Coca-Cola highlighted that scaling back diversity initiatives across corporate America could reduce the pipeline of diverse talent crucial to its global operations. The company warned that gaps in representation at senior and technical levels might slow innovation, increase recruitment costs and impact long-term growth.

Goldman Sachs is set to eliminate factors such as race, gender identity and sexual orientation from its board selection process under a formal agreement with activist NLPC. The bank’s governance committee is expected to approve the revised criteria this month, ending its formal DEI requirements for new board members.

A 2025 U.S. appeals court ruling temporarily allowed enforcement of a ban on DEI programs for federal contractors, prompting firms to revisit diversity strategies. While some states push for demographic reporting in venture capital, major corporations are reassessing board and hiring standards to comply with evolving regulations.