Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is terminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs effective immediately, and will instead build initiatives “that focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background.” This step continues Zuckerberg’s attempt to extend an olive branch to Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
The social media giant made its decision because “The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing,” Janelle Gale, VP of human resources, told employees in a Friday memo obtained by Axios.
“The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI,” Gale wrote. “The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others,” Gale added.
Therefore, Meta will no longer have a DEI team. Maxine Williams, the company’s chief diversity officer, will begin a new role focused on accessibility and engagement, Gale informed employees.
Meta also plans to build programs “that focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background,” Gale added.
The memo also announced changes to the company’s “hiring, development and procurement practices,” noting that it will no longer focus solely on sourcing business suppliers from diverse-owned businesses.
Instead, Meta will “focus our efforts on supporting small and medium-sized businesses that power much of our economy,” Gale revealed.
With regards to hiring, Meta will continue seeking out employees from diverse backgrounds, but will no longer be using its “diverse-slate hiring approach,” which ensures every pool of candidates considered for a position is “diversified.”
“We believe there are other ways to build an industry-leading workforce and leverage teams made up of world-class people from all types of backgrounds,” Gale wrote.
Gale added that having representation goals “can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender,” adding, “While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it.”
Meta has “previously ended representation goals for women and ethnic minorities,” Gale noted in her memo.
Gale’s memo comes just three days after Zuckerberg stunned the world by announcing major changes to Meta’s content moderation policies on its Facebook, Instagram, and Threads platforms, citing a desire to embrace free speech and avoid censorship.
Zuckerberg said these changes will start with axing Facebook’s third-party “fact check” system, which is notorious for its leftist bias.
Last week, Meta’s President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg stepped down. He is set to be replaced by Joel Kaplan, the company’s most senior Republican executive.
Last month, Meta contributed $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 inaugural fund — a surprise move that marked a significant change in the relationship between the ultra-woke tech giant and the incoming administration.
And on Monday, the company announced that Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and top Trump ally, has joined its board of directors.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
