- Salesforce eliminates workforce diversity goals and removes “diversity” from its annual report.
- Move follows similar actions by other tech giants amid changing corporate priorities.
What happened: Salesforce shifts focus on diversity and inclusion
Salesforce has removed its workforce diversity goals and dropped the term “diversity” from its annual report. This decision follows the company’s announcement last year to increase representation among women and underrepresented minorities. However, amid a broader shift in corporate priorities and political opposition to such initiatives, Salesforce has abandoned these specific objectives.
Previously, Salesforce’s reports included a section titled “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion,” linking executive pay to diversity goals. The latest report, however, renames this section to “Equality,” focusing instead on compliance with equal-pay and anti-discrimination laws. A Salesforce spokesperson stated:“While we are not specifying representation goals, we remain committed to our core value of equality.”
This move aligns with a trend among tech and telecom companies, including Google, Meta, and BT, which have also decided to abandon or scale back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) goals in 2025. This shift reflects a broader corporate response to changing political and economic landscapes, where companies are prioritising compliance over specific diversity targets.
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Why it is important:
Salesforce’s decision to scale back its diversity efforts reflects a broader trend among tech companies facing shifting corporate priorities and external pressures. By removing specific diversity goals from its annual report, Salesforce joins other major tech firms in prioritising compliance with equal-pay and anti-discrimination laws over more ambitious diversity targets.
This shift indicates a growing focus on legal and regulatory compliance in a climate where political opposition to diversity initiatives has increased. Companies are navigating a complex landscape where maintaining core values of equality must be balanced with practical considerations of compliance and corporate sustainability. As a result, the emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is evolving, with companies reassessing how best to achieve these goals within changing contexts.
