Meta’s Recent Announcement: A Wake-Up Call for EDI in UK Workplaces

The recent announcement from Meta about significant changes to its Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) programmes has been troubling me.

The company plans to end its EDI team, discontinue diverse hiring practices, and wind down supplier diversity efforts. These changes are positioned as a response to the “shifting legal and policy landscape” in the United States.

While this is a US-based development, it raises important questions for us here in the UK—particularly within sectors like healthcare, where EDI is not just a policy but a cornerstone for delivering equitable and effective services.

Why This Matters for UK Businesses

Meta’s decisions have the potential to influence businesses worldwide, including those in the UK. When a global tech giant signals that EDI is no longer a priority, it could embolden other organisations to follow suit, undermining the hard-fought progress made in creating inclusive workplaces.

In healthcare, where equality and inclusion directly impact patient outcomes and staff morale, this is particularly concerning. A diverse and inclusive workforce isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s essential for understanding and meeting the needs of the communities we serve.

Through my work, I strive to help teams and organisations create psychologically safe environments where diverse thinking is encouraged. This approach allows teams to address challenges more effectively, fostering innovation and collaboration. If organisations step back from EDI commitments, we risk creating environments where people feel unable to speak up or contribute their unique perspectives—a significant loss for any team or organisation.

The Cultural Impact

Meta’s reasoning includes concerns about the perception that EDI programmes suggest preferential treatment. This perspective risks overlooking the purpose of these initiatives: to level the playing field, mitigate bias, and ensure fairness for all. Removing these structures could leave underrepresented groups feeling unsupported, excluded, and less likely to thrive.

This also poses challenges for organisational culture. In healthcare and beyond, a commitment to EDI fosters engagement, innovation, and trust—key ingredients for any high-performing team. Without it, what kind of message are we sending to employees and stakeholders about our values?

A Call for Reflection in UK Businesses

As someone passionate about workplace culture and its impact on people and performance, I believe UK businesses must reflect on what these changes mean for their own EDI commitments. Legal or political shifts should not deter organisations from pursuing fairness, inclusion, and diversity.

I’d love to hear your views:

• How can UK businesses—especially in healthcare—maintain their focus on EDI in the face of shifting global trends?

• What strategies can organisations adopt to ensure EDI remains embedded in their culture, regardless of external pressures?

• How can we as leaders demonstrate that equality, diversity, and inclusion are non-negotiable values?

Let’s start a conversation about how we can protect and promote EDI in our workplaces, ensuring we continue to build cultures of trust, belonging, and high performance.