Corporations Drop DEI

Corporate America has been retreating from its DEI commitments. Companies are cutting DEI programs, dissolving departments, and eliminating roles such as chief DEI officer and DEI specialist. After rising from about 7,000 positions in 2016 to 20,000 in 2023, the number of corporate DEI roles dropped to roughly 17,000 in 2025. Major firms, including Google, have abandoned diversity recruitment goals, reflecting a broader rollback across industries.

Corporate DEI initiatives were designed to expand opportunities, reduce systemic inequities, and harness the strengths of a diverse workforce. With these efforts now being dismantled before structural change has taken hold, existing inequalities are likely to persist or worsen, impacting both workplace culture and the broader social fabric. Private-sector actions influence economic opportunity, representation, and belonging. This makes it even more critical for planners to sustain and advance equity-focused practices in public life.