Ensuring Adequate Compliance Mechanisms in the Wake of President Trump’s DEI-Related Initiatives
On January 21, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (“DEIA”) initiatives. On February 5, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi released a memorandum furthering the policy initiatives behind Trump’s Executive Order. Companies are now assessing their potential risk given the new administration’s clear policy to eliminate what it is referring to as “anti-discrimination” initiatives both within the federal government and private sector. Companies are likewise determining what they can do proactively to avoid becoming targets. This article explains why having an adequate compliance program, specifically a strong internal reporting mechanism is a key piece of that puzzle. Under his January 21, 2025 Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Order, Trump: orders all executive departments and agencies to end illegal private-sector DEI preferences, ...