Google ends DEI hiring targets and reviews diversity programs

Google is eliminating diversity hiring goals and reassessing DEI programs amid shifting corporate priorities.

A neon logo of the internet search engine Google inside the lobby of its offices in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Photo by Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Alana Salsabila

Google is eliminating its diversity hiring goals and reevaluating several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, aligning with a broader trend among major tech companies reassessing their DEI commitments. The decision follows years of corporate efforts to increase representation in the workforce, particularly after the racial justice movements of 2020.

In an email to employees on Wednesday, Google announced that it would no longer set hiring targets aimed at improving workforce diversity. This marks a reversal from its 2020 pledge to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership roles by 30% by 2025.

The change was also reflected in Google’s parent company, Alphabet’s, latest annual report, which omitted a key DEI commitment present in reports from 2021 through 2024. The removed statement had emphasized Google’s dedication to making DEI “part of everything we do and to growing a workforce that is representative of the users we serve.”

Google reconsiders its approach to diversity hiring

Google’s annual diversity reports have long documented the slow progress in improving representation. The 2024 report showed that 5.7% of its U.S. employees were Black and 7.5% were Latino, a modest increase from 3.7% and 5.9%, respectively, in 2020. However, the company is now reconsidering whether to continue publishing these reports, which it has released annually since 2014.

As part of a broader reassessment, Google is also reviewing DEI-related grants, training, and initiatives. The internal email cited concerns about programs that “raise risk, or that aren’t as impactful as we’d hoped.”

The company is also evaluating how recent court rulings and executive orders—particularly those from the Trump administration that restricted DEI efforts in government and federal contracting—affect its programs. Google acknowledged that adjustments may be necessary to ensure compliance.

Continued focus on diverse locations but no hiring targets

Despite ending diversity hiring targets, Google reaffirmed its commitment to operating in diverse regions. The company stated that it would continue expanding offices in cities with a broad range of talent.

“We’ll continue to invest in states across the U.S.—and in many countries globally—but in the future we will no longer have aspirational goals,” the email stated.

Google also confirmed that employee resource groups for underrepresented workers would remain in place.

Fiona Cicconi, Google’s chief people officer, emphasized that the company remains committed to fair hiring practices. “We have always been committed to creating a workplace where we hire the best people wherever we operate, create an environment where everyone can thrive, and treat everyone fairly. That’s exactly what you can expect to see going forward,” she wrote.

A broader trend in tech: Meta and Amazon also scale back DEI

Google’s decision to scale back DEI goals follows similar moves by other major tech firms. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently disbanded its DEI oversight team and dropped representation goals for hiring women and minorities. In an internal message, Meta’s vice president of human resources, Janelle Gale, pointed to “the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI efforts in the United States.”

Amazon also announced in December that it would wind down certain diversity initiatives by the end of 2024. The company quietly removed the phrase “diversity, equity, and inclusion are good for business” from its website while keeping other references to DEI.

These changes reflect a broader corporate shift, with many companies reconsidering or scaling back diversity commitments in response to legal challenges, shifting shareholder expectations, and evolving public sentiment.

Legal and shareholder pressure influencing DEI decisions

Tech companies are facing increasing pressure from conservative groups and shareholders to roll back DEI programs. Some organizations argue that race- or gender-based hiring initiatives violate anti-discrimination laws and have pushed for their elimination.

Apple, for example, recently faced a shareholder proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, urging the company to abandon its DEI efforts. The company advised shareholders to reject the proposal, highlighting the ongoing debate over corporate diversity initiatives.

Additionally, a growing number of companies have quietly adjusted or removed references to DEI from their public reports. As legal and political scrutiny intensifies, businesses appear to be recalibrating their approach to workplace diversity.

The future of DEI in corporate America

While Google and other tech giants continue to express support for diverse workplaces, the removal of hiring targets and the reevaluation of DEI programs signal a shift in corporate priorities. The coming months may see further changes as businesses navigate legal challenges and investor concerns surrounding diversity initiatives.

For now, Google’s decision to end DEI hiring goals represents a significant turning point in how the tech industry approaches diversity, equity, and inclusion in an evolving regulatory and political environment.

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