Google scraps diversity-focused hiring targets for workforce

Alphabet—the parent company of Google—announced it will no longer formally pursue diversity targets tied to workforce representation.

According to a Bloomberg report, the decision comes as the company begins reviewing its longstanding diversity programme, marking a significant strategic shift in its approach.

The move reflects a broader trend among major corporations re-evaluating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In recent years, corporate diversity programmes have faced mounting scrutiny, partly influenced by changes in federal policies during the Trump era.

Under President Donald Trump, corporate diversity efforts were harshly criticized, with Trump himself describing such initiatives as a form of "reverse discrimination."

His administration took a series of steps to dismantle federal DEI programmes—actions that included placing staff on paid leave and planning layoffs—as well as issuing executive orders that reversed policies established during the Biden administration.

Prominent business leaders have also joined the debate. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Twitter, has been outspoken about the limitations of DEI programmes, arguing that an excessive focus on race and gender can overshadow merit-based hiring.

Musk has called for companies to prioritize skills and performance over diversity metrics—a view that resonates with many in the tech and finance sectors, where similar reassessments of diversity initiatives are underway.