AT&T has pledged to dismantle all of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs “not just in name, but in substance” amid the Federal Communications Commission’s push to end such initiatives, per The Hollywood Reporter.
In a letter sent on Monday (December 1) to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, AT&T cited the shifting “legal landscape,” including President Donald Trump’s executive orders, Supreme Court rulings, and guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as reasoning for ending DEI.
The changes will include eliminating all DEI-focused roles and ending any DEI-related training.
“We have … adjusted our employment and business practices to ensure that they comply with all applicable laws and related requirements, including ending DEI-related policies as described below, not just in name but in substance,” the company wrote in its letter.
Carr has made it clear that companies seeking FCC approval, especially those competing for wireless spectrum, must abandon DEI programs. AT&T’s move follows similar steps taken in recent months by competitors Verizon and T-Mobile, as well as media companies such as Paramount.
In a statement, Anna Gomez, the FCC’s lone Democratic commissioner, sharply criticized AT&T’s move.
“AT&T’s reversal isn’t a sudden transformation of values, but a strategic financial play to curry favor with this FCC/Administration,” Gomez said. “Companies should remember that abandoning fairness and inclusion for short-term gain will be a stain to their reputation long into the future.”
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