Apple and Amazon appear to be sticking with their DE&I programs

Some employers appear to have made concessions to espousers of anti-DE&I propaganda over the last two years, with Meta seemingly becoming the latest company to fall last week.

On the same day Meta announced it had dissolved its DE&I team, reports surfaced that Amazon had changed some of its DE&I language. In contrast, Apple was doubling down on its diversity commitments.

Despite the headlines (and move by Meta) Amazon, like Apple, appears to have maintained a robust DE&I program.

A closer look at Amazon. While headlines proclaimed that Amazon is “halting” some DE&I programs, referencing a December internal memo from Candi Castleberry, its VP of inclusive experiences and technology, it appears that these reports may have been overblown.

While Amazon did remove some of its DE&I-centered language—including the term “transgender,” and sections on Black and LGBTQ+ rights—from its policy page, as the Washington Post reported, Castleberry’s internal memo to employees stated this update had been made to reflect where the company is on its inclusion journey.

Additionally, an Amazon spokesperson said, “We update this page from time to time to ensure that it reflects updates we’ve made to various programs and positions.”

The memo acknowledged the company’s new approach of reviewing internal programs and “identifying the ones we believed should continue.” Castleberry told employees that the company will move from programs built by individual groups to “focusing on groups with proven outcomes.” She added that this “move away from programs that were separate from our existing processes, and instead integrating our work into existing processes so they become durable,” would be an “evolution to ‘built in’ and ‘born inclusive,’ instead of ‘bolted on.’” The concept of integrating DE&I principles throughout a business isn’t new, as diversity professionals told HR Brew last year.

The company still has DE&I principles and statements prominently featured on its careers website, and appears to be committed to practices including its employee resource groups (ERGs), corporate diversity reporting, and employment programs for military veterans and spouses. Job applicants also continue to have the option to meet with someone from an ERG during their interview process.

“To build the best products and services for our diverse customers, it’s important for our workforce to be diverse, and this drives our commitment to equitable and inclusive employment and business opportunities—from prioritizing equal pay, to creating career pathways, to partnering with small and diverse businesses that help us serve our customers,” the DE&I portion of Amazon’s company positions page notes (and echoed in Castleberry’s memo).

Apple is all in. Against the backdrop of the Amazon and Meta reports, Apple pushed back against the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), a conservative group that opposes DE&I initiatives. In response to a NCPPR proposal that Apple “abolish” its DE&I department and policies, the company pointed out in its notice to shareholders that it is in compliance with the law and that following the suggestion would prevent it from making decisions about its teams. The company also said that it works to “create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.”

The Inclusion & Diversity section of Apple’s website outlines why the initiatives are important to its business. The company has relationships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), a nearly 40-year-old ERG initiative, and programs to increase leadership representation globally. However, it hasn’t shared its gender and racial diversity numbers since 2022.

Apple did not respond to HR Brew’s requests for comment.

So it appears, for now, that while Meta is walking away, Amazon and Apple haven’t been swayed by DE&I detractors.