Google Scraps Diversity Hiring Targets Amid Trump's Executive Order
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is scrapping some of its diversity hiring targets, joining a lengthening list of U.S. companies that have abandoned or scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Background on the Shift
The move comes in the wake of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump aimed at pressuring government contractors to scrap their DEI initiatives. Google sells some of its technology and services to the federal government, including its rapidly growing cloud division.
Impact on Google's Workforce
Google generates most of Alphabet's annual revenue of $350 billion and accounts for almost all of its worldwide workforce of 183,000. The shift in language also comes slightly more than two weeks after Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other prominent technology executives stood behind Trump during his inauguration.
Other Companies Following Suit
Meta jettisoned its DEI program last month, shortly before the inauguration, while Amazon halted some of its DEI programs in December following Trump's election. Many companies outside of the technology industry have also backed away from DEI, including Walt Disney Co., McDonald's, Ford, Walmart, Target, Lowe's and John Deere.
Trump's Executive Order and Its Impact
The executive order threatens to impose financial sanctions on federal contractors deemed to have “illegal” DEI programs. If the companies are found to be in violation, they could be subject to massive damages under the 1863 False Claims Act.
Challenges for Companies
The challenge for companies is knowing which DEI policies the Trump administration may decide are “illegal.” Trump's executive order seeks to “terminate all discriminatory and illegal preferences, mandates, policies, programs” and other activities of the federal government.
Google's Previous Diversity Efforts
Google has tried to hire more people from underrepresented groups for more than a decade but stepped up those efforts in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis triggered an outcry for more social justice. Pichai set a goal to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in the company's leadership ranks by 30% by 2025.
Progress on Diversity at Google
The representation of Black people in the company's leadership ranks rose from 2.6% in 2020 to 5.1% last year, according to Google's annual diversity report. For Hispanic people, the change was 3.7% to 4.3%. The share of women in leadership roles increased from 26.7% in 2020 to 32.8% in 2024.
Overall Workforce Diversity at Google
The numbers aren't much different in Google's overall workforce, with Black employees comprising just 5.7% and Latino employees 7.5%. Two-thirds of Google's worldwide workforce is made up of men, according to the diversity report.