Meta is scaling back many of its DEI initiatives, Business Insider has confirmed. The company issued a memo announcing these changes on Friday.

In the memo, Meta's VP of Human Resources, Janelle Gale, explained that the evolving legal and policy landscape in the U.S. played a significant role in the decision. She pointed out that recent Supreme Court rulings signal a shift in how DEI efforts may be approached legally.

"DEI" has become a charged term, Gale noted, with some seeing it as promoting preferential treatment for certain groups over others.

Meta confirmed these changes when contacted by Business Insider. In addition, the company announced it would replace fact-checkers with community notes on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Meta's shift away from DEI programs comes amid growing backlash, legal challenges, and political developments, including the reelection of Donald Trump.

Full Memo:

Hello everyone,

I want to share some updates regarding changes to our hiring, development, and procurement practices. Before diving into the details, let me provide some important context:

The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the United States is evolving. Recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court indicate a shift in how DEI will be viewed legally. These rulings reaffirm the principle that discrimination based on inherent characteristics should not be tolerated or encouraged. Additionally, the term "DEI" has become contentious, with some viewing it as promoting preferential treatment for specific groups.

At Meta, we’ve always valued serving everyone, and we believe this is best achieved through diverse teams—teams that bring a mix of skills, knowledge, backgrounds, and perspectives. These teams are crucial for innovation, problem-solving, and identifying new opportunities to create products that serve everyone. Moreover, we’ve always been committed to ensuring that no one is given or deprived of opportunities based on protected characteristics, and that commitment remains unchanged.

Given the evolving legal and policy context, we are implementing the following changes:

Hiring: We will continue sourcing candidates from diverse backgrounds, but we are discontinuing the Diverse Slate Approach. This practice, which has been debated publicly and is currently under challenge, will be replaced by other methods for building an exceptional workforce from a wide range of backgrounds.
Representation Goals: We have previously ended representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. We believe these goals may create the perception that decisions are based on race or gender, which has never been our practice. Our aim is to eliminate any such perception.
Supplier Diversity: We are sunsetting our supplier diversity initiative. Instead of focusing on diverse-owned businesses, we will direct our efforts towards supporting small and medium-sized businesses that play a crucial role in our economy. However, opportunities will still be available to all qualified suppliers, including those previously part of the diversity program.
Training Programs: Instead of equity and inclusion training, we will develop programs focused on fair and consistent practices that reduce bias for everyone, regardless of background.
DEI Team: We will no longer have a dedicated DEI team. Maxine Williams will take on a new role focused on accessibility and engagement.

Despite these changes, the principles guiding our people practices remain consistent:

Serving Everyone:
We remain committed to making our products accessible and impactful for all users.
Building Great Teams:
We will continue to source top talent from diverse pools but will never base hiring decisions on protected characteristics.
Consistency and Fairness:
We are committed to consistent, fair employment practices, ensuring equal treatment and opportunities for all employees.
Building Community:
Our employee resource groups remain open to everyone, fostering connection and support within Meta and the communities where we operate.

Meta serves billions of people daily, and we are dedicated to building products that benefit all users, promote economic growth, and create opportunities around the globe. We will continue to focus on serving everyone and building a diverse, talented workforce from all backgrounds.