Efter et årti med stor opbakning til DEI-initiativer (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion) er stemningen ved at vende. Ifølge en nylig analyse publiceret i Harvard Law School Forum er DEI-initiativer i amerikanske virksomheder i 2023 blevet udsat for kritik fra flere sider, herunder fra investorer, politikere og den amerikanske befolkning.
Fra analysen: “Following the 2023 proxy voting season, DEI faced unprecedented scrutiny, increasing business risks for companies and asset managers that support such initiatives.”
Og efter den amerikanske højesteret for nylig slog fast, at blandt andet Harvard University’s DEI-program både var forfatningsstridigt og overtrådte borgerrettighederne kom der for alvor skred i sagerne: ”The reverberations of the decision were immediately felt in corporate America, as companies began to recognize the increasing legal risks associated with race-based programs. These risks soon began materializing, as high-profile lawsuits were filed against a series of companies over their DEI policies, including USA Today, Morgan Stanley and AT&T.”
Forfatterne konkluderer: “The 2024 proxy voting season promises to be full of debate on the business, legal and social merits of corporate DEI initiatives. Accordingly, it may provide a rare glimpse into the internal positions of companies and management on an issue that companies are increasingly trying to keep under wraps.”
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