Scaling Back Diversity Effort: How Meta is Rethinking DEI

In a defining moment for corporate America, Meta has emerged at the forefront of a growing retreat from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. Once a vocal champion of workplace diversity, Meta is now quietly scaling back its formal DEI programs—joining other major corporations like Walmart and Amazon.

These companies once embraced diversity with urgency. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, they pledged action. Racial equity became a corporate buzzword. DEI roles surged. Promises were made.

Now, as the legal and political climate shifts, those promises are being reassessed. Companies are pulling back—moving away from bold commitments and rethinking what it means to build an inclusive workplace. Meta stands at the center of this reckoning. As giants retreat from once-robust DEI strategies, the question looms: Is this the end of corporate diversity pledges—or simply a strategic realignment?

This article explores Meta’s retreat from DEI, examines the forces behind the shift, and asks whether corporate commitments to diversity were ever built to last. It traces Meta’s pivot from structured targets to a focus on cognitive diversity and what that means for the future of inclusion at work.

Meta’s scaling back diversity effort: A symbol of corporate shifts

Meta has made the most dramatic shift in its DEI policies. In an internal memo released in 2025, Meta announced it would dismantle its DEI team and significantly reduce its diversity initiatives. Meta’s Chief Diversity Officer, Maxine Williams, will be reassigned to a new role focused on employee engagement and accessibility. This marks a stark change from the company’s previous dedication to racial and gender diversity in its workforce.

Meta’s decision to scale back is largely influenced by the US Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling. The ruling was against race-conscious admissions policies in higher education. The company has also cited growing political pressure around diversity, with critics arguing that such efforts are discriminatory or unfair.

The backlash against “woke capitalism” has grown. Political figures and conservative activists have decried the idea that businesses should focus on diversity at the expense of merit-based hiring. In its statement, Meta noted that it would focus on building a more inclusive workplace.

But it would do so without relying on diversity-specific targets or quotas. This marks a shift toward a more flexible and less public-facing approach to inclusion. Many observers see it as a response to political and legal challenges.

Meta’s DEI Journey: From promise to retreat

Meta’s approach to diversity has always been an evolution. In 2019, Meta responded with its ambitious “50 in 5” goal. The plan: in five years, the company would aim for a workforce that was 50% women and comprised of underrepresented groups, including Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander people.

In 2022, the company celebrated notable progress with a 36% increase in Black and Hispanic employees in technical roles since 2019. Meta also launched initiatives to develop underrepresented leaders, signaling a genuine commitment to change. 

These measures gained momentum during the 2020 corporate reckoning after George Floyd’s murder.
The company’s goal to increase diverse representation among senior leaders to 30% by 2025 seemed to signal real change.

But, as employees who were there at the time recall, the urgency dissipated. As 2020 wore on, company leaders became increasingly cautious about how they spoke about DEI. Already in September 2020, Zuckerberg imposed limits on employee political speech in internal forums. Discussions about police brutality and the shooting of Jacob Blake became so heated that Zuckerberg intervened directly.

Exceptions, cuts, and shift in priorities

By late 2020, Facebook began making exceptions to its diversity hiring goals. Engineering leaders pushed back against the “diverse slate” approach. It required hiring managers to consider at least one woman and one underrepresented candidate for nearly all open roles. Some DEI staff already saw the requirement as insufficient. Yet, under pressure, the company reduced it further, applying the standard only to 75% of engineering roles.

Quarterly diversity reports, once a priority, were trimmed down. The leadership mentorship program for underrepresented staff was paused, restructured, and ultimately scaled back. Despite these setbacks, Meta’s DEI strategy had still not completely lost momentum—until 2022.

The company’s rebranding to Meta in 2022 signaled more than just a new name. Along with the departure of Sheryl Sandberg, the company’s DEI priorities seemed to slip further down the corporate agenda. Budgets, including those for diversity teams, were slashed as part of a broader cost-cutting measure known as “the year of efficiency.”

By November 2023, as the company faced economic headwinds and began widespread layoffs, DEI positions started to shrink. Budget cuts hit diversity programs hard, a precursor to the more dramatic changes to come. 

The final retreat: DEI team disbanded

By the beginning of 2024, the DEI team at Meta was effectively dismantled. All traces of its existence began to disappear from the company’s public-facing materials.Meta, like many other corporate giants, has quietly retreated from its once-robust diversity efforts. What began as a response to a nationwide call for justice and inclusion is now a footnote in the company’s history.

In a move that stunned many, Meta officially announced in January 2025 the termination of its core DEI programs. According to CNN, as per a company memo from Janelle Gale, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, cited shifting legal and policy landscapes as the primary reasons behind the decision. The memo pointed to recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, signaling a new approach to how businesses must navigate diversity-related issues. 

Following the January announcement, Meta continued to reduce its DEI workforce and streamline resources. Insiders say the company is refocusing its priorities, adapting to an evolving regulatory environment. With fewer dedicated resources, Meta’s once-vibrant diversity initiatives have grown leaner, signaling a major shift in the company’s diversity strategy. 

Employee backlash: Frustration and fractures

The response from Meta employees has been swift and intense. Frustration has boiled over in internal forums, where many employees have criticized the company for abandoning the hard-won progress made in previous years. Leaked reports reveal that many feel the company’s DEI momentum is now at a standstill, with some even questioning whether Meta is committed to long-term inclusivity. 

However, there are also voices in favor of the new direction. A faction within Meta has expressed support for the shift, arguing that merit-based hiring, rather than demographic quotas, should take precedence. This debate highlights a deeper ideological divide within the company regarding the role of DEI in shaping its future workforce. 

The broader public reaction has been divided. Some commentators argue that Meta’s rollback could set a dangerous precedent, potentially encouraging other tech giants to follow suit. Critics worry that without strong DEI goals, the industry could see a regression in the progress made in diversifying the workforce. On the other hand, some view Meta’s decision on scaling back diversity effort as a necessary response to the increasingly complex legal landscape surrounding diversity programs. 

The new DEI strategy: What’s happened since the rollback?

Despite dismantling its hiring quotas and formal diversity programs, Meta insists it is not abandoning its commitment to inclusivity. Instead, the company has outlined a new framework that prioritizes: 

• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Meta will continue supporting these grassroots networks for underrepresented employees. 

• Leadership Mentorship Programs: New initiatives will focus on fostering leadership development among diverse talent. 

• Bias Training: Enhanced training programs will aim to reduce unconscious bias across the company. 

• Inclusion Assessments: Meta will conduct annual assessments to track inclusivity, ensuring a more sustainable approach. 

These initiatives signal that Meta is not abandoning diversity altogether. However, critics argue that this more flexible model may not be enough to ensure real, lasting change. 

Meta’s decision marks a crossroads for the tech industry’s approach to diversity. By pivoting away from explicit hiring quotas, the company is reflecting a broader trend where tech giants are reassessing the role of DEI in their organizations. 

While it remains to be seen whether Meta’s new approach will succeed, one thing is clear: the focus in the tech world is shifting. Companies are increasingly focusing on inclusivity that goes beyond quotas. But whether this will lead to tangible progress or just rhetoric is still an open question. 

The long-term impact: A shift, not a reversal

Meta’s move is part of a larger shift in corporate America’s approach to DEI. It blends legal pragmatism with a focus on cognitive diversity. While the rollback has sparked internal discontent and external criticism, it’s also part of a wider trend. Businesses are navigating an increasingly complex legal and social landscape.

In the coming years, the question won’t just be whether companies like Meta can maintain their DEI programs. Instead, it will be whether these companies can strike a balance between legal compliance and the enduring need for true, meaningful diversity in the workplace. Whether this shift will have a lasting impact on the broader tech landscape remains to be seen. But it certainly sets a new precedent in corporate diversity strategies.

The retreat from DEI efforts by companies like Meta, Walmart, and Amazon is not happening in a vacuum. These shifts are part of a broader trend influenced by legal challenges and political dynamics. As companies scale back their DEI efforts, marginalized communities may be left to wonder whether corporate America’s commitment to diversity was ever genuine. Or if it was simply a response to social pressures that are now deemed too risky.

Moreover, by scaling back these initiatives, are companies missing an opportunity to address long-standing inequalities that continue to plague the workplace? While some argue that diversity programs need to be more focused and tied to measurable outcomes, there is also concern. With the political and legal climate in flux, corporate America is at a crossroads. How companies respond will shape the future of diversity and inclusion for years to come.

In brief

Major companies like Meta and Amazon are scaling back diversity effort. Legal pressures, political backlash, and shifting priorities are reshaping corporate diversity strategies. These moves signal a larger trend of recalibrating diversity commitments in an increasingly polarized climate.

As federal policies evolve, corporations are navigating legal complexities in response. The retreat from DEI efforts marks a dramatic shift in corporate responsibility and social justice.