Google will no longer aim to boost its workforce diversity through hiring goals following President Donald Trump’s executive orders. The company, a federal contractor, is reviewing its programs in light of recent court decisions and orders that condition government contracts on non-diversity compliance.
The decision comes as top companies including Meta, Walmart, and McDonald’s have scaled back their diversity initiatives in response to the Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action in university admissions. Google had set “aspirational hiring goals” in 2020 but will now focus solely on its employee-resource groups.
According to Cicconi, Google will “closely evaluate” other programs, trainings, and initiatives, updating them as needed. However, the company will continue to run its employee-resource groups.
Google’s shift is part of a growing trend among top companies to pull back on diversity initiatives amid pressure from conservative activists and executive orders. Despite its efforts, Google still faces criticism for lacking diversity in its workforce, with about 33% of U.S. employees being women, 5.7% Black, and 7.5% Latino.
The company has defended its commitment to creating a workplace where all employees can succeed, citing updates to its 10-k language reflecting this focus. Google’s managers have also begun removing diversity- and equity-related terms from team and project names.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/02/05/google-end-dei-program