MENLO PARK, California — Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program, which encompassed recruitment, training, and vendor selection. A spokesperson from the company confirmed this change on Friday.

This decision follows Meta’s earlier move to dismantle its third-party fact-checking initiative and revise its policies regarding hate speech and online abuse. According to an internal memo shared with employees and reported by Axios, the Menlo Park-based tech company noted that recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court indicated a shift in how legal matters concerning DEI would be interpreted. The memo pointed out that the term “DEI” has evolved into a contentious topic, with some detractors viewing it as a system that favors certain groups over others instead of promoting equality.

As a result of this transition, Meta will no longer maintain a dedicated team that focuses solely on diversity and inclusion efforts. Instead, the company plans to implement fair and consistent practices intended to reduce bias across all levels, regardless of an individual’s background. This shift also means the termination of the “diverse slate approach,” which entailed considering a varied pool of candidates for open roles.

Other significant corporations that have recently scaled back or eliminated their DEI initiatives include McDonald’s, Ford, Walmart, and agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere. Similarly, Amazon has announced it is also suspending some aspects of its DEI programs, although specifics were not disclosed. In a memo from December 16 which Amazon made public on Friday, senior human resources executive Candi Castleberry indicated that the company is in the process of phasing out outdated initiatives and expects to finalize this by the end of 2024.

Castleberry further expressed that while there may continue to be individuals or teams undertaking well-intentioned initiatives that do not align with the broader corporate strategy, the company is committed to addressing this challenge. Instead of allowing individual groups to develop their own programs, Amazon is concentrating on initiatives with documented success, all while looking to nurture a more authentic culture of inclusion across the organization.