As Google considers scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Arm, HPE, and Apple are bucking the trend, demonstrating a commitment to DEI despite the controversy surrounding it. While some companies cite legal concerns and evolving legislation as reasons for scaling back, others argue that DEI is crucial for innovation and a inclusive workplace.
Google may be the latest big tech corporation to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI ) programs, but Arm , HPE , and Apple are going against the current trend in their hiring and training policies. The subject of DEI appears to be something many tech giants prefer not to discuss publicly, with numerous calls for comment being either ignored, actively declined, or met with a 'background briefing' aimed at influencing this article.
The common understanding is that equal opportunities should be about recruiting individuals with the most relevant skills for a role, regardless of race, gender, or background. However, whether through miscommunication or misguided implementations, this drive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace has become controversial. According to sources, Arm CEO Rene Haas addressed his workforce in December to confirm that far from scaling back DEI initiatives, the chip designer is actually planning to expand them. When asked to share the CEO's memo to staff, the company issued a statement instead. 'Inclusion has always been at the heart of Arm's culture and values. We are dedicated to supporting our people, and our DEI efforts play an important role in creating an environment where everyone can thrive and do their best work,' a spokesperson told The Register. Similarly, a spokesperson at Hewlett Packard Enterprise confirmed to us that it is not disbanding the DEI team at the IT infrastructure giant. 'We know that differences of experiences, perspectives, opinions, and ways of thinking lead to better debate, better innovation, and better decision making. Our priority is making everyone who comes to work at HPE feel welcome and valued, so they can contribute their points of view and we can drive better outcomes. We continuously look at how we can best create a workplace and culture that attracts and develops the best talent and empowers team members to bring their unique perspectives to the table.' The trend of scaling back DEI initiatives is fueled by fears of a rise in discrimination claims against employers following the 2024 ruling by the US Supreme Court, which found that 'discriminating on the basis of race in college admissions violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.' This year, those implications widened when the Supreme Court ruled in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protected against discriminatory job transfers. The ruling also lowered the bar for employees to successfully sue their employers for discrimination, and is therefore likely to lead to an increase in discrimination claims, according to a proposal submitted to several companies. It notes that Alphabet and Meta have cut DEI staff and associated investment as Microsoft and Zoom laid off entire DEI teams. The aim, the proposal says, is to head off potential litigation that could hit shareholders in the pocket. Apple disagreed: 'The proposal is unnecessary as Apple already has a well-established compliance program. The proposal also inappropriately attempts to restrict Apple's ability to manage its own ordinary business operations, people and teams, and business strategies. Apple is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, training, or promoting on any basis protected by law. Apple seeks to operate in compliance with applicable non-discrimination laws, both in the United States and in the many other jurisdictions in which we operate, and in that regard monitors and evolves its practices, policies, and goals as appropriate to address compliance risks. The proposal inappropriately seeks to micromanage the Company's programs and policies by suggesting a specific means of legal compliance.' Qualcomm echoed a similar sentiment: 'We believe that a diverse workforce is important to our success, and we continue to focus on making Qualcomm a great place to work for everyone, including women and underrepresented populations. Our recent efforts have been focused on three areas: inspiring innovation through an inclusive and diverse culture; expanding our efforts to recruit world-class diverse talent; and identifying strategic partners to accelerate our programs. We have employee networks that enhance our inclusive and diverse culture, including global network groups focused on supporting women, LGBTQ+ employees, and employees with disabilities, in addition to US-based employee networks that focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander employees, Black and African American employees, Hispanic and Latinx employees, and US military members and veterans.' Yet other companies, whether due to worries about litigation, the patchwork of policies from the US government – which last month said federal contractors are no longer subject to anti-discrimination rules applied to hiring, training, and employment – or concerns about miscommunication around DEI, are scaling back initiatives
DEI Diversity Equity Inclusion Technology Google Arm HPE Apple Discrimination US Supreme Court Legal Concerns Workplace Culture
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