- Microsoft laid off a diversity, equity, and inclusion team, citing "changing business needs."
- The move follows commitments made by Microsoft and other tech firms after the George Floyd protests.
- "Our D&I commitments remain unchanged," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.
After Microsoft laid off an internal team focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, a team leader blasted the company for a lack of investment in these efforts.
"True systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020," a leader of the team wrote in an email sent to thousands of employees, which was viewed by Business Insider.
The email says the team was eliminated because of "changing business needs" as of July 1. It's unclear how many employees were affected.
The team leader, whose identity BI has confirmed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many technology companies, including Microsoft, made commitments to improve diversity efforts after the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the historic protests that followed.
In 2020, Microsoft pledged to double the number of Black leaders within the company by 2025. The company's progress on this pledge is also unclear.
Despite those commitments, many tech companies have appeared to retreat somewhat from diversity efforts. Zoom laid off a DEI-focused team earlier this year, Bloomberg reported. Google and Meta also cut DEI programs last year, according to CNBC.
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"Our D&I commitments remain unchanged," a Microsoft spokesperson, Jeff Jones, said in a statement. "Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work."
Microsoft typically makes cuts to its workforce at about this time of year when its fiscal year rolls over. Lately, layoffs at Microsoft and technology companies in general have become more common. The company announced plans last year to cut 10,000 employees within the first few months of 2023. It has conducted additional rounds of layoffs since then.
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