Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | March 24, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 9 employees] are terminated one day and reinstated the next. So it's very, very diffi- cult to predict, and that's a very uncom- fortable place to be," said Isaacson. The cost of broken trust Companies should stick to DEI com- mitments not only because of what they provide employees, but because of what it communicates when they roll back commitments, said Zolezzi-Wyndham. "You break trust with your stakehold- ers, both employees and customers or patients, when you make commitments and then take them back," said Zolez- zi-Wyndham. "Trust is also vital to orga- nizational success and mission impact." Taking back commitments, no matter what they are, harms a company's repu- tation, and consumers will choose to take their business elsewhere, she said. e increasingly diverse U.S. popu- lation means if employers don't do the work to respect employees from various backgrounds and to understand what those individuals want from a job, those companies are not going to be able to attract and keep talent. Employees want to work in cultivating environments that will thrive, said Zolezzi-Wyndham. "From a financial survival [stand- point], doing this work is going to make you relevant in the future," she said. For construction firm Fontaine Bros., the tie between diversity and longevity has been well-established. As builders and contributors to workforce develop- ment with a presence of nearly 100 years, diversity is fundamental to the business, said CEO David Fontaine. He sees it as his business' responsibility to provide op- portunities to people that represent the communities Fontaine Bros. works in. e company operates offices in W We remain committed to DEI policies In January, President Donald Trump signed a number of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion executive orders, including pulling federal funding from companies and organizations that stick with their DEI efforts, although a judge temporarily blocked Trump's anti-DEI orders for businesses contracted with the federal government. However, in the face of political pressure, many companies have rolled back on their DEI commitments, while others have doubled down. In March, UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester formed a working group to decide what to do with its DEI policies in order to placate Trump while being sure to not violate state or federal law protecting classes of people. When polled online, the plurality of WBJ readers said their organizations have not eliminated or reduced their DEI policies since the election Has your company eliminated or reduced its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the last six months? The changing U.S. diversity & inclusion landscape Companies that have rolled Companies that have publically back on their DEI efforts stayed committed to their DEI efforts Goldman Sachs, Ended its formal board Apple, California Shareholders turned down a New York City diversity policy proposal to terminate DEI programs from the conservative think-tank National Center for Public Policy Research. Target, Minneapolis Terminated goals to advanced Delta Air Lines, Publically reasserted its commitment Black employee representation Atlanta to DEI and will no longer participate in external diversity surveys Walmart, Arkansas Will not renew its five-year Costco Wholesale, Shareholders voted to continue contract for its equity racial Washington the company's DEI initiatves and center in 2025 and withdrew rejected the National Center for Public from the Human Rights Campaign's Policy Research's anti-DEI proposal. annual benchmark equity index PepsiCo, New York Phased out its chief DEI officer role Ben & Jerry's, Has made multiple posts on its and will no longer have representation Vermont website and social media stating it will goals when hiring continue to work to dismantle white supremacy, end the climate crisis, and fight for democracy Meta, California The Facebook and Instagram parent e.l.f. Beauty, Chairman & CEO Tarang Amin company terminated DEI programming California publically defended DEI. including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers. Sources: Associated Press, Axios, Forbes, Ben & Jerry's, FOX5 Atlanta, The Advocate, Reuters 5% No, we remain committed to DEI. 47% Our company never put DEI policies in place. 37% Yes, we've completely rolled back our DEI initiatives. Yes, we've adjusted language and programming to comply with possible federal changes. 11% Springfield and Worcester, two of the most diverse cities in the state. Employ- ing leaders from a range of backgrounds and perspectives means Fontaine Bros. will best meet the needs of those who will be impacted most by its decisions, solutions, and builds, Fontaine said. "We're going to stay the course and stay committed to [DEI], because our approach to it has never been driven by just compliance with federal guidelines," said Fontaine. "Nor will our approach to it be deterred by different guidelines." As a company that receives federal funding for some of its projects, Fontaine Bros. stands to possibly lose revenue because of its DEI pillar. For now, the company is waiting on standby to see how that risk will play out in actuality. Executives may feel safer pulling away from DEI, to protect their companies from Trump's wrath, said Zolezzi-Wyn- dham. But what those employers are missing is federal cuts won't stop here. "e current administration is going to cut what they want to cut, and you're not going to be safe," she said. Even those who voted in support of the Trump Administration aren't being saved, Zolezzi-Wyndham said. Some federal workers who voted for Trump have been laid off or had their immigrant family members are being deported. Eventually, the government will make a move that will hurt businesses no mat- ter if they dropped DEI or not, she said. "You're sort of sacrificing providing respect to employees and to consumers. And at the end of the day, that sacrifice isn't guaranteeing your safety," she said. Speaking up Whether a company knows what it will do or not in regards to DEI, what it needs to do is communicate with its employees, said Zolezzi-Wyndham. She's hearing workers express palpable fear over DEI. Part of that distress is from lack of communication from company leaders, leaving air to be filled with infer- ences that may or may not be true. In the fall, Fontaine Bros. held a companywide meeting, letting employ- ees know its DEI approach wouldn't change. "We said, 'No matter what happens with this, we want to make sure that we're clear and committed,'" said Fon- taine. "It's not something that's been reactive, nor will it be." Isaacson has issued two memos to Spectrum employees in the past few weeks saying the firm is remaining com- mitted to providing equitable services. "People are scared, and the first one that went out said, 'People, we're not changing how we operate,'" he said. Not all companies are in a position like Spectrum or Fontaine Bros. to be confident in the face of federal threats, and that's why people shouldn't jump to conclusions as to why some orga- nizations are shiing their verbiage or strategy. Some businesses feel they have to make a shi in language to be able to work, said Zolezzi-Wyndham. For those who do feel confident, mak- ing their support known is critical. "People who can safely say that this work is about excellence and about mak- ing sure that the people with merit are included. People who can say that loudly need to say it loudly," said Zolezzi-Wyn- dham. "Silence right now means that there's only one narrative, and it's not a factual narrative."

• Cover