These are the companies that rolled back DEI amid Trump backlash

The 2024 election was widely viewed as a referendum on diversity, equity and inclusion and, once in office, President Donald Trump wasted no time in dismantling programs in the federal government and pressuring the private sector to follow suit.

With DEI programs under attack from the administration, many companies scaled back or eliminated them. Others had already rolled back diversity commitments after facing anti-DEI campaigns from activists.

Lean In and McKinsey & Co.’s Women in the Workplace study found that 67% of companies said they place a high priority on diversity – and more than 84% said the same about inclusion. In 2021, 90% of companies said they placed a high priority on diversity and inclusion.

Gravity Research, which advises companies on social, political and reputational risks, said 40 companies made post-inauguration DEI changes. Some 85% attributed the shift to the political and legal climate and 28% to the Trump administration.

Government scrutiny has only intensified in recent months as the Trump administration pressures employers to overhaul hiring practices to align with the president’s political agenda.

Last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission asked a Wisconsin federal court to force Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. to share information about its diversity practices as part of a discrimination investigation by the agency.

“The EEOC has received and is in the midst of investigating DEI-related charges of discrimination. Importantly, the scope and impact of these investigations – including the number at issue, their substantive breadth, and the agency’s conclusions – remain to be seen,” according to the Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner law firm. “What is clear, however, is that this may be just the first of several new enforcement activities.”

In response, former officials of the EEOC and the Labor Department who served in a number of presidential administrations have formed a group called EEO leaders to push back against “the current administration’s actions adversely impacting equal employment opportunity.”

“For decades, long-standing legal principles have encouraged employers to take proactive steps to identify and remove barriers to equal employment opportunity,” they recently wrote. “Many of these efforts are lawful under existing precedent and help employers counteract discrimination that might otherwise operate to harm workers.”

Corporate America has not so much given up on diversity as it has overhauled its approach to it, according to an October benchmarking study from culture and inclusion platform Paradigm Strategy.

About 95% of corporations continue to support employee resource groups, 91% still survey employees around experience and engagement to understand differences among groups and 96% are investing in efforts to promote fairness in performance management and promotions.

Here are some of the companies that made DEI changes, in alphabetical order, from Accenture and AT&T to Walmart.

Accenture

In February, Accenture said it would “sunset” its diversity goals to reach greater diversity in its leadership ranks. It also said DEI targets would no longer be used to measure staff performance and it would stop participating in external diversity benchmarking surveys.

The changes were the result of an evaluation of its policies and “the evolving landscape in the United States” including Trump’s executive orders “with which we must comply,” the company said.

“We are and always have been committed to an inclusive, merit-based workplace free from bias and a culture in which all our people are respected and have equal opportunity,” CEO Julie Sweet said at the time.

Amazon

Amazon mothballed some of its diversity and inclusion programs at the end of 2024. Candi Castleberry, a senior human resources executive, told employees in a memo that Amazon was “winding down outdated programs and materials” as part of a review of hundreds of initiatives.

“We believe this is important work, so we’ll keep investing in programs that help us reflect those audiences, help employees grow, thrive, and connect, and we remain dedicated to delivering inclusive experiences for customers, employees, and communities around the world,” Castleberry said at the time.

She said Amazon would maintain certain initiatives but was not specific.

In February, the nation’s second-largest private employer behind Walmart scrubbed any references to diversity and inclusion from its annual report.

“We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company that helps us build the best range of products and services for our broad customer base,” Amazon said in a statement to USA TODAY.

AT&T

AT&T in March stopped participating in external surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, no longer encourages employees to wear pins with their preferred pronouns and canceled a series of LGBTQ+ events.

It also halted DEI training to boost leadership development, made its chief DEI officer vice president of culture and inclusion and opened up AT&T employee scholarships to everyone, not just certain demographic groups.

The changes were made public in a social media post from anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck who had contacted the company over its “woke” policies.

In December, AT&T reaffirmed its commitment to ending DEI programs in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission as it sought approval from the Trump administration to buy wireless spectrum assets. The following week, the FCC approved the $1 billion U.S. Cellular deal.

The FCC has made ending DEI programs a condition of approving deals. AT&T said in its letter it “does not and will not have any roles focused on DEI,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said.

The response on social media was swift, with some customers threatening to switch to another carrier.

“Under this administration, companies are choosing profit over equity,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump said on X. “DEI can’t be a bargaining chip.”

Bank of America

Bank of America scrapped references to its diversity hiring goals and a rule requiring hiring managers to consider a diverse group of candidates, among other rollbacks.

“We evaluate and adjust our programs in light of new laws, court decisions and, more recently, executive orders from the new administration,” the bank said at the time. “Our goal has been and continues to be to make opportunities available for all of our clients, shareholders, teammates and the communities we serve.”

BlackRock

BlackRock said in February that it would not renew representation goals for its workforce that ended in 2024. It also said it would not require managers to consider a diverse group of candidates for open positions. It also combined its Talent Management and DEI teams to form a new global Talent and Culture team.

CEO Larry Fink and other executives said in a memo at the time that the firm was taking the steps in light of “a number of significant changes to the US legal and policy environment related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”

“As the law changes, we will adapt,” the memo read. “However, our culture is our competitive advantage and remains proudly One BlackRock.

Boeing

Boeing dismantled its diversity, equity and inclusion department in November, folding it into another development. The head of the DEI department left Boeing. It also eliminated DEI-related performance metrics for its top executives.

“Boeing remains committed to recruiting and retaining top talent and creating an inclusive work environment where every teammate around the world can perform at their best while supporting the company’s mission,” the company said at the time.

Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen Hamilton closed down its DEI department and ended all programs. The defense contractor said it would also scrap diversity goals for employees and executives and scratch DEI references in communications and training.

“While our existing people programs comply with law, it is clear from these executive orders and other public statements, that the definition of what’s allowed is changing, so we must make changes,” Booz Allen Chief People Officer Aimee George Leary said in a recording of a virtual company town hall reviewed by Bloomberg News.

Brown-Forman

Jack Daniels-maker Brown-Forman said in August 2024 that it would end workforce and supplier diversity goals and stop linking executive compensation to progress on DEI.

“Since then, the world has evolved, our business has changed, and the legal and external landscape has shifted dramatically, particularly within the United States. With these new dynamics at play, we must adjust our work to ensure it continues to drive business results while appropriately recognizing the current environment in which we find ourselves,” the company told employees at the time.

Caterpillar

After the company was approached by Starbuck, Caterpillar said it would require that corporate training be focused on business operations and that external speakers be approved by senior leaders.

In May, Caterpillar shareholders voted overwhelmingly to reject a National Center for Public Policy Research proposal calling for it to “cease DEI efforts.”

“The proposal inappropriately attempts to restrict Caterpillar’s ability to manage its own employees, ordinary business operations and enterprise strategy,” the board said at the time.

Citigroup

Citigroup said in February that it had scrapped “aspirational” representation goals, changed the name of its “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Talent Management” team to “Talent Management and Engagement” and would no longer require a diverse slate of candidates for job interviews.

“The recent changes in U.S. federal government policy, including new requirements that apply to all federal contractors, call for changes to some of the global strategies and programs we’ve used to attract and support colleagues from various backgrounds,” Citi CEO Jane Fraser said in February.

Constellation Brands 

In April, Constellation Brands, the maker of Corona and Modelo Especial, said it would end its supplier diversity program and change the name of its DEI team to the “inclusive culture” team. It also said it would no longer participate in Human Rights Campaign surveys.

“To achieve our long-term ambitions as a company, we must continue to find ways to win with an increasingly diverse consumer base. We have long believed that cultivating a workforce that reflects the consumers and communities we serve and creating a workplace culture where all talent can come together and thrive are key elements to reaching our full potential,” CEO Bill Newlands said at the time. “Our focus on diversity and inclusion has played a major role in this process, and while we still have much work to do in this regard, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to date on these two fronts.”

Cracker Barrel

After a firestorm over its plans to spruce up its vintage logo, Cracker Barrel scrubbed a Pride page from its website as well as references to LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging groups. At the time, the company said it had removed outdated information.

Cracker Barrel also said it would no longer sponsor events unrelated to business needs, such as Pride events. A Cracker Barrel director and DEI consultant resigned from the board in November after an activist investor called for his ouster.

Deloitte

Deloitte said in February that it would end its DEI programs. It also instructed employees working on contracts for the federal government to remove pronouns from their emails.

Chief people officer Doug Beaudoin wrote in an email to staff at the time that Deloitte will still be “fully compliant with federal anti-discrimination laws.” He also said that “national communities, local inclusion councils and history and Heritage Month events” would continue.

Ford

Ford tapped the brakes on its DEI programs after Starbuck began investigating the carmaker in August. It told employees it would no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign survey and would not use targets for minority dealerships and suppliers.

The automaker told employees at the time that it had taken “a fresh look” at its DEI policies over the past year and was responding to “external and legal environment related to political and social issues.”

“Ford remains deeply committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace and building a team that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds and thinking styles,” an internal email read.

Ford’s annual report in February scrubbed mentions of DEI in favor of terms such as “inclusive culture.”

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs retreated from representation targets it set to increase diversity in its leadership ranks and ended a pledge to ensure diversity on the boards of companies it helps take public. The pledge required companies it takes through the initial public offering process to have at least two board members who were not white men.

“We have made certain adjustments to reflect developments in the law in the U.S.,” CEO David Solomon said at the time. “We strongly believe that merit and diversity are not mutually exclusive. Our people are a powerful example of that and that’s why we will continue to focus on the importance of attracting and retaining diverse, exceptional talent.”

Google

In February, Google removed hiring targets intended to increase the number of employees from historically underrepresented groups and said it was reviewing its DEI programs.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai maintained that diversity plays an important role during an all-hands meeting in March.

“We’re a global company, we have users around the world and we think the best way to serve them well is by having a workforce that represents that diversity,” Pichai said at the time.

Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson said it would back off its DEI initiatives after a pressure campaign from Starbuck. The motorcycle maker it would no longer maintain goals to increase spending with diverse suppliers. The company also said it would end its relationship with the Human Rights Campaign.

“We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community,” the company wrote at the time on X.

The company added: “We have not operated a DEI function since April 2024 and we do not have a DEI function today.”

Home Depot

Home Depot replaced DEI mentions with terms such as “respect for all people,” and “a culture that welcomes everyone.”

The rollback prompted boycotts.

“We remain committed to our Core Values and the needs of our business, believing that a welcoming culture helps us achieve our goals by empowering associates, driving innovation, and enriching our communities,” the company said in a statement to USA TODAY.

IBM

After decades of embracing DEI, IBM dissolved its diversity team, altered some of its initiatives and stopped linking executive compensation to workforce diversity goals. A federal contractor, the company also changed the focus of its supplier diversity program to small businesses and companies run by veterans.

A memo to employees at the time cited “inherent tensions in practicing inclusion.”

“IBM’s talent strategy is driven by the principle of having the best people with the skills to serve our clients,” the company said in a statement at the time. “It is the policy of this organization to hire the people who have the personality, talent and background necessary to fill a given job, regardless of race, color or creed.”

In October, a Black former product management director accused IBM in a discrimination lawsuit of firing her and other Black executives to comply with Trump’s January executive order directing federal agencies to end DEI programs. IBM is also being sued for alleging discriminating against white men.

More: Two men fought for jobs in a river-town mill. 50 years later, the nation is still divided.

John Deere

John Deere scaled back its DEI initiatives after pressure from Starbuck. It also said it would no longer sponsor “social or cultural awareness” events.

“Our customers’ trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere,” the company said at the time.

In February, John Deere investors voted overwhelmingly against an anti-DEI shareholder resolution.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s changed the title of its DEI officer to Chief Inclusion & Belonging Officer and removed DEI language from its website in March. It also broadened its supplier diversity program.

The department store operator also dropped the term “diversity” from its annual report to reflect Kohl’s evolved “focus on inclusion and belonging,” according to Michelle Banks, Kohl’s Chief Inclusion & Belonging Officer.

“We remain committed to our three strategic pillars – Our People, Our Customers and Our Community. These efforts will help us continue to drive an inclusive and productive workforce and serve a broad base of customers,” Banks said at the time.

KPMG

In February, KPMG CEO Paul Knopp told employees that the company, a federal contractor, would end diversity hiring goals. KPMG also removed annual DEI transparency reports from its website.

“The legal landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts has been shifting, via executive orders and in the courts,” Knopp wrote in the email.

Knopp told employees the firm remained “unwavering in our commitment to fairness and inclusivity.”

Lowe’s

The home improvement retail chain retreated from some DEI commitments in 2024, including no longer participating in Human Rights Campaign surveys and no longer sponsoring and participating in events such as festivals and parades that are unrelated to business areas. It also combined its employee resource groups for diverse employees into one organization.

The changes were made to ensure Lowe’s policies are “lawful,” an internal memo from the company’s leadership said at the time, pledging that its “commitment to our people” will not change.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s rolled back its DEI initiatives in January after assessing “the shifting legal landscape.”

McDonald’s stopped setting goals to increase diversity in senior leadership and ended a program that encouraged diversity among its suppliers. It also said it would now refer to its diversity team as the “Global Inclusion Team” and it would stop participating in external surveys.

At the time, McDonald’s said one of its core values is inclusion.

“Everyone is welcome under our Golden Arches,” it said. “McDonald’s position and our commitment to inclusion is steadfast.”

Meta

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp owner Meta canceled its DEI programs in January. Meta said it would no longer have representation goals based on race or gender and would not require a diverse pool of candidates when hiring. It also shuttered its supplier diversity programs.

Molson Coors

The Coors Light and Miller brewer said it would no longer have “aspirational” representation goals or supplier diversity goals and it ended its participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. It also said company trainings would be focused on business objectives, not DEI, and that corporate charitable giving programs would focus soely on supporting “core business goals.”

“This will not impact the benefits we provide our employees, nor will it change or diminish our commitment to fostering a strong culture where every one of our employees knows they are welcome at our bar,” the company said at the time.

Nissan

In December 2024, Nissan said it cut ties with organizations that are “heavily focused on political activism” and refocused employee training programs on “core business objectives.” It also said it created a formal process to review marketing partnerships to make sure “they align with business priorities.”

“For nearly four decades, our commitment to respect and inclusion has been rooted in our values, shaped an environment where each of our team members can contribute at work and ultimately contributed to the success of our business,” Nissan said in a statement.

Paramount

Paramount said in February that it would no longer use “aspirational numerical goals” in hiring and ended its policy of collecting race, ethnicity, sex or gender data for U.S. job applicants on its forms and careers page, except in markets where that’s legally required. The company also eliminated a DEI incentive plan.

In a memo to employees, Paramount cited the Trump administration’s mandates for “changes in the way the company approaches inclusion moving forward.”

PepsiCo

PepsiCo ended some of its DEI initiatives in February and eliminated the chief diversity officer role. PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta told employees the company would no longer have diversity goals for managers or suppliers. The company would also confine its sponsorships to business events and groups.

“We see an even bigger opportunity to more deeply embed inclusion throughout the business as a key driver of business growth and will be introducing a new Inclusion for Growth strategy,” Laguarta wrote at the time.

The DEI retreat drew fire from Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, who wrote in a letter: “You have walked away from equity.” Sharpton called on Pepsico to reinstate the initiatives.

Salesforce

Salesforce dropped diversity hiring targets from its annual financial disclosures in March. It also removed references to diversity and inclusion as core company values.

“We are committed to our longstanding core value of equality – equal opportunities, equal pay for equal work, and the dignity of every person,” Salesforce told USA TODAY in a statement.

Target

After embracing DEI, Target backtracked, putting a stop to its programs and its Racial Equity Action and Change initiatives under which it pledged to invest over $2 billion in Black-owned businesses.

The move by the retail giant, which had cultivated a reputation for inclusion, sparked boycotts from shoppers. Target told USA TODAY it would “complete our commitment” to Black-owned businesses and promoted its involvement in local communities.

“With over 400,000 team members and a footprint in all 50 states, Target has a long-standing commitment to creating growth and opportunity for all,” the company said in a statement.

T-Mobile

In July, T-Mobile said it was scrapping its DEI programs as it sought regulatory approval from the FCC for two major deals including buying almost all of United States Cellular’s wireless operations in a deal valued at $4.4 billion.

“As T-Mobile indicated earlier this year, we recognize that the legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI under federal law has changed and we remain fully committed to ensuring that T-Mobile does not have any policies or practices that enable invidious discrimination, whether in fulfillment of DEI or any other purpose,” the company wrote to the FCC at the time.

It said “the handful of T-Mobile employees” who focused on DEI will focus on “employee culture and engagement.” “As a result, T-Mobile will no longer have any individual roles or teams focused on DEI,” T-Mobile said. It also removed references to DEI on its websites. It also opened up training and mentorship programs to all employees and said it would not participate in “recognition surveys that focus on employees’ protected characteristics.”

Toyota

Facing a pressure campaign from Starbuck, Toyota pledged to overhaul its DEI programs and end its participation in the HRC ranking. It also said it would no longer sponsor LGBTQ+ events and would narrow its community activities to “STEM education and workforce readiness.”

Toyota told employees it would continue to “encourage an inclusive environment where diversity of thought can flourish.”

Tractor Supply

Tractor Supply scrapped its DEI initiatives and carbon emission goals under pressure from Starbuck in June 2024. It said it would eliminate all DEI roles and would scrap all DEI goals. It also said it would no longer supply data to the HRC or support “nonbusiness activities” such as Pride festivals.

“We work hard to live up to our mission and values every day and represent the values of the communities and customers we serve,” the company said. “We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them. We have taken this feedback to heart.”

Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret discontinued a goal to increase Black representation in leadership and replaced references to DEI with terms like “inclusion and belonging.”

“We are steadfast in our commitment to inclusion and belonging because it’s foundational to our company and to a high-performance culture,” the company said at the time. The company will continue to have “the best talent with diverse perspectives” while “being fully compliant with the law.”

Walmart

The retail giant said it would not renew a racial equity center it created following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and it would no longer participate in the HRC ranking.

At the time, Walmart said many of the DEI changes, including switching its terminology from DEI to belonging, were in the works for a few years and were not a result of an activist campaign by Starbuck.

“We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers and suppliers and to be a Walmart for everyone,” the company said at the time.

In June, Walmart shareholders overwhelmingly voted down a shareholder proposal to explain why the nation’s largest private employer held off on scrubbing some of its DEI initiatives until Starbuck publicly pressured the company.

More than 30 shareholders told CEO Doug McMillon the DEI policy shift was “very disheartening.” The decision has also drawn boycotts.

Walt Disney

Disney replaced the “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor that it used to evaluate executive compensation with “Talent Strategy,” jettisoned its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative focused on underrepresented communities and rebranded its employee resource groups.

Disney also removed the terms “diversity” and “DEI” from its annual business report for the first time in five years.

In March, the FCC said it was opening an investigation into Disney and ABC’s DEI practices. The FCC’s Carr has also ordered an investigation into Comcast and NBC Universal’s DEI practices.

These companies stood up for DEI

Not all of corporate America is done with DEI. Some notable holdouts have publicly defended their diversity policies. They include:

Apple

The technology giant urged shareholders to reject an anti-DEI proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research. Over 97% of shareholders voted against the proposal that called on Apple to “cease DEI efforts.”

CEO Tim Cook has said his company may make adjustments to its DEI policies. “As the legal landscape around these issues evolves, we may need to make some changes to comply,” he said at the annual meeting.

Cisco

CEO Chuck Robbins has frequently made the business case for diversity initiatives. “You cannot argue with the fact that a diverse workforce is better,” Robbins told Axios in a January interview.

Robbins made similar remarks at Davos that month. He said the company would not abandon its DEI policies because there’s “too much business value.”

Costco

Costco’s board of directors voted unanimously to recommend shareholders reject an anti-DEI measure, arguing that diverse employees and suppliers fuel innovation in the merchandise it stocks and the services it offers.

More than 98% of Costco shareholders voted down the investor proposal that called for management to investigate the business risks of its diversity initiatives.

More: Costco sues Trump administration over tariffs, seeks refund of fees

Delta

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview earlier this year that it does not have DEI initiatives but “people initiatives.” “That’s the way it’s always been. It’s core to who we are.”

On an earnings call, Delta’s chief legal officer and corporate secretary, Peter Carter, said the airline remains committed to DEI which “is critical to effective human capital management at Delta.”

Lush

Co-founder Rowena Bird said in August that Lush would not back off DEI.

“That’s what makes this company what it is. People have chosen to work with us, and they see us as a safe place because we do look out for them and we do support them and it’s only right that we do double down on this,” Bird told Modern Retail.

It even renamed its Thermal Waves, Sakura and American Cream bath bombs Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “In this critical moment, the name changes are a simple but clear affirmation of Lush’s dedication to DEI policies, programs and practices,” Lush said.

McKinsey & Co.

McKinsey & Co.’s global managing partner Bob Sternfels said in a February memo to staff in February that the firm would continue to prioritize diversity even as its competitors do not.

“We will continue to boldly pursue both, because these two things together – our diverse meritocracy – is what makes us distinctive,” he wrote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The companies that rolled back DEI amid Trump backlash