Verizon Communications announced plans to discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs following an investigation initiated by the Trump administration and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) overseeing its acquisition of Frontier Communications.
Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the FCC, publicly criticized Verizon in February for its DEI initiatives, suggesting they could potentially influence the Frontier transaction.
In a letter viewed by Reuters, Verizon confirmed the removal of its “diversity and inclusion” webpage, eliminated DEI references from employee training materials, and revised various aspects of its employment practices, including career development and supplier diversity.
The company has chosen not to pursue its workforce diversity objectives and plans to eliminate aspects of executive compensation tied to improving female and minority representation within the workforce.
Verizon’s Chief Legal Officer, Vandana Venkatesh, acknowledged in the letter that certain DEI policies may be associated with discrimination.
Chairman Carr, designated by Trump, also mentioned in a February interview with NBC News that a similar investigation regarding the DEI program promotions was underway.
Carr expressed satisfaction with Verizon’s decision to terminate the DEI policies described in the letter, stating that it represents a positive step toward ensuring equal opportunity and non-discrimination.
Verizon is currently progressing toward FCC approval for its $9.6 billion acquisition of Frontier.
In January, the Trump administration announced a significant move to dismantle DEI programs across the U.S. and urged the private sector to engage in the initiative.
