McDonald’s has announced it will modify some of its diversity and inclusion programs following a “civil rights audit” amid growing backlash against corporate DEI efforts ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. The move comes as Trump has been an outspoken opponent of corporate diversity initiatives.
The company stated its commitment to diversity and inclusion but said it would end “aspirational representation goals,” which include specific hiring targets that have faced criticism in the wake of the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action.
McDonald’s also paused “external surveys” that track participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. The change comes as Trump supporters are seizing on his election to push a new ETF focused on investing in companies that reject diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The Azoria Meritocracy fund, launched last week, aims to mirror the S&P 500 index but excludes companies with DEI quotas in hiring or promotions, including Starbucks, Best Buy, and United Rentals. The move is seen as an opportunistic reflection of Trump winning the election and following through on his promises to resist DEI initiatives.
As Trump’s team denies involvement with the fund, its CEO and co-founder James Fishback is a friend of Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy. The growing crowd of conservative players are putting their names or money behind similar efforts, including Strive Asset Management, which rejects environmental, social, and governance policies that conflict with investors’ interests.
The move by McDonald’s and other companies comes as there is a growing trend of conservative activists pushing back against DEI programs in corporate America and higher education. Such programs have been designed to counter decades of bias and underrepresentation affecting minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ people, but Trump and his allies have cast them as creating bias, particularly against white people.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/06/mcdonalds-corporate-diversity-starbuck-trump