American companies have begun to set off a wave of counter-awakening to "de-DEI". Many large companies, such as Toyota USA, Walmart, Ford, Meta, McDonald's, Molson Coors Brewing, Deere, Lowe's, etc., have parted ways with DEI. The latest to join the ranks is Amazon.
In a December memo Amazon sent to employees on Friday, senior human resources executive Candi Castleberry said the company was "phasing out outdated programs and materials related to representation and inclusion" and planned to complete the process by the end of 2024, Bloomberg reported.
The changes are part of Amazon's review of hundreds of programs. Now, Amazon will focus on initiatives that bring more benefits to the company.
“Rather than having individual groups build projects, we focus on projects with proven outcomes – we also aim to foster a more inclusive culture,” Candi Castleberry said.
Amazon's "OurPosition" page also removed a specific DEI discussion about black equality and LGBTQ+ rights earlier on Friday, The Information reported. The detailed section is now reduced to a single collapsed paragraph.
Additionally, Meta confirmed on Friday that many of its established diversity and inclusion policies are being unraveled in favor of more profitable and grounded approaches.