Big US companies are pulling back diversity policies

Facing a legal, social and political backlash, America’s diversity, equality and inclusion industry is starting to reassess and rebrand.

Taylor Telford and Julian Mark

May 9, 2024 – 10.17am

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Last year, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly’s annual shareholders letter referenced the acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion 48 times. This year, DEI is nowhere to be found.

In March, Starbucks got shareholder approval to replace “representation” goals with “talent” performance for executive bonus incentives. At Molson Coors, “People & Planet” metrics have displaced environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, and the acronym DEI has disappeared altogether.

Washington Post