Google Abandons Diversity Hiring Targets, Citing Legal and Policy Shifts

Google has abandoned its goal of increasing the proportion of underrepresented groups in its leadership by 2025, citing a changing legal and policy landscape. The company announced the move in an email to employees on Wednesday, a decision that comes amidst a broader industry trend.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google will no longer set hiring targets aimed at improving diversity within its workforce. In 2020, the company had established a target to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership by 30% by 2025. However, the company has removed a statement from its latest annual report affirming its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Google's 2024 diversity report highlights the ongoing underrepresentation of Black and Latino employees in the tech sector. It revealed that only 5.7% of Google's US employees were Black and 7.5% were Latino, reflecting a modest improvement from 3.7% and 5.9%, respectively, four years prior.

Google is currently reviewing its annual diversity reports, a practice it has maintained since 2014. This evaluation is part of a broader review of DEI-related initiatives, including grants, training programs, and other initiatives. The company is assessing these programs for potential risks and overall effectiveness.

The company is also carefully scrutinizing recent court decisions and executive orders issued by President Trump aimed at curbing DEI initiatives within the government and among federal contractors. Google is currently "evaluating changes to our programs required to comply," according to the email.

Despite these changes, Google emphasizes its commitment to fostering a diverse workplace by continuing to expand its presence in cities with diverse workforces and maintaining resource groups for underrepresented employees. The company maintains that it will continue to prioritize hiring the best talent regardless of location and foster an inclusive environment for all employees.

This move by Google follows a similar trend among other tech giants. Meta Platforms recently disbanded its diversity team and ended its representation goals for interviewing and hiring women and minorities. Amazon has also announced plans to scale back some of its diversity initiatives.

Several companies have faced shareholder proposals aimed at ending DEI efforts. Apple, for instance, has recommended that shareholders reject a proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research to dismantle the company's inclusion and diversity programs.