Meta’s retreat from DEI: Another shameful step in corporate cowardice

By Reasla Teague
Defender
https://defendernetwork.com/

Meta has decided to abandon its core diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, joining a growing list of corporate giants—Ford, McDonald’s, Walmart, and others—that have shamelessly pulled the plug on initiatives meant to address systemic inequality. Let’s be clear: this isn’t a pivot; it’s a betrayal.

The timing is particularly damning. Just three days ago, Meta announced it would stop third-party fact-checking on its platforms, a move that all but signals its willingness to let misinformation—and by extension, hate—run rampant. Now, Axios reports that the company is terminating DEI programs designed to create equitable opportunities in hiring, training, and supplier selection.

In a statement to CBS News, Meta confirmed what we’ve long suspected: the company’s commitment to equity was skin-deep. Vice President of Human Resources Janelle Gale excused this policy retreat by citing “changes in the legal and policy landscape” in the U.S., a thinly veiled reference to the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on affirmative action and pressure from conservative activists who have weaponized “anti-woke” rhetoric to dismantle progress.

Many global businesses will be using the second Trump presidency to finally kill off the DEI agenda.
DANIEL SNELL, CO-FOUNDER OF ARRIVAL

This isn’t just a Meta problem—it’s a systemic problem. Corporations like Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s, and John Deere have also scaled back their DEI initiatives, using the political resurgence of Donald Trump and his supporters as cover. Daniel Snell, co-founder of Arrival, a corporate leadership consulting firm, put it plainly: “Many global businesses will be using the second Trump presidency to finally kill off the DEI agenda.” Some companies are doing it publicly; others are choosing the coward’s route—quietly phasing out DEI while hoping we won’t notice.

For Black employees and communities, the message couldn’t be clearer: the promises made in the wake of George Floyd’s murder were performative. In 2020, corporations rushed to release statements and funnel money into racial justice initiatives—not because they cared, but because they feared the public’s backlash. Now, under the guise of “changing landscapes” and financial risk, they’re backtracking on even the bare minimum of commitments to equity.

Let’s not mince words: dismantling DEI programs isn’t about pragmatism; it’s about priorities. It’s a choice to abandon marginalized communities, to reject accountability, and to pander to conservative factions who see equity as a threat to their status quo. It’s a slap in the face to the Black employees, suppliers, and customers who have been told for decades to work harder, wait longer, and trust in slow progress.

But some companies are pushing back. Costco, for example, has not only maintained its DEI programs but defended them against conservative shareholder proposals to dismantle these efforts. Board member Jeff Raikes has rightly called out the attacks on DEI for what they are: bad for business and bad for the economy. A diverse workforce, he argues, drives innovation and growth.

Meanwhile, Target is standing its ground in court, defending its DEI practices against a conservative group accusing the retailer of misleading investors about the supposed risks of diversity efforts.

The truth is, corporations like Costco and Target understand what Meta refuses to acknowledge: diversity isn’t a liability; it’s an asset. The retreat from DEI isn’t just a failure of leadership—it’s a moral failure. And it’s one we won’t forget.

Meta, and every other corporation choosing to abandon equity, will be judged by history—and by the communities they continue to disregard. We see you. And we’ll hold you accountable.