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Meta is cutting its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team and rolling back its related programs.
In a letter to its employees on Friday (January 10), Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, informed staffers that it was eliminating its DEI initiatives due to the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the U.S., per The Hill.
“The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI. It reaffirms longstanding principles that discrimination should not be tolerated or promoted on the basis of inherent characteristics, Meta Vice President of Human Resources Janelle Gale wrote in the memo, adding that the term DEI has become "charged."
Gale added that Meta will end its "Diverse Slate Approach," a program that guarantees a diverse set of candidates will be considered for each position.
“There are other ways to build an industry-leading workforce and leverage teams made up of world-class people from all types of backgrounds to build products that work for everyone," Gale said on behalf of the company.
Meta is also set to cut its supplier diversity efforts and will instead focus on giving opportunities to small and medium-sized businesses.
“Opportunities will continue to be available to all qualified suppliers, including those who were part of the supplier diversity program,” the letter stated.
Maxine Williams, Meta's chief diversity officer, will shift into a new role focused on accessibility and engagement, according to the document.
The changes at Meta come amid a series of DEI rollbacks at major companies including Walmart and McDonald's. Meta also recently announced that it will eliminate its fact-checking program and replace it with user-driven community notes.
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