Tech Giant Microsoft Ends Mandatory D&I Scoring for Employees
Microsoft has quietly eliminated Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) as a mandatory, company-wide core priority within its employee performance review system, marking a significant change in how the tech giant assesses staff accountability for these initiatives.
The alteration, implemented via the company’s internal Connect system in recent months, removes the previous requirement for employees to detail their contributions toward building a more diverse and inclusive environment.
Shift from Mandatory Accountability to ‘Simplification’
The removal of the mandatory D&I prompt—which previously asked employees, “What impact did your actions have in contributing to a more diverse and inclusive Microsoft?”—is officially characterized by the company as a “simplification.”
The shift moves away from a dedicated D&I Core Priority toward integrating inclusive practices into overall business goals, which are now simply called “goals.”
However, critics and some internal voices view the move as a significant retreat from the high-profile commitments made by the corporation in the wake of the 2020 social justice movements.
The change comes amid a broader national trend where corporations are re-evaluating or scaling back explicit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, often in response to legal and political scrutiny.
This internal policy shift follows earlier actions by Microsoft, including the layoff of an internal DEI team in mid-2024.
At the time, the team leader’s departure memo suggested that “true systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020,” signaling a major realignment in corporate strategy.
End of Annual Transparency Report at Microsoft
Compounding the performance review changes is the decision by Microsoft to discontinue publishing its traditional annual Global Diversity & Inclusion Report this year, ending a practice of public data transparency that spanned over a decade.
Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s Chief Communications Officer, stated that the company has “evolved beyond” traditional reporting formats, opting instead for “more dynamic and accessible” content like stories, videos, and insights to “show inclusion in action.”
While the company insists its overall D&I commitments remain unchanged and its focus is “unwavering,” the dual actions of removing review mandates and discontinuing the annual report have generated mixed reactions among employees and the wider industry.
Many internal supporters of DEI initiatives feel the quick reversal proves that the commitment was always a “shallow” and “performative” gesture.
Conversely, others note that the shift to embedding inclusion principles directly into daily work—rather than treating it as a separate, scored deliverable—could potentially lead to more authentic, sustained cultural change, provided that managers and leadership maintain active oversight.
Regardless of interpretation, the move firmly positions Microsoft within a challenging corporate climate where companies are redefining and quietly de-emphasizing formerly celebrated DEI initiatives.
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