Hello! This week, the CEO of Dutch staffing giant Randstad said "the headlines are bleaker than the reality" as some United States companies change their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies targeted by President Donald Trump. But is that true? Firstly, let's have a quick refresher on DEI. Before the term was weaponized by right-wing groups in the U.S. and became part of the daily lexicon, it referred to governance programs aimed at increasing representation of underrepresented groups including racial minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities, particularly in leadership roles in the workplace. DEI emerged following the contributions of various social justice movements around the world including the Civil Rights Movement, the women's suffrage movement, and the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has issued a series of executive orders aimed at scrapping DEI initiatives across the federal government and the private sector. These orders have been criticized by advocacy groups who say they might deepen inequities and undo decades of progress made to enshrine civil rights protections for marginalized groups. Also on my radar today: |
|
|
A procession carrying signs for equal rights and an end to bias during the civil rights march on Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. REUTERS/Library of Congress/Handout via Reuters |
So, are the headlines bleaker than reality? |
Randstad CEO Sander van't Noordende said companies were seeking to ensure their work environment was inclusive even as they move away from some initiatives deemed "problematic" in the light of the executive orders. Here's a look at some of the largest businesses in the U.S. which have recently changed their DEI programs or removed references to them in their annual reports: |
- Amazon.com removed a reference to "inclusion and diversity" in its annual report filed last week, after it told employees that it was winding down its programs.
- Alphabet's Google is scrapping its goal to hire more employees from underrepresented groups and is reviewing some of its DEI initiatives.
- Disney's 2024 annual report removed mentions of its "Reimagine Tomorrow" program, an online space for "amplifying underrepresented voices" that featured some of Disney's DEI commitments and actions.
- Facebook parent Meta Platforms said it was ending its DEI programs, including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers.
- Top proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services said it will no longer consider the gender, racial or ethnic diversity of U.S. company boards when making its voting recommendations.
- Large investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard have already reduced the importance of diversity considerations in their stewardship policies.
- Goldman Sachs cancelled a four-year-old policy to only take public companies that had two diverse board members, a spokesperson for the bank said.
|
Several large firms had made marginal progress increasing the representation of women in management even while policies to do so were in place, a Reuters review of disclosures found. |
|
|
A man looks out from 'The Tunnel' that is sited near the 'Point of No Return' where slaves were shipped from the slave port at Badagry, Nigeria. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo |
- Reparations: At the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, leaders plan to shape a "unified vision" of what slavery and colonial reparations may look like, from financial compensation and formal acknowledgement of past wrongs to policy reforms. Click here for the full Reuters report.
- EU net-zero goals: Following Switch's coverage on Tuesday on large polluting nations missing their net-zero targets deadline in accordance with the Paris climate accord, the European Commission confirmed that the EU would amend its climate law this quarter. The Commission has said it intends to propose that EU countries jointly cut their net emissions 90% by 2040, from 1990 levels. The EU has pledged to cut net emissions 55% by 2030.
- Press protection: A record number of journalists were killed around the world last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists said, adding that Israel was responsible for nearly 70% of the deaths. At least 124 journalists in 18 countries died in 2024, the CPJ said in a statement.
- Shell Netherlands case: Friends of the Earth Netherlands, which brought the Dutch case against Shell in 2019, is continuing its legal battle against large polluters. The climate activist group has brought its case to the Netherlands' Supreme Court, seeking a specific carbon reduction target for the company and its products. Shell won an appeal against a 2021 landmark ruling in the case that had required it to accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Thames Water probe: British water regulator Ofwat is launching an investigation into Thames Water's failure to complete 812 environmental improvement projects it promised to deliver between 2020 and 2025. The utility recently admitted it is unlikely to finish more than 100 of these projects on schedule. Thames Water has faced criticism for polluting rivers and seas with sewage, with allegations that it has prioritized profits over environmental protection.
|
|
|
Demi Moore attends ELLE's Women in Hollywood Celebration, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni |
In keeping with the topic of diversity, today's spotlight highlights some of the progress made in Hollywood. Out of the top 100 movies in 2024, more than half featured a story centered on a female actor as a lead or co-lead, the first time representation has been above the U.S. Census where girls and women comprise 50.5% of the population, a 2025 report from the University of Southern California found. However, representation fell for people of color in film, the report said. Click here for the full Reuters story. |
|
|
Sustainable Switch was edited by Elaine Hardcastle. |
Sustainable Switch is sent three times a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. Terms & Conditions and Privacy Statement |
|
|
|
Posts
