Microsoft insists commitment to diversity is ‘unwavering’ as two DEI roles cut

Update 23/07/24: The original version of this story ran under the headline “Microsoft ‘lays off entire DEI team’ as diversity is ‘no longer business-critical’”. This headline and the accompanying story have been amended to reflect that two DEI roles in the events team are impacted, while Microsoft’s separate corporate DEI team and mission remains unchanged.

Microsoft insists its commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) is “unwavering” after two diversity and inclusion roles were cut.

The tech company has refuted reports that its entire DEI team has been laid off, clarifying that two roles on the events team were impacted but that the separate corporate DEI team – known as the Microsoft Global Talent, Development, Diversity and Inclusion (GTDDI) team – remains intact.

The clarification comes after a report by Business Insider claimed that a leaked email from a team leader sent to thousands of people on 1 Julystated that DEI was “no longer business-critical” at Microsoft.

“True systems-change work associated with DEI programmes everywhere are no longer business-critical or smart as they were in 2020,” the unidentified team leader wrote.

Jeff Jones, a spokesman for the multi-national tech giant, said: “Our D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritising accountability and continuing to focus on this work.”

The rise and fall of DEI

Following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, and the resulting Black Lives Matter movement, businesses pledged to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Microsoft committed to doubling the number of Black leaders by 2025.

Among the wider industry, there has been a pattern of tech giants reducing their DEI initiatives recently.

Despite the promise of a more inclusive workplace, including extra representation for marginalised groups in leadership positions, other companies have also scaled back their DEI schemes. Bloomberg reported that online video-conference company Zoom laid off a team earlier this year.

Google and Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, reduced their DEI programmes in 2023, according to CNBC.

More recently, American-based tractor manufacturer John Deere abandoned its LGBTQ+-inclusion strategy in the face of a backlash from right-wing pundits, and rural chain Tractor Supply also faced criticism over its DEI efforts.

Meanwhile, in the UK in May, then business secretary Kemi Badenoch took aim at DEI initiatives, claiming they “divide rather than unify” and advised companies to focus on making money rather than on politics and activism.