GSK joins major companies in scaling back DEI

U.K. – Pharmaceutical giant GSK has temporarily halted its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States, following new executive orders issued by President Donald Trump.

These orders, signed early in his second term, ban DEI programs in federal agencies and encourage private companies to follow suit.

GSK now joins Amazon, Google, Meta, Ford, Walmart, and Pepsi, among other corporations, in pausing or reducing DEI commitments.

However, some companies, including Apple, Ben & Jerry’s, Costco, and JPMorgan Chase, are resisting the pressure.

In the pharmaceutical industry, AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk have also stated they will continue their DEI programs despite the legal and political challenges.

While GSK is a UK-based company, it operates extensively in the US and has indicated that it must comply with the evolving legal landscape.

In its latest annual report, GSK stated that it is “evaluating the impact of the legal environment” and that it has met previous ethnicity and gender diversity goals, though not all individual targets.

Moving forward, GSK will no longer set aspirational DEI targets for leadership roles and supplier programs and has decided to drop its board diversity policy.

Legal challenges to Trump’s DEI ban

The elimination of DEI programs in federal agencies has already faced legal challenges. A lawsuit filed in Maryland argues that the executive order violates the US Constitution and exceeds the President’s authority.

A judge recently ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, issuing a temporary restraining order against the anti-DEI measures.

Despite these legal battles, Trump has continued to criticize DEI initiatives, calling them “dangerous, demeaning, and immoral.”

In response to criticism, GSK has emphasized that it remains committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. The company stated:

“We are strongly committed to GSK being an inclusive workplace where our people can be themselves and have their different perspectives, experiences, and characteristics valued, because this helps everyone perform at their best.”

GSK clarified that while changes are necessary for legal compliance, this does not necessarily mean the complete termination of DEI initiatives.