AT&T vowed to scrap diversity policies that have sparked controversy in recent years – including a controversial worker training program that reportedly called racism a “uniquely white trait”.
The Dallas-based telecom giant told FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a Monday letter that the “legal landscape governing diversity, equity and inclusion (‘DEI’) policies and programs has changed.”
The company – which has over 110,000 US employees – said it has a “longstanding practice to pay and advance individuals based on merit and qualification,” adding that it will not enforce any hiring or supplier contract quotas based on race, gender or sexual orientation.
AT&T said it does not and will not have any employee roles focused on DEI, and that it has removed all DEI training from employee curriculum.
Part of that training previously called racism a “uniquely white trait” and told white employees at AT&T that they “are the problem,” according to a 2021 report based on leaked documents.
Employees were encouraged to study resources related to critical race theory, including one that stated, “White America, if you want to know who’s responsible for racism, look in the mirror,” according to City Journal’s Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
AT&T did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
“We have … adjusted our employment and business practices to ensure that they comply with all applicable laws and related requirements, including ending DEI-related policies … not just in name but in substance,” David McAtee, senior executive vice president and general counsel at AT&T, wrote in the letter.
“AT&T has always stood for merit-based opportunity, and we are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination today,” McAtee said in the letter.
He added that the company will keep its employee groups, which have been around for more than 50 years. These groups are often focused on protected characteristics, like a women’s network or black employee network.
But AT&T said it will not block staffers from joining specific groups based on any demographics.
AT&T also said it will no longer participate in surveys focused on protected characteristics.
AT&T’s letter follows similar commitments by Verizon and T-Mobile as the companies look to take on cable and satellite rivals – and Carr has made it clear that firms will not be approved for crucial FCC licenses until they axe diversity initiatives.
Over the summer, the Ellison family’s media giant, Skydance, similarly promised to eliminate DEI policies at Paramount and appoint a media ombudsman at CBS News as the two companies sought approval for their merger.
The FCC greenlit the long-awaited $8.4 billion deal just a day later.
Many companies that have ended their DEI policies have also stopped submitting data to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGTBQ advocacy group, for its Corporate Equality Index.
In his second term, President Trump has signed several executive orders aimed at unwinding DEI policies at the public and private level.
A 2023 Supreme Court ruling overturning race-based affirmative action in college admissions has also helped to crack down on DEI programs.
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