Amazon is ending some of its DEI programs: internal memo

Amazon is ending some of its diversity and inclusion initiatives, joining a growing list of major corporations that have announced similar moves in the face of increased public and legal scrutiny.

In an internal memo to employees obtained by CNBC last month, Candy Castleberry, Amazon’s vice president of inclusive experiences and technology, said the company is in the process of “winding down legacy programs and content” as part of a broader review of hundreds of initiatives.

“Rather than individual groups building programs, we are focusing on programs with proven results — and we are also committed to fostering a more truly inclusive culture,” Castleberry wrote in a Dec. 16 note, first reported Bloomberg.

The goal is on Friday made a similar retreat from its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The social media company said it is ending its approach to considering qualified candidates from underrepresented groups for open roles and equity and inclusion training programs. The decision sparked a backlash among Meta employees, including one employee who wrote, “If you don’t stick to your principles when things get tough, those aren’t values. It’s a hobby.”

Other companies including McDonald’s, Walmart and Ford there is also have made changes to their DEI initiatives in recent months. The growth of conservative reaction and the Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in 2023 has prompted many corporations to modify or discontinue their DEI programs.

Read the full note from Amazon Castleberry:

the team

As we approach the end of the year, I want to give another update on the work we’re doing in the area of ​​representation and inclusion.

As a large global company operating across countries and industries, we serve hundreds of millions of customers from diverse walks of life and diverse communities. To serve them effectively, we need millions of employees and partners who reflect our customers and communities. We strive to represent these customers and build an inclusive culture for all.

Over the past few years, we’ve taken a new approach by reviewing hundreds of programs across the company, using science to evaluate their effectiveness, impact and ROI – identifying the ones we believe should continue. Each of these addresses identifies a specific non-conformity and is intended to terminate when that non-conformity is resolved. At the same time, we worked to bring groups of employees together under one umbrella and create programs that are open to everyone. Rather than individual groups building programs, we focus on programs with proven results – and we also strive to foster a more truly inclusive culture. You can read more about it on our Together on Amazon’s A to Z page.

This approach, where we move away from programs that were separate from our existing processes and instead integrate our work into existing processes so that they become robust, is an evolution towards ’embedded’ and ’embedded’ rather than ‘hardened’ “. ” As part of this evolution, we are winding down legacy programs and materials, and we aim to complete this by the end of 2024. We also know that there will always be people or teams who continue to do well-intentioned things that don’t align with our company-wide approach, and we may not always see them at once But we will continue.

We will continue to share ongoing updates and appreciate your hard work in promoting this progress. We believe this is important work, so we will continue to invest in programs that help us reflect these audiences, help employees grow, thrive and connect, and we remain committed to providing inclusive experiences for customers, employees and communities around the world.

#InThisTogether

Candi