The Federal Communications Commission has persuaded another major telecom company to eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
AT&T wrote a letter to FCC chairman Brendan Carr Monday that it is eliminating its DEI initiatives, “not just in name, but in substance.”
“The legal landscape governing diversity, equity, and inclusion (‘DEI’) policies and programs has changed,” the company wrote in its letter. “We have closely followed the recent Executive Orders, Supreme Court rulings, and guidance issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission1 and 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 changes include eliminating all roles focused on DEI, and ending any DEI-related training.
The move by AT&T follows similar commitments to end DEI by Verizon and T-Mobile, as well as media companies like Paramount, with Skydance promising the FCC it would eliminate DEI at the company should the deal be approved.
AT&T, like its telecom competitors, is in the market for wireless spectrum as it seeks to take on cable and satellite companies, and Carr has made it clear that eliminating DEI is effectively a requirement for any company seeking approval from the FCC for licenses.
“AT&T’s reversal isn’t a sudden transformation of values, but a strategic financial play to curry favor with this FCC/Administration,” said Anna Gomez, the FCC’s lone democratic commissioner. “Companies should remember that abandoning fairness and inclusion for short-term gain will be a stain to their reputation long into the future.”
