
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, on the other hand, help employers make their workforces less homogeneous and their workplaces more inclusive by casting a wide net for qualified workers from different backgrounds, Turnbull said. “Equality is our value, and that is something we will continue to focus on, especially in these challenging times.” Affirmative action decision will increase scrutiny of diversity programsĬoming as conservative groups push back against diversity programs and consumers vent frustrations over corporations becoming more vocal on progressive issues like LGBTQ rights, abortion and racial equity, the Supreme Court decision probably will invite greater scrutiny of the strategies companies use to increase diversity, according to Andrew Turnbull, a labor and employment partner at law firm Morrison & Foerster.įederal law prohibits employers from considering race and other protected characteristics in employment decisions. “We don’t waver,” Salesforce Chief Equality Officer Lori Castillo Martinez told USA TODAY. The company says one of its core values is equality, and it has built diversity initiatives from recruiting people from underrepresented backgrounds to creating an employee advocacy program for people of color that take into account that talent is spread evenly but opportunity is not. Others are wondering if they should remove “diversity” from job titles to avoid scrutiny.īut many employers – including Salesforce – say they plan to stay the course. Some are second-guessing setting public targets for racial diversity in their executive ranks or running leadership training programs exclusively for underrepresented groups. In response, companies are holding discussions and contemplating changes to diversity programs. Observers expect the ruling to embolden attacks on corporate diversity and equity and inclusion initiatives as tensions rise over how corporate America should address lingering workplace inequality. What’s more, the affirmative action reversal could emerge as the latest flashpoint in the nation's culture wars. Legal experts say the move to restrict affirmative action also could lead to more challenges in how corporations make hiring and promotion decisions. But the ripple effects from the ruling could come quickly, starting with a decline in college graduates from underrepresented backgrounds, meaning the loss of "a pipeline of highly qualified future workers and business leaders," companies from Google to General Electric warned the Supreme Court. The decision is limited to higher education and won’t directly affect employers like Salesforce, which are governed by a different statute. In a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the high court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions. Last fall, Salesforce sided with Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in a pair of cases before the Supreme Court challenging the practice of considering race in admissions to build diversity on college campuses.

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These “woke” beliefs – Salesforce offered to relocate employees who were concerned about being able to get an abortion in Texas and stopped selling software to retailers that stock military-style rifles, and Benioff spoke out against Georgia and North Carolina for passing laws that would allow LGBTQ discrimination – have gotten this activist CEO in hot water with conservatives who say he’s sacrificing profits for politics.īut Benioff hasn’t backed off. For years, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, has crusaded for stakeholder capitalism, the idea that business leaders should value the well-being of people and the planet along with the interests of shareholders.
