President Trump Blames FAA’s Diversity Push for Plane Crash, but DEI Backers Disagree
President Donald Trump has blamed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) “diversity push” for the recent plane collision that killed 67 people in Washington, DC. However, backers of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including most top US companies, believe that promoting diversity has been good for their businesses.
Trump did not provide any evidence to support his claim, simply stating that he had “common sense” and that “it just could have been.” Critics of DEI initiatives, including Elon Musk, have made similar claims in the past, suggesting that diversity efforts can be dangerous.
In reality, DEI initiatives are designed to broaden the pool of candidates for job openings, rather than lowering hiring standards. Supporters of DEI say that it can lead to better hiring decisions, increased employee motivation, and higher profits. In fact, research by the Boston Consulting Group has shown that DEI initiatives can boost profits, reduce employee attrition, and increase employee motivation.
Despite growing opposition from right-wing activists and lawsuits from conservative legal groups, most companies remain committed to DEI. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, found that 486 of the Fortune 500 companies still have a statement or corporate commitment to DEI on their websites.
Many companies have made changes to their DEI initiatives, but most of these changes are “cosmetic” and “inconsequential,” said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Companies are simply adjusting language or repositioning programs rather than abandoning their commitments to expand diversity.
Bigger companies, such as Costco, are standing firmly behind DEI. Costco recently rejected a proposal that would have required the company to report on the financial risks of maintaining its diversity and inclusion goals. The company believes that its DEI efforts help attract and retain a wide range of employees and improve merchandise and services in stores.
