Facebook will no longer continue its diversity programmes, as campaigners warned that equality initiatives are also under threat in the UK.
According to the Axios, Meta – owned by Mark Zuckerberg – has cut its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), efforts after a memo was sent to staff citing a ‘shifting legal and policy landscape’. The social media giant says it is ending its “representation goals for women and ethnic minorities”, as well as its equity and inclusion training programmes, stating that the DEI had become “politically charged”.
Tech company Amazon has also ended its initiatives, along with fast-food chain McDonald’s. Many schemes, hiring policies, training courses and dedicated teams set up to tackle systemic racism were put in place in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, who died when a white policeman knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
What Facebook changes mean for you as Mark Zuckerberg major overhaul
George Floyd’s death sparked widespread Black Lives Matter protests
(
Image:
Collect Unknown)
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of George Floyd’s murder
(
Image:
Minnesota Department of Correcti)
But now, US conservative groups threaten to use legal action against companies looking to be inclusive and diverse, as Donald Trump – who has criticised DEI – returns to the White House this month after winning the US election.
However, not all tech companies are keen to end their equality programmes, as Apple’s board pushed back on the pressure, writing to shareholders that investors should vote against a plans to end its efforts. In the note, it read “Apple has a well-established compliance program and the proposal inappropriately attempts to restrict Apple’s ability to manage its own ordinary business operations, people and teams, and business strategies.
“Our Board and management maintain active oversight of legal and regulatory risks and compliance for our global business”, it added.
But concerns have been raised by CEO of racial justice charity Runnymede Trust Dr Shabna Begum who said there should be “alarm” and that “regressive conversations” about DEI were already taking place in the UK.
Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would also be ending fact-checking on its platforms Instagram and Facebook
Dr Shabna Begum said: “The attack on DEI initiatives represents a willful backlash against progressive steps in the workplace seeking to highlight and address persistent, and sometimes worsening, inequalities in the workplace. We should be alarmed – not because we risk those sentiments being imported here – but because those same regressive conversations are already happening in the UK.”
“The derision of initiatives that seek to highlight discrimination and to then address them, fails to appreciate that not only is there an equalities and ethical rationale for optimising diversity and anti-racist initiatives in the workplace, but also a business case for attracting the strongest pool of talent.”
Dr Begum added that the previous Conservative government had “launched an assault” on civil service jobs they considered “woke”.
The CEO further said that “rejecting initiatives that address inequalities in the workplace and treating them as disposable parts” was “shortsighted”.