Verizon just made headlines — by eliminating its entire DEI program. In a memo to the FCC, the company announced sweeping changes:
NO DEI roles or departmentsNO DEI references in training materialsNO demographic hiring goalsNO supplier diversity benchmarksNO scholarships or internships targeted at underrepresented groupsNO diversity-focused recognition surveys.NO mention of “diversity, equity, or inclusion” on its website or in recruiting materialsNO mention of “diversity, equity, or inclusion” in recruiting materials
And yet, despite this full-scale rollback, Verizon insists it remains “committed to … an inclusive culture.”
Let me be very, very clear: You cannot claim to support inclusion while dismantling every tool you’ve built to achieve it. That’s like closing your fire department while saying you’re committed to fire safety.
This isn’t about compliance. It’s about corporate cowardice, and what happens when political pressure wins out over principle. DEI isn’t about exclusion or discrimination. Done right and done legally, it’s about ensuring everyone gets a fair shot, no matter their background, race, gender, or identity, and further ensure they feel welcomed and wanted after they arrive.
Verizon’s memo is a masterclass in DEI-washing: publicly claiming the values of inclusion while erasing the programs that give those values meaning.
Words are cheap. Cultures are built by actions. And Verizon’s action sends a loud, clear message about the values to which it is actually committed.
