Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced Friday it will terminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs effective immediately, marking a major shift in the company's hiring and operational practices.
In an internal memo shared on Meta's Workplace forum, Vice President of Human Resources Janelle Gale outlined several key changes, including the end of the company's "Diverse Slate Approach" for candidate consideration and the complete disbanding of its DEI team.
The company will discontinue its diversity supplier program, which previously focused on sourcing from diverse-owned businesses. Moving forward, Meta plans to redirect these efforts toward supporting small and medium-sized businesses more broadly.
The announcement also detailed the elimination of equity and inclusion training programs. Meta's Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams will transition to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement.
According to Meta's most recent diversity report, the company had made progress under its previous initiatives, increasing representation of Black employees from 3.8% to 4.9% and Hispanic employees from 5.2% to 6.7% in the U.S. Under the new policy, Meta will no longer implement specific diverse hiring practices.
The announcement sparked immediate reaction within the company, with hundreds of employees expressing concern through internal communications. One employee comment garnering over 600 reactions stated, "If you don't stand by your principles when things get difficult, they aren't values. They're hobbies."
This policy shift follows several recent changes at Meta, including leadership adjustments and the termination of its third-party fact-checking program. Meta joins other major corporations like McDonald's, Walmart, Ford, and Lowe's in rolling back DEI initiatives.
When asked about the changes, Meta confirmed the end of its DEI practices but declined to provide additional comment about how the decision aligns with its broader corporate objectives.