AT&T Has Scrapped Diversity Policies, Leaving Employees Reeling.
The Dallas-based telecom giant has abandoned its diversity policies, sparking widespread concern among employees. The decision comes after a long-standing controversy over a worker training program that was deemed discriminatory by some. According to leaked documents, the previous DEI training included a module that labeled racism as a "uniquely white trait," and encouraged white employees to acknowledge their own role in perpetuating it.
The company has maintained that its commitment to equal employment opportunities remains unwavering, but critics argue that scrapping these policies could have a negative impact on underrepresented groups. AT&T claims that it will continue to promote diversity through employee groups that focus on protected characteristics such as gender and sexual orientation, while avoiding quotas based on race or ethnicity.
However, the move has been met with skepticism by some, who see it as a tokenistic gesture aimed at placating critics rather than genuinely addressing systemic inequalities. The company's decision follows similar commitments from other major corporations, including Verizon and T-Mobile, which are also facing pressure from regulators to scrap their DEI policies in order to secure FCC licenses.
President Trump's executive orders have played a significant role in fueling this trend, with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling overturning race-based affirmative action in college admissions further emboldening companies to reevaluate their commitment to diversity and inclusion. As a result, many companies are now opting out of submitting data to the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which tracks corporate LGBTQ+ policies.
With AT&T's scrapping of its DEI policies, it remains to be seen how this move will impact its employees and the broader business community. While the company maintains that it is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, critics argue that these policies are crucial in addressing systemic inequalities and creating a more just society for all.
The Dallas-based telecom giant has abandoned its diversity policies, sparking widespread concern among employees. The decision comes after a long-standing controversy over a worker training program that was deemed discriminatory by some. According to leaked documents, the previous DEI training included a module that labeled racism as a "uniquely white trait," and encouraged white employees to acknowledge their own role in perpetuating it.
The company has maintained that its commitment to equal employment opportunities remains unwavering, but critics argue that scrapping these policies could have a negative impact on underrepresented groups. AT&T claims that it will continue to promote diversity through employee groups that focus on protected characteristics such as gender and sexual orientation, while avoiding quotas based on race or ethnicity.
However, the move has been met with skepticism by some, who see it as a tokenistic gesture aimed at placating critics rather than genuinely addressing systemic inequalities. The company's decision follows similar commitments from other major corporations, including Verizon and T-Mobile, which are also facing pressure from regulators to scrap their DEI policies in order to secure FCC licenses.
President Trump's executive orders have played a significant role in fueling this trend, with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling overturning race-based affirmative action in college admissions further emboldening companies to reevaluate their commitment to diversity and inclusion. As a result, many companies are now opting out of submitting data to the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which tracks corporate LGBTQ+ policies.
With AT&T's scrapping of its DEI policies, it remains to be seen how this move will impact its employees and the broader business community. While the company maintains that it is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, critics argue that these policies are crucial in addressing systemic inequalities and creating a more just society for all.
i mean, at&t's decision to scrap its diversity policies is def not a good look 
. like, they're saying one thing (commitment to equal employment opportunities) but it sounds like they're doing another thing (cutting ties with policies that help underrepresented groups). i'm all for token gestures, but when it comes to real change, these companies need to step up their game 
. and let's not forget, this trend started after president trump's executive orders... it's like, what's next? 
will other companies follow suit? only time will tell 
just heard about AT&T scrapping their diversity policies and I'm literally shook 
like what even is going on? i know they're saying it's not about quotas but like how can you just abandon policies that have been in place to help people of color feel seen and included? 
i get that companies wanna avoid controversy but this feels so wrong 
the fact that they're comparing it to Verizon and T-Mobile just makes me think corporations are more worried about their rep than actually helping ppl 
. It's totally understandable that employees would be feeling really upset about this decision. I mean, who wouldn't want to feel like they're being heard and valued in the workplace? 
The idea of scrapping policies meant to address systemic inequalities is just so frustrating... it feels like a step backwards for everyone involved 
. What's even more concerning is that other companies are doing the same thing, which means we might see a lot more people struggling to find equal opportunities in the future 
. My heart goes out to all the employees who were counting on these policies to help create a fairer and more inclusive work environment 
It's all about optics at this point, right? I mean, who needs actual change when you can just slap on some employee groups and call it a day? 
And don't even get me started on the tokenistic gestures. It's all about placating critics and avoiding regulators, not actually making any real progress. 
.
. Companies need these policies, they're crucial for makin' sure everyone has an equal shot at succeedin'. And AT&T's decision is just another example of how far we've fallen behind 
they're basically saying they care about equality but really they don't... i mean who needs quotas to know if ur company is diverse or not? 
it's like they're playing a game of corporate whack-a-mole, where one policy gets scrapped and another one pops up in its place 
Anyway, now we're supposed to trust that AT&T's gonna magically promote diversity through employee groups without any actual policies in place? 
. The corporate world is such a mixed bag... sometimes I just want to go back to the good ol' days of dial-up and AOL 
.