Diversity backlash: Is 'masculine energy' coming to the UK?

Donald Trump has described Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which aim to uplift employees from diverse backgrounds, as "dangerous, divisive, and discriminatory." Upon his return to the White House, he ordered the shutdown of all federal DEI initiatives and urged the private sector to follow suit, potentially impacting a wide range of workplaces.

Many companies have already taken action, including Walmart, McDonald's, Meta, and Amazon, all of which are abandoning or scaling back their diversity policies. Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated that the company has been "emasculated" and needs more "masculinity," reflecting a broader shift in corporate attitudes towards DEI.

Some UK employees worry that Trump's remarks may normalize intolerance in the workplace, even if DEI policies remain in place. Chloe, an employee at a financial firm in London, said, "When people at the top say things like that, it sets a precedent and makes it feel acceptable." Stefan Hoops, head of Deutsche Bank's investment division, also expressed concern that Trump's comments would "take us straight back to 'The Wolf of Wall Street' era" and called on companies to ensure equal opportunities.

However, so far, there is little evidence that UK companies are changing their diversity policies. In fact, accounting giant Deloitte's UK branch stated that it remains "committed to our diversity goals," contrasting with claims that employees at its US branch were told of plans to "phase out" its DEI targets. The UK's Equality Act protects people from discrimination, and since 2017, organizations with over 250 employees have been required to report their gender pay gap. Furthermore, any company listed on the stock exchange must publish board diversity data according to established targets, including that at least 40% of board members should be women.

Pavita Cooper, chair of the 30% Club in the UK, stated that the UK's legal system will help protect DEI policies. She explained that the US is talking about affirmative action and "woke ideology," while the UK is focusing more on positive action. Positive action encourages participation but does not give preferential treatment, such as through scholarships or mentoring. Martha Lane Fox, president of the British Chambers of Commerce, believes that the UK has an opportunity to "lean into diversity and differentiate itself from the US." The HR professional body CIPD noted that some companies are changing DEI (also known as EDI) policies, for example, BT (British Telecom) has removed diversity measures from its managers' bonus schemes. Peter Cheese, CEO of CIPD, said that some UK organizations are repositioning or re-evaluating their EDI initiatives and metrics, partly influenced by the US, but this shift has been brewing for some time. The current social and political climate is prompting organizations to examine what they are doing and why, how they are measuring the impact of these initiatives, and how their EDI policies affect business outcomes.