By Katie Paul
(Reuters) – Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers, it said in a memo to employees posted on an internal company forum on Friday.
The move comes in the run-up to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as the company attempts to mend relations with the leader who has criticized its political content policies and threatened its CEO with imprisonment.
“The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing,” Janelle Gale, Vice President of Human Resources at Meta, said in the memo, which was seen by Reuters.
Gale cited recent Supreme Court decisions “signaling a shift” in how U.S. courts will approach DEI programs going forward.
“The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others,” she wrote.
Meta will continue to source job candidates from different backgrounds, but it will stop using a “Diverse Slate Approach”, said Gale.
The company will no longer have a dedicated team focused on DEI, she wrote. Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams will be taking on a new role at Meta, focused on accessibility and engagement, per the memo.
One employee comment on Gale’s memo called it “upsetting to read”.
The U.S. tech giant elected three new directors to its board on Monday, including Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and close friend of Trump.
Last week, Meta elevated prominent Republican Joel Kaplan to be its chief global affairs officer, replacing Nick Clegg.