Accenture Scrap diversity and inclusion goals, notes
(Reuters) – Accenture abolished its global diversity and inclusion goals after an assessment of changes in the US political landscape, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Friday.
The company “sunsets” diversity goals it set in 2017, along with a career development program for “people from a specific demographic group,” says CEO Julie Sweet’s memo.
The big tech company Meta, Alphabet and Amazon are one of a set of companies that have abolished the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals after Republican Donald Trump returned to US President and later .
Sweet said it followed Accenture’s policy changes, “including a recent executive order following an assessment of our internal policies and practices, as well as the US’s evolving landscape.”
Since taking office on January 20th, Trump has issued numerous executive orders aimed at dismantling the DEI program across the federal government and the private sector.
Separately, in a memo to staff, Attorney General Pam Bondy on Wednesday said the Department of Justice will “examine, eliminate and punish” illegal private sector diversity programs.
Accenture’s DEI target (Along with rolling back DEI targets that Sweet said will no longer be used to measure staff performance, the company suspends submission of data to external diversity benchmark surveys) states.
Additionally, Sweet said in a note that he will evaluate external partnerships on the topic “as part of refreshing talent strategies.”
According to the latest annual report, women currently account for 48% of Accenture’s workforce and 30% of the role of managing director, in line with goals set for 2017 and 2020.
The company, which employs extensively from India, announced race and ethnic goals in the US and UK in 2020.
Other media first reported development.
The proxy advisory company’s institutional shareholder services recommended on Friday that Apple investors voted against a proposal to consider eliminating the iPhone manufacturer’s DEI policy.
(Reporting by Rishi Kant and Akash Sriram of Bengaluru, edited by Devika Syamnath and Maju Samuel)