Google joins US firms abandoning diversity recruitment goals
BBC News learned that Google has become the latest large U.S. company to reduce its target to recruit more workers from underrepresented groups.
After the company conducts an annual review of its company’s policies, the decision to abandon its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) recruitment goals.
The tech giant is also reviewing some of its other DEI programs.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies regularly attack DEI policies. Trump has ordered government agencies to cancel such initiatives since returning to the White House two weeks ago.
“We are committed to creating a workplace where all of our employees can succeed and have equal opportunities,” a Google spokesperson said.
“We have updated the (annual Investor Report) language to reflect this and as federal contractors, our team is also evaluating the court’s latest decisions on this subject and changes required to execute the order.”
This story was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Between 2021 and 2024, Google’s Investor Report stated its commitment to “a part of the diversity, equity and inclusion of everything we do.” The series is not in its latest report, which was released Wednesday.
Google has been an outspoken supporter of Dei’s goal in recent years, especially after the 2020 protests on George Floyd’s murder and death.
At the time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai set a five-year goal to increase the number of leaders from underrepresented groups by 30%.
According to the company, the number of blacks in leadership positions almost doubled between 2020 and last year. Google also said its leadership talent sees an increase in women and Latino people.
Google is the latest major company to make a turnaround in its diversity policy.
Meta, Amazon, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Walmart and others all backed off the DEI program.
Apple stands out by opposing this trend. Last month, the tech giant’s board of directors asked investors to vote against a proposal to end its diversity policy.
A proposal from the conservative group National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) calls on iPhone manufacturers to abolish their DEI policies, saying they exposed the company’s “litigation, reputation and financial risks”.
Last week, the retail chain’s target was sued by a group of shareholders, led by the Florida Riviera Beach Police Pension Fund, which said the company had allegedly covered up risks associated with its DEI policies to deceive them.
The lawsuit mentions strong opposition to LGBTQ+ merchandise in its stores in 2023, which has led to a drop in its sales and share price.
The lawsuit comes after Target announced that it would end its DEI target.
In the latest example of the Trump administration’s disapproval of such policies, the U.S. president speculated last week that there was no evidence that the DEI caused an air crash in Washington, D.C.
Less than 24 hours after the crash, the remarks were consistent with the White House’s efforts to revoke such plans.
