Microsoft Fires “Diversity & Inclusion” Team

Microsoft has disbanded its entire Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team due to “changing business needs” claiming that DEI programs are no longer deemed “business critical.”

Microsoft informed employees of their decision via email which emphasized how DEI programs are no longer deemed “business critical.”

This is a change from Microsoft’s position back in 2020 when the policy was rolled out by the company’s CEO Satya Nadella after the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests.

Nadella pledged to double the number of African-American managers, senior individual contributors and senior leaders in the United States by 2025.

The number of employees this decision affects is unknown.

Nonetheless, the company’s DEI team lead of the DEI expressed their displeasure with the July 1st email.

Reportedly, the same day as the email was delivered, this employee sent a message to thousands of fellow employees. Disgusted with the new direction of the company who stated that “true systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020.”

This move doesn’t mean Microsoft is backing away from its stances on diversity and inclusion, however.

“Our D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering,” said Jeff Jones, a spokesman for the company.

Several other companies within the tech field like Google and Meta have also reduced their DEI initiatives, as well as announcing layoffs.

In addition to several tech companies scaling back their DEI programs, John Deere has also announced it will disband nearly all its DEI policies in order to create a quality-based workplace.

This move follows the farm chain retailer Tractor Supply who dissolved all of its DEI aspirations.

By mid-2023, all DEI-related job postings declined by 44% when compared to the same time frame in 2022.

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