![micro-blogroll-logos-1655234296443.jpg](https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2022/06/14/micro-blogroll-logos-1655234296443.jpg)
Microsoft is reportedly shuttering a major diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team, according to an internal email sent by the team's leader to a significant number of Microsoft staff last week, in which the lead also accuses the company's executive leadership of "investigated and evidenced discrimination, harassment, and toxicity."
The email, first reported by Business Insider and corroborated by IGN, was sent by the former lead of one of Microsoft's key DEI teams. In it, they state that their "role and team were eliminated due to 'changing business needs' as of July 1st, 2024." IGN has reached out to Microsoft for comment as to the full extent and nature of these layoffs, but has not yet heard back.
The email goes on to assert that DEI programs are in danger not just at Microsoft, but across all businesses:
"Unofficially in my opinion, not specific to Microsoft alone, but [conservative policy plan] Project 2025 looms and true systems change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020. Hence the purposeful and strategic 3-5 year shelf life of many company's inclusion commitments post the murder of George Floyd are being reevaluated," the email reads. "And the way I see it, the timing was impeccable so businesses everywhere could reevaluate the path forward should their U.S. federal contracts be at risk if the work continues on its face."
via IGN