DEI programs, including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers.
Molson Coors Beverage TAP.N
The beer maker said it will end participation in the HRC index, and will tie executive incentives to business performance and not aspirational representation goals beginning this year.
Novartis NOVN.S
The Swiss drugmaker has said it will end the use of diverse panels as one immediate change to its DEI policies.
Pfizer PFE.N
In February, the drugmaker changed its webpage on DEI to focus on merit. It added the following language in a summary of its DEI policies: "Our culture of diversity, equity and inclusion is based on merit—one where hard work, talent, and contributions drive success, and barriers to opportunity are removed."
Roche ROG.S
The Swiss drugmaker has abandoned global diverse workforce targets and instead "will focus on inclusion and belonging, and responsibilities will be re-scoped accordingly".
Starbucks SBUX.O
In March 2024, the coffee giant's shareholders voted for an executive compensation plan that dropped a bonus related to DEI goals.
Target TGT.N
The big-box retailer said in January it was ending its DEI program and Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives this year, which included plans to add more than 500 Black-owned brands.
UBS UBSG.S
The Swiss bank scrapped references to establishing women in management roles and hiring employees from ethnic minority backgrounds from its 2024 annual report.
Vanguard
The top mutual fund manager removed a statement from its 2024 policy that, in addition to having a diversity of tenure and skills, a board should also, "at a minimum, represent diversity of personal characteristics, inclusive of at least diversity in gender, race, and ethnicity."
Victoria's Secret VSCO.N
The lingerie retailer is reframing its DEI team to "inclusion and belonging", according to a memo shared with and cited by Forbes.
Walmart WMT.N
The retail bellwether will no longer consider race and gender to boost diversity when granting supplier contracts and is scaling back racial equity training. It is also stopping participation in HRC rankings and reviewing its support for Pride and other events.
Walt Disney DIS.N
The media giant is tweaking its DEI programs to focus more closely on business outcomes.

 (Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru, Hugo Lhomedet and Jakob Van Calster in Gdansk; Editing by Alan Barona, Devika Syamnath, Maju Samuel and Milla Nissi)

 ((AnanyaMariam.Rajesh@thomsonreuters.com; X: https://twitter.com/AnanyaMariam))