Top story: Accenture scraps its DEI goals

Accenture's DEI goals are no more.

Accenture has announced the rollback of its global diversity and inclusion (DEI) goals, citing shifts in the U.S. political landscape and recent executive orders. In a memo to staff, CEO Julie Sweet stated that the company would begin “sunsetting” its DEI targets set in 2017, along with career development programs focused on specific demographic groups.

The decision aligns Accenture with companies like Meta, McDonald’s, and Target, which have also reassessed their DEI commitments following Donald Trump’s return to office. The U.S. president has been vocal in his opposition to DEI measures, signing executive orders to dismantle federal diversity programs. While some corporations, such as JPMorgan Chase and Costco, remain committed to DEI efforts, others are navigating a shifting landscape that has sparked corporate fatigue around such initiatives.

Accenture’s original DEI targets included achieving a workforce that is 50% women by 2025 and increasing female managing directors to 30%. It also had diversity goals for ethnic minority representation in markets like the U.S. and the U.K. However, Sweet’s memo indicated that these targets would no longer be used to assess employee performance. The company is also pausing participation in external diversity benchmarking surveys and evaluating partnerships related to DEI.

Sweet, who has previously championed diversity, emphasized that Accenture remains committed to an “inclusive” workplace built on meritocracy and equal opportunity. The move reflects a broader shift in corporate America, where businesses are reevaluating their diversity strategies in response to political and legal pressures.

While Accenture claims its diversity targets have been “largely achieved,” the rollback raises questions about the future of corporate DEI initiatives and whether other companies will follow suit.

Read more here.

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