The convergence of racial justice activism (sparked by George Floyd’s death) and the COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 a uniquely powerful inflection point: leadership, employees, and the public all demanded more than symbolic support. The visibility of systemic inequities was heightened: both racial inequities (policing, social justice) and workplace inequities (who gets promoted, who is hired) were under renewed scrutiny. DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) became part of corporate risk management: companies realized that not addressing equity could affect reputation, recruitment, and even consumer perception.
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The world has changed over the past five years. Thankfully, activities such as 14-day quarantine rules, wiping groceries, toilet paper hoarding, drive-by birthday parties, touchless interactions (aka real menus), and one-way aisles in grocery stores have faded into the background. But what about DEI?
SUMMARY
Here’s a summary of recent data on how many companies are eliminating or scaling back diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) initiatives:
- A July 2025 survey by Resume.org of 965 U.S. companies that had DEI programs before November 2024 found that 20% of them have entirely eliminated their DEI programs. Resume.org. In the same survey, an additional 10% reported they’ve reduced investment in DEI initiatives.
- A separate survey (of 1,000 companies) found that in 2025 5% have already eliminated their DEI programs and another 8% are reducing the budget. So ~13% are scaling back or eliminating this year. Black Enterprise
- Among companies that still have DEI programs: 16% said they are likely to eliminate them by the end of 2025, and 7% said they expect to within the next 4 years. Resume.org
Generally speaking, one in five companies have eliminated DEI programs entirely. Thirty percent or more of companies have reduced rather than eliminated DEI.
LARGE FAMILY BUSINESSES
DEI rollback in large, international family-owned businesses is similar to comparable to non-family-owned businesses.
- Walmart (Walton family) — Rollback / scaled back
Notes: Announced phasing out multiple DEI initiatives (stopping certain DEI trainings, ending some race/gender supplier considerations). The Guardian - Ford Motor Company (Ford family voting control) — Scaled back / reframed
Notes: Reported scaling back DEI language and external benchmarking/participation (e.g., pulling from some external rankings) and reframing toward “inclusion.” Diversity.com - Brown-Forman (Brown family / family-controlled) — Rollback
Notes: Announced ending some DEI goals (including linking exec incentives to DEI) and pulling back formal DEI targets. Louisville Public Media - Molson Coors (Molson/Coors family links) — Rollback
Notes: Announced ending participation in HRC scoring, moving away from supplier-diversity goals and some DEI trainings. HR Dive - Comcast / NBCUniversal (Roberts family control by voting structure) — Under regulatory scrutiny / mixed
Notes: Subject to federal scrutiny/investigations and heavy public scrutiny about DEI practices; not a simple “ended all DEI” announcement but materially under pressure and reframing. Sustainability Magazine - LVMH (Arnault family influence / controlling owner) — No clear rollback (remains committed)
Notes: Public materials show active Inclusion programs (Inclusion Index, prizes, Pride initiatives). No reporting that LVMH has publicly “ended” DEI. LVMH - Estée Lauder Companies (Lauder family founders / influential shareholders) — Mixed / continuing commitments
Notes: Family stepping back operationally in recent leadership changes, but company reporting shows ongoing social impact/ESG work — no clear public rollback announcement. Financial Times - Cargill, Incorporated (Cargill family major stockholders)
Notes: Company remains committed to DEI Cargill Sustainability - Marriott International (Marriott family influence/chairmanship) — Mixed / reaffirmation of inclusive commitments
Notes: Press coverage shows discussion and strong responses to political pressure, but Marriott leadership publicly reaffirmed inclusive commitments rather than a broad DEI termination. Conference Direct
DEI GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES
While the above figures are disturbing for DEI proponents, different generations view DEI differently: Here’s a breakdown of how different generations think about DEI.
GenZ
- Strongest support for DEI and for workplaces to demonstrate visible commitment. One summary report found Gen Z workers link DEI not just to diversity stats but to meaningful action: “Gen Z workers associate DEI with a commitment to community support… and the establishment of employee resource groups.” EY Another report states “68 % of Gen Z workers are dissatisfied with their employer’s DEI efforts.” Change in Content
- In short: Gen Z often sees DEI as a must-have, both for employer attractiveness and for personal fit.
Millennials
- Also, supportive of DEI, though perhaps slightly less demanding than Gen Z in terms of what “counts” as genuine. For example, one study found 76 % of Millennials said they’d leave an employer if DEI initiatives were not offered. EY
- Millennials value DEI as part of workplace culture, especially when tied to belonging, fairness, and advancement.
Gen X & Boomers
- Older generations tend to be less enthusiastic or less consistent in valuation of DEI programs. For instance, in the 2023 survey by Pew Research Center, workers under age 30 (~Gen Z) were most likely to say focusing on increasing DEI at work is a good thing (68 %) compared with 46 % of those age 50-64. Pew Research Center
- 63% of Baby Boomers believe that their organizations dedicate the right amount of effort to DEI and 12% say their efforts are not enough Los Angeles Business Journal
WHAT CAN YOUR FAMILY BUSINESS DO TO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL DEI POLICY?
While Leading Gens are not as pro-DEI as the NxtGens, they are pro-NxtGens going into the family business. Therefore, Leading Gens need to implement DEI policies that help create equity in their business.
- Family involvement/ownership culture: Because the owners/family may be deeply involved, it’s critical that they visibly champion DEI, model inclusive behavior, and be open to input from non-family employees.
- Succession planning & inclusion of next generation: As the business shifts from one generation to the next, DEI can play a role in who gets opportunities, how leadership pipelines are developed, and how non-family talent is engaged.
- Legacy and culture: Family businesses often have strong traditions — DEI should be framed as “building on legacy” rather than “replacing it.” Anchor it in your story: e.g., “We’ve always valued our community; now we’re evolving how we live that value internally and externally.”
- Scale appropriately: Don’t try to mimic big-company DEI programs. Use your small size as a strength: personalized policies, faster rollout, closer connections among people.
- Measure what matters to you: For a business under US $50m revenue, tracking a few meaningful metrics is better than trying to capture everything. Focus on what aligns with your business strategy (e.g., employee retention, new hiring, community relations).
Now that the DEI dance craze is over, family businesses have the opportunity to craft effective policies that support family business NxtGens and members of the community. That’s better than Zoom wine tastings.
Allen Esrock is the Founder of NxtGen Nexus, a platform for the next generation of family business owners which is based on his experience of growing up in a family business. Prior to that he started Jitter Fingers, the first safe, social networking website for tween girls and their bffs with Jitter Finger clubs in 12+ countries and 250+ cities in the US.
