Alphabet’s Google is rolling back its diversity hiring goals and reassessing its broader diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, aligning with a growing trend among U.S. companies scaling back DEI programs. The decision, outlined in an email from Alphabet’s Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi, marks a major shift from the company’s earlier commitment to increasing workforce diversity.
“In 2020, we set aspirational hiring goals and focused on growing our offices outside California and New York to improve representation,” Cicconi wrote in the memo to staff. “…but in the future, we will no longer have aspirational goals.” The change comes as Silicon Valley, once a leader in pushing for more inclusive corporate policies, increasingly retreats from DEI commitments.
A Shift in Company Policy
Google had set ambitious targets in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in 2020, with CEO Sundar Pichai aiming for 30% more leadership representation from underrepresented groups by 2025. At the time, Google’s leadership was overwhelmingly white or Asian (96% in the U.S.), and 73% were men globally.
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The company integrated diversity goals into executive performance reviews in 2021, a move that followed the controversial departure of AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru, who accused Google of sidelining critical discussions on racial and gender bias. Despite achieving 60% of its five-year goals, as reported by Google’s Chief Diversity Officer Melonie Parker in 2024, the company is now stepping away from setting such explicit targets.
In a notable move, Google also removed a key DEI statement from its latest U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. The omitted line, present in filings from 2021 to 2024, had declared Google’s commitment to making DEI “part of everything we do” and building a workforce that reflects its users.
Federal Contractor Pressures and Trump’s Executive Orders
Google’s shift comes as President Donald Trump’s administration reintroduces executive orders targeting DEI programs, particularly for federal contractors. Since Google sells cloud computing and other services to the U.S. government, it must comply with these policy changes. “Our teams are also evaluating changes required following recent court decisions and executive orders on this topic,” Google said in a statement.
Trump’s executive order seeks to eliminate what his administration views as “illegal” DEI policies, threatening financial penalties for contractors that violate the 1863 False Claims Act. Federal agencies have been directed to investigate DEI policies in publicly traded companies and large non-profits, adding further uncertainty for corporate DEI programs.
Broader Corporate Retreat from DEI
Google’s move follows similar rollbacks across major U.S. corporations. Meta Platforms announced in January that it was ending its DEI programs, including those related to hiring, training, and supplier diversity. Amazon has also been “winding down outdated programs and materials” related to diversity and inclusion.
Beyond the tech sector, major companies like Walt Disney Co., McDonald’s, Ford, Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, and John Deere have scaled back DEI efforts amid increasing legal scrutiny and political pressure from conservative groups emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that struck down affirmative action in university admissions.
Response from Google Employees and Advocacy Groups
Google’s internal employee resource groups, including “Trans at Google,” “Black Googler Network,” and the “Disability Alliance,” will continue to exist. However, Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) President Parul Koul criticized the move, calling it “a real attack on gains that workers have made in the tech industry through movements fighting against racism, gender, and LGBTQ discrimination.” “This is part of a troubling right-wing, anti-worker trend developing within tech companies that AWU is committed to fighting against,” Koul said.
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While Google states that it remains committed to creating an equitable workplace, its latest actions indicate a significant retreat from its previous stance. The company’s leadership representation has improved slightly since 2020, with Black leaders increasing from 2.6% to 5.1% and Hispanic leaders from 3.7% to 4.3%. However, overall workforce diversity remains low, with Black employees making up just 5.7% and Latino employees 7.5%, while two-thirds of the workforce is male.