Amazon to halt some of its DEI programs: Internal memo
Amazon is halting some of its diversity and inclusion initiatives, joining a growing list of major corporations that have announced similar moves in the face of increasing public and legal scrutiny.
In an internal note last month to staffers obtained by CNBC, Candi Castleberry, Amazon's VP of inclusive experiences and technology, said the company was in the process of "winding down outdated programs and materials" as part of a broader review of hundreds of initiatives.
"Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes – and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture," Castleberry wrote in the Dec. 16 note, which was first reported by Bloomberg.
Castleberry's memo doesn't state which programs the company is dropping as a result of its review. The company typically releases annual data on the racial and gender makeup of its workforce, and it also operates Black, LGBTQ+, indigenous and veteran employee resource groups, among others.
In 2020, Amazon set a goal to double the number of Black employees in vice president and director roles, and then again in 2021.
