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Tech giants, like Google and Meta, have slashed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in 2023 despite their commitments following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and riots.
According to data provided by job site Indeed, cited by CNBC, DEI-related job postings in 2023 have declined 44%.
In November 2023, the last full month for which data was available, DEI job postings dropped 23% year over year.
Layoffs at Google and Meta also included employees who held leadership roles in Black employee resource groups (ERGs), CNBC said.
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Group of happy business professionals having a discussion during a briefing. Diverse business people collaborating on a new project. (iStock / iStock)
Devika Brij, CEO of Brij the Gap Consulting, which works with tech companies’ DEI efforts, told CNBC that some companies have cut nearly 90% of their DEI budget by midyear 2023.
“When George Floyd began to become the topic of conversations, companies and executives doubled down on their commitments and here we are only a couple years later, and folks are looking for opportunities to cut those teams,” Brij said.
A woman holds a “BLM” sign in the rain as tens of thousands of people participate in a silent protest march organized by Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County. (REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson / Reuters Photos)
Melinda Briana Epler, the founder and CEO of Empovia, said that the cuts in DEI in 2023 were “stark” compared to previous years.
“Whenever there is an economic downturn in tech, some of the first budgets that are cut are in DEI, but I don’t think we’ve seen such stark contrast as this year,” Epler told CNBC.
Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. The tech ginat apologized to drivers over a Google Maps detour that sent them through the Mojave Desert. (Marlena Sloss/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The layoffs come just three years following the boom in DEI initiatives that came during the Black Lives Matter protests and riots.
At this time, tech companies made a commitment to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
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In a June 2020 letter to Google employees, CEO Sundar Pichai vocally committed to improving support for Black workers.
“The events of the past few weeks reflect deep structural challenges,” Pichai wrote. “We’ll work closely with our Black community to develop initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions- and we’ll keep you updated.”
Meta Platforms is considering reducing the money it gives news organizations as it reevaluates the partnerships it struck over the past few years. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File / AP Newsroom)
In a similar June 2020 letter to Meta employees, COO Sheryl Sandberg committed to having 30% more people of color, including 30% more Black people in leadership by 2025.
“Achieving racial justice and equity is a goal all of us share – and a goal that will take real work to achieve,” Sandberg wrote.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Meta spokesperson said that the tech giant remains committed to their DEI initiatives.
“Our commitment to DEI remains at the center of who we are as a company,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We continue to intentionally design equitable and fair practices to drive progress across our people, product, policy and partnerships pillars.”
Google and Amazon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Big Tech Layoffs in 2023
Several tech giants have tightened their workforce in 2023 after over-hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meta, Microsoft Corp., Amazon and Google-parent Alphabet Inc. have also cut thousands of jobs throughout the year.
Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, cut over 10,000 jobs in May 2023.
“As I’ve talked about efficiency this year, I’ve said that part of our work will involve removing jobs — and that will be in service of both building a leaner, more technical company and improving our business performance to enable our long-term vision,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., speaks during a Microsoft product event in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. (Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Microsoft announced in Jan. 2023 that it would cut 10,000 positions.
The move, which took place at the end of the third quarter, was “in response to macroeconomic conditions and changing customer priorities,” according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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Amazon said in early January that it would lay off more than 18,000 employees in what would be its largest workforce reduction to date.
Google parent company Alphabet Inc. announced that it cut 12,000 jobs to weather the current economy.
Google CEO Pichai said the cuts affected teams globally, including recruiting and some corporate functions as well as some engineering and products teams.
Fox News’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
