What you need to know
- Microsoft has reportedly dismissed its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team due to “changing business needs”.
- Former DEI lead accuses Microsoft’s top management of “investigated and evidenced discrimination, harassment, and toxicity.”
- The tech giant insists it’s still committed to the cause and focused on diversity and inclusion.
Microsoft recently laid off its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team. According to an internal email sent by the team’s leader first spotted by Business Insider, the former team lead indicated the department was disbanded due to “changing business needs” (via IGN).
In the email, the former team lead further accused Microsoft’s top management of “investigated and evidenced discrimination, harassment, and toxicity.” The email also details the DEI’s efforts at Microsoft which help move “impossible mountains” and foster “brilliant, ethical, and world-class strategists at the company, helping to make the world a better place.”
Following George Floyd’s gruesome murder at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Microsoft was among the key players in tech that were on the frontline to commit to DEI programs. Floyd’s murder sparked protests across the US, with most of the participants echoing similar sentiments in unison — Black Lives Matter.
As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Microsoft highlighted its plans to invest approximately $150 million in the cause and even double the number of Black and African American leaders in the US by 2025. Microsoft was among the top-ranked companies in 2021’s Fortune 500 list on diversity and inclusion.
The email further details:
“Unofficially in my opinion, not specific to Microsoft alone, but [conservative policy plan] Project 2025 looms, and true systems change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020. Hence the purposeful and strategic 3-5 year shelf life of many companies’ inclusion commitments post the murder of George Floyd is being reevaluated. And the way I see it, the timing was impeccable so businesses everywhere could reevaluate the path forward should their U.S. federal contracts be at risk if the work continues on its face.”
Microsoft spokesman Jeff Jones says the company’s commitments remain unchanged. “Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering, and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work,” Jones added.
It’s unclear how many Microsoft employees have been affected by the company’s sudden change in business needs. This could be part of the Redmond giant’s plan to cut 10,000 jobs. In May, Microsoft closed three studios under ZeniMax Media, months after 1900 people were let go across Activision Blizzard, Xbox Game Studios, and ZeniMax Media.
