Diversity, equity, and inclusion, once the preoccupation of HR departments and dry corporate policy documents, has become the focus of activist shareholder campaigns, anti-DEI crusaders, and the president of the United States.
How did we get here? After the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the racial reckoning that followed, companies moved quickly to showcase their efforts to increase diversity. Then in 2023, the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in the college admissions process, adding momentum to an anti-DEI backlash fueled by people who believe those policies amount to reverse discrimination against groups like men and white people. As a result, several major companies rolled back their diversity programs in 2024, a trend that has only accelerated after President Donald Trump made it a priority to eliminate them in the federal government.
But while some major corporations have publicly rolled back their DEI policies, others have stood up for them, noting that more diverse workforces are good for business. A landmark 2023 McKinsey report found that companies with more ethnic and gender diversity were more likely to outperform those with less. (Some have criticized McKinsey’s methodology.) A different 2023 survey from Pew Research Center found that around 56% of workers say focusing on increasing DEI at work is “mainly a good thing,” although attitudes differ across groups.
Costco and Apple made waves when they publicly defended their DEI programs against shareholder activists earlier this year. In other cases, prominent CEOs and executives are speaking plainly about why they’re sticking with their policies.
“We are steadfast in our commitments because we think that they are actually critical to our business,” Delta Air Lines’ chief external affairs officer Peter Carter said on an earnings call in January. “DE&I is about talent, and that’s been our focus.” When asked if the company was reevaluating its DEI policies, Carter responded, “No, we are not.” Unlike a growing number of other organizations, the company also spelled out its DEI stance in its annual report, writing: “Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to effective human capital management at Delta.”
By the numbers
53%
OF C-SUITE LEADERS SAY TRUMP’S ROLLBACK ON DEI WILL LIKELY DECREASE COMMITMENTS IN CORPORATE AMERICA
49%
OF COMPANY LEADERS SAY THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO ABOLISH THEIR DEI POLICIES
8%
OF EXECUTIVE LEADERS SAY THEY ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING CHANGING THEIR OWN DEI PROGRAMS
Source: Littler Law Firm
Cisco is another company that has publicly outlined why it stands by previous DEI initiatives. “You cannot argue with the fact that a diverse workforce is better,” said CEO Chuck Robbins, during a January interview. “There’s too much business value.”
Despite the recent spate of rollbacks, some research suggests that Robbins and Carter aren’t alone. While 53% of C-suite leaders agree that the Trump administration’s pushback against DEI will likely decrease commitments across corporate America, only 8% admitted to seriously considering changing their own programs, according to a post-inauguration survey from employment law firm Littler. And 49% said they have no plans to abolish their policies.
That’s not to say that even the companies most clearly standing by their DEI initiatives won’t make some future alterations. However, some DEI watchers have pointed out that while companies are changing public-facing DEI language, they may try to keep the spirit of those policies intact.
“Despite the increased scrutiny, many companies seem to be taking a measured approach, rather than rushing to end or scale back IE&D efforts,” Jeanine Conley Daves, an employment attorney at Littler and member of the firm’s IE&D consulting practice, told Fortune. “It makes sense not to make extensive changes to efforts and initiatives that have helped to build a strong company culture.”
More on the 2025 Best Companies to Work For:
- An overview of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For
- The unique approach to remote work at Atlassian (No. 95)
- An impressive parental leave policy at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (No. 84)
- Employee volunteer programs at Cisco (No. 3)
- How the Best Companies to Work For give their employees time to recharge
This article appears in the April/May 2025 issue of Fortune.
