Google has become the latest major United States company to abandon its recruitment goals aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to information obtained by BBC News.
The move follows the tech giant’s annual review of its corporate policies, which also includes reassessing other DEI initiatives.
This shift aligns with growing opposition to DEI efforts in certain U.S. political circles.
Since returning to the White House just over two weeks ago, President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to eliminate such initiatives, reflecting his administration’s ongoing critique of DEI policies.
A Google spokesperson commented on the company’s evolving approach, saying, “We’re committed to creating a workplace where all our employees can succeed and have equal opportunities. We’ve updated our [annual investor report] language to reflect this, and as a federal contractor our teams are also evaluating changes required following recent court decisions and executive orders on this topic.”
Initially reported by the Wall Street Journal, the update to Google’s investor report marks a departure from previous statements made between 2021 and 2024, when the company emphasized its intention to make DEI “part of everything we do.”
That specific language was noticeably absent from its latest report published on Wednesday.
In response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai set a five-year target to boost leadership representation from underrepresented groups by 30%.
The company noted significant progress since then, with the proportion of Black leaders nearly doubling between 2020 and 2023. Leadership roles held by women and Latino employees also saw an increase.
However, Google’s recent decision follows a broader trend among major corporations. Companies such as Meta, Amazon, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Walmart, and Target have scaled back their DEI efforts.
Notably, Target faces a lawsuit from shareholders, including the City of Riviera Beach Police Pension Fund in Florida, alleging the company misled them about the risks linked to its DEI policies.
The lawsuit cited a 2023 backlash over LGBTQ+ merchandise, which reportedly hurt both Target’s sales and stock price.
Apple has taken a different stance, resisting calls to abandon its DEI policies. Just last month, the tech giant’s board urged investors to vote against a proposal by the National Center for Public Policy Research to end its diversity initiatives.
The conservative group claimed such policies expose companies to “litigation, reputational, and financial risks.”
In a recent incident, President Trump controversially speculated without evidence that a DEI-related issue may have contributed to a plane crash in Washington, D.C.
This comment, made less than 24 hours after the crash, reflects the administration’s broader efforts to dismantle diversity programs in the U.S.
