DEI tracker: How employers’ diversity efforts are evolving

The campaign to dismantle modern DEI initiatives has accelerated since 2023, when the Supreme Court abolished affirmative action in university admissions. Since then, Robby Starbuck, Elon Musk, and President Trump, among others on the right, have made DEI the boogeyman and central talking point in their argument against what they view as “wokeism” in the workplace.

As a result, a number of companies have changed their approach to DEI. Some have eliminated their DEI teams, while others have evolved their terminology. Several companies, including consulting firms with large government contracts, have cited Trump’s executive orders as their reason for pulling back. Many employees and consumers, meanwhile, haven’t been happy about the changes: Since rolling back its DEI initiative earlier this year, Target has faced backlash, including a boycott that’s taken a toll on its foot traffic, Retail Brew reported.

HR Brew analyzed the companies that have so far announced changes to their approach to DEI, and found many commonalities. Several, including Walmart, Google, and Pfizer, have changed their DEI terminology, while others, like Meta and Boeing, have dissolved their DEI teams.

For more on how employers are responding to the ongoing debate, check out our below tracker. We’ll update it regularly as the news continues to develop.