Now is the time for private companies to review policies and initiatives associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to ensure they comply with long-standing anti-discrimination laws, in light of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity.
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Inclusion—defined as making sure that every employee is given the necessary support and tools to achieve their performance goals, perform at their highest levels, and bring their whole selves to work—is a central hallmark of a nondiscriminatory policy, said Anthony Haller, an attorney with Blank Rome in Philadelphia. “Leading with inclusion in that sense, so long as it is clearly defined, is beneficial and supportive of a merit-based system,” he said.
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Although the executive order specifically references publicly traded companies or large nonprofits, small companies are not absolved from compliance, Haller said. “The executive order is a statement of administration policy that affects every company, regardless of the size or industry,” he said.
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"How to Adjust Your DEI Initiatives Under Trump’s New Guidelines," by Allen Smith was published in SHRM on January 28, 2025.
