The retreat of business diversity programs was expanded this week when Citigroup (C) and Pepsico (PEP) reversed their dei rules in the midst of the assembly investigation of a new administration in Washington, DC
At Citigroup, CEO Jane Frasier announced in one memo For employees of the company that the bank giant in New York would no longer require new employees to be selected from a varied set of applicants.
She also said that an existing team “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Inclusion and Talent Management” would now be known as “Talent Management and Engagement”.
“It is important to note that we live in an environment where things change quickly,” said Fraser.
Pepsico, the beverage giant, said in his own memo of CEO Ramon Laguarta that it will no longer have a dei officer who is specifically devoted to such issues to such issues, the objectives of the workers’ workers “will be the goals of the workforce Expand and expand its supplier base.
The company, he added, will announce a new strategy for “inclusion for growth” that “is in accordance with the deep history of our company in building an inclusive and respectful workplace culture.”
“As we have always done, we will continue to hire and promote the best talent, so that we reflect the skills and perspectives that are needed to succeed in a competing market.”
Anti-dei activist Robby Starbuck said in one Post on X That Pepsico responded to his plans to publish a story about what he called the “WEK” policy of the company by agreeing to drop the dei initiatives.
The two companies join other prominent American companies that have made similar retreats, including Meta (Meta), Walmart (WMT), McDonald’s (MCD), Lowe’s (Low), Ford (Ford), Tractor Supply (TSCO), John Deere, and Target (TGT).
The changes reflect a trend removed from dei supported by the company that followed a statement from 2023 US Supreme Court, Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeAnd an executive command of President Donald Trump who puts an end to federal dei programs and ordering agencies to “combat the actions of the illegal private sector”.