Why Are Corporations Treating DE&I like as a trend?

The cracks are widening. One by one, major corporations are quietly dismantling their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) commitments, as political pressure mounts and the rhetoric around “wokeness” intensifies. What began as a tidal wave of corporate virtue-signalling after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 now appears to be receding at a troubling pace.

In the U.S., names once seen as corporate titans of DE&I—Amazon, Disney, JP Morgan, Google, Apple, PepsiCo, and Deloitte—are now adjusting, scaling back or scrapping internal diversity policies altogether. Major League Baseball has removed all mention of DE&I from its careers page. Paramount, Victoria’s Secret, and BlackRock have reportedly scaled down their inclusion efforts. And in an especially symbolic move, Accenture announced it would “sunset” the global diversity goals it championed since 2017—just months after Donald Trump’s re-election, whose administration has vowed to abolish all DE&I initiatives in both the public and private sectors.

This isn’t just about U.S. policy—it’s about global consequences.

Transport for London (TfL) took a bold stand last month by removing Accenture Song from its creative agency tender, citing their rollback on DE&I priorities as grounds for disqualification. “We hold our suppliers to account,” TfL stated. “Unfortunately… they no longer met the criteria for diversity that we expect from all suppliers.”

This is more than a procurement decision. It’s a line in the sand. TfL has shown what leadership looks like when inclusion is not a tagline but a non-negotiable value. In a moment where many institutions are quietly stepping back, TfL has chosen to step forward—and Multicultural Britain must take note.

The UK is not immune to these shifts. We are already seeing agencies and brands mirror U.S. decisions. There’s a creeping hesitancy around multicultural marketing. DE&I roles are being merged, downgraded, or eliminated. Conversations that were once loud and visible have become subdued. But here’s the truth:

DE&I was never meant to be seasonal. It was never a marketing trend. It is business-critical, morally necessary, and socially non-negotiable.

Let’s be clear: diversity is not a disruption—it’s a driver of innovation, of creativity, of connection. Inclusive companies perform better. Brands that reflect the audiences they serve build stronger, longer-lasting relationships. And agencies that embed inclusion into their strategy are not being “woke”—they are being relevant.

So what happens when the business world retreats?

• Progress slows.
• Marginalised communities lose representation.
• Talent pipelines shrink.
• Brand trust erodes.

And ultimately, the very companies walking away from DE&I will be left behind—by younger consumers, diverse talent, and future-facing industries.

We commend companies like Costco, Delta Airlines, Cisco, Deutsche Bank, and Coca-Cola, who continue to champion DE&I not as a PR exercise but as a growth strategy. These organisations are showing courage and clarity in the face of political headwinds.

But more need to follow.

At Mediareach, we’ve been championing diversity and multicultural marketing for over 30 years—not because it was popular, but because it was right. We’ve worked with over 30 ethnic communities on behavioural change campaigns. We’ve helped brands reach and respect multicultural Britain. And we’ve never needed a trend to define our purpose.

Now is not the time to pull back. Now is the time to double down. The businesses, agencies, and leaders that will thrive in the next decade are those who choose principle over pressure—and long-term value over short-term politics.

DE&I is not dead. It’s being tested. And our response will define the kind of industry—and society—we want to build.