Accenture has announced the decision to discontinue its global diversity and inclusion (DEI) goals following an internal evaluation that considered the evolving political environment in the U.S. According to an internal memo shared with Reuters, the company will begin phasing out the diversity targets it set in 2017 and will no longer focus on career development programs for specific demographic groups.
This move reflects the broader trend among major tech companies, such as Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon, that have also scrapped their DEI initiatives in response to changing U.S. political dynamics, particularly during Republican President Donald Trump’s tenure. Accenture’s CEO, Julie Sweet, noted that the shift aligns with new executive orders from the Trump administration and the company’s evaluation of its internal policies.
Since President Trump’s inauguration, the administration has made efforts to dismantle DEI programs within the federal government and the private sector. Accenture’s decision to end its DEI goals means that these objectives will no longer be a part of performance evaluations for employees. Additionally, the company will pause its participation in external diversity benchmarking surveys and review its external partnerships related to DEI as part of a broader refresh of its talent strategy.
Accenture’s past diversity efforts had led to significant representation, with women comprising 48% of its workforce and 30% in managing director roles, as per its most recent annual report. The company also had specific race and ethnicity diversity goals for its U.S. and UK branches, which it introduced in 2020.
Meanwhile, proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that Apple investors vote against a proposal to remove the company’s DEI policies, reflecting a wider conversation about the role of diversity programs in major corporations.