Maria Aspin

But what I discovered this week is that many more big companies are backing away from the language of DEI without making a big announcement. I went digging into the new annual reports that companies have been publishing for their investors, and I compared them with what they were saying a year ago.

And I found that this year, at least a dozen big companies have all deleted or softened the language they use to talk about diversity. These companies include GM, Intel, Disney, Pepsi, and Chipotle. Now, some of these companies wouldn't talk about these changes with me, so we don't know for sure why they've done this. We just know that they've stopped talking about DEI in public.

And I found that this year, at least a dozen big companies have all deleted or softened the language they use to talk about diversity. These companies include GM, Intel, Disney, Pepsi, and Chipotle. Now, some of these companies wouldn't talk about these changes with me, so we don't know for sure why they've done this. We just know that they've stopped talking about DEI in public.

And I found that this year, at least a dozen big companies have all deleted or softened the language they use to talk about diversity. These companies include GM, Intel, Disney, Pepsi, and Chipotle. Now, some of these companies wouldn't talk about these changes with me, so we don't know for sure why they've done this. We just know that they've stopped talking about DEI in public.

But some of the companies did give me some clues.

But some of the companies did give me some clues.

But some of the companies did give me some clues.

Well, there's a lot going on, but a few of these companies referred specifically to President Trump's new executive orders ending DEI in the federal government. These orders also threatened to sanction private companies that are federal contractors that have what Trump called illegal DEI programs. And Google, for example, is a federal contractor.

Well, there's a lot going on, but a few of these companies referred specifically to President Trump's new executive orders ending DEI in the federal government. These orders also threatened to sanction private companies that are federal contractors that have what Trump called illegal DEI programs. And Google, for example, is a federal contractor.

Well, there's a lot going on, but a few of these companies referred specifically to President Trump's new executive orders ending DEI in the federal government. These orders also threatened to sanction private companies that are federal contractors that have what Trump called illegal DEI programs. And Google, for example, is a federal contractor.

A spokesperson this week told me that Google is evaluating the changes required by Trump's executive orders, and Google, I should note, is one of NPR's funders. Another company I talked to was 3M. It's that big conglomerate that makes Post-it notes and chemicals and a bunch of other stuff. It's also a federal contractor.

A spokesperson this week told me that Google is evaluating the changes required by Trump's executive orders, and Google, I should note, is one of NPR's funders. Another company I talked to was 3M. It's that big conglomerate that makes Post-it notes and chemicals and a bunch of other stuff. It's also a federal contractor.

A spokesperson this week told me that Google is evaluating the changes required by Trump's executive orders, and Google, I should note, is one of NPR's funders. Another company I talked to was 3M. It's that big conglomerate that makes Post-it notes and chemicals and a bunch of other stuff. It's also a federal contractor.

3M also deleted some references to diversity from its latest annual report, and a spokesperson specifically mentioned the executive orders when he talked to me.

3M also deleted some references to diversity from its latest annual report, and a spokesperson specifically mentioned the executive orders when he talked to me.

3M also deleted some references to diversity from its latest annual report, and a spokesperson specifically mentioned the executive orders when he talked to me.

So Trump's executive orders are definitely adding to the pressure, but corporate America was already facing a lot of pressure from critics of DEI who say that it is itself discriminatory. The bigger picture here is just that big companies are pretty risk-averse. I talked about this with Becky Baker, who's an employment lawyer with Finson & Elkins.

So Trump's executive orders are definitely adding to the pressure, but corporate America was already facing a lot of pressure from critics of DEI who say that it is itself discriminatory. The bigger picture here is just that big companies are pretty risk-averse. I talked about this with Becky Baker, who's an employment lawyer with Finson & Elkins.

So Trump's executive orders are definitely adding to the pressure, but corporate America was already facing a lot of pressure from critics of DEI who say that it is itself discriminatory. The bigger picture here is just that big companies are pretty risk-averse. I talked about this with Becky Baker, who's an employment lawyer with Finson & Elkins.

She says that DEI was a really popular buzzword in corporate America five years ago, but now it's kind of politically toxic.