Which US Companies Are Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives?

A number of prominent companies have scaled back or set aside the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that much of corporate America endorsed following the protests that accompanied the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020.

Emboldened by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions, conservative activists have used the courts and social media to target workplace programs. They've targeted corporate sponsorships, employee-led affinity groups, and hiring practices that prioritize historically marginalized groups.

DEI policies typically were intended as a counterweight to discriminatory practices. Critics argue that education, government and business programs which single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unfair and the same opportunities should be afforded to everyone.

These are some of the companies that have retreated from DEI:

Target

The retailer said Friday that changes to its "Belonging at the Bullseye" strategy would include ending a program it established to help Black employees build meaningful careers, improve the experience of Black shoppers and to promote Black-owned businesses following Floyd's death in Minneapolis, where Target has its headquarters.

Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people, said it also would conclude the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, goals it previously set in three-year cycles.

The goals included hiring and promoting more women and members of racial minority groups, and recruiting more diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, veterans and people with disabilities.

Target also will no longer participate in surveys designed to gauge the effectiveness of its actions, including an annual index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ+ rights organization. Target also said it would further evaluate corporate partnerships to ensure they're connected directly to business objectives, but declined to share details.