Amazon scrubs DEI mention from its annual report

Amazon has removed any references to diversity and inclusion from its most recent annual report.

The company filed its report for 2024 on Friday following the release of its fourth-quarter earnings. The prior annual report included a mention of “inclusion and diversity” in a section titled “Human Capital,” language that does not appear in the latest filing.

The previous report read, “As we strive to be Earth’s best employer, we focus on investment and innovation, inclusion and diversity, safety, and engagement to hire and develop the best talent.”

Now that section reads, “We strive to be Earth’s best employer,” and says the company relies on “numerous and evolving initiatives to implement this objective.”

The change comes after Amazon recently halted some of its diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs. Candi Castleberry, Amazon’s vice president of inclusive experiences and technology, told employees in a December memo that the company was in the process of “winding down outdated programs and materials” as part of a broader review of hundreds of initiatives.

Castleberry wrote that the company believes its DEI programs continue to be “important work.” She said Amazon will keep investing in certain initiatives, though she didn’t specify further.

Amazon also edited a public-facing webpage that states its policy positions to trim its messaging around DEI issues. Previously, there were separate sections dedicated to “Equity for Black people,” “Diversity, equity and inclusion” and “LGBTQ+ rights.” Those sections were all consolidated into a single paragraph, while any mention of the term “transgender” was removed.

Companies in Silicon Valley and beyond have been moving swiftly away from DEI policies since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Google scrapped language around DEI goals in its annual report, and Meta last month announced it was retreating from internal programs designed to increase its hiring of diverse candidates.

McDonald’s, Walmart and Target have also ended or changed some programs, while other companies including Disney, GM, GE and Pepsi are removing mentions of DEI in their annual filings, NPR reported.

Some companies have steered clear of the backlash against DEI. Costco rejected a shareholder proposal to report on the risks of its DEI policies to its stock price. Apple is also resisting a similar proposal. The CEOs of Pinterest, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have indicated they plan to stand by their DEI policies.

Amazon, the nation’s second-largest employer behind Walmart, had more than 1.5 million employees as of Dec. 31. In recent years, Amazon had pledged to double the number of Black employees in senior leadership roles and hire 30% more Black people as corporate employees in the U.S.

The changes in its approach to DEI come as the company pursues a massive investment in artificial intelligence, which CEO Andy Jassy calls a  “once in a lifetime opportunity.” On its earnings call on Thursday, Amazon said it plans to boost its capital expenditures to $100 billion in 2025 with a focus on AI. That is the biggest capex commitment among the megacap tech companies.

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