Google is stepping back from its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including its goal to hire more employees from underrepresented groups. The move comes as part of a broader trend among US companies scaling back diversity programs, often in response to political and legal pressures.  

According to a report by Reuters, in an email to staff on Wednesday, Google's parent company Alphabet's Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi announced that the company would no longer set "aspirational hiring goals" for increasing diversity. These goals were initially established in 2020 following widespread protests against racial injustice.

At the time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai pledged to increase the number of leaders from underrepresented groups by 30% by 2025, states Reuters. However, the company has not provided updated figures on its progress toward this goal. In 2021, Google began evaluating executive performance based on team diversity and inclusion, but recent changes suggest a shift in priorities, adds the report.

Alphabet's latest annual filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also reflects this change. For the first time since 2021, the company omitted a line stating its commitment to making diversity, equity, and inclusion "part of everything we do" and to growing a workforce representative of its users. As per Reuters, An Alphabet spokesperson explained that the removal was part of a broader review of DEI programs.