Google ends DEI hiring goals

With new U.S. Executive Orders, court decisions, and many companies making changes to their DEl programs in recent weeks, we sat down with Fiona Cicconi to learn how Google is thinking about this.

Can you tell us how we’re thinking about this across the company?

First, I want to be clear: we’ve always been committed to creating a workplace where we hire the best people wherever we operate, create an environment where everyone can thrive, and treat everyone fairly. That’s exactly what you can expect to see going forward. Our users come from all across the U.S. and around the world, and we serve them better when our employees do, too.

Every year, we review the programs designed to help us get there and make changes. And because we are a federal contractor, our teams are also evaluating changes to our programs required to comply with recent court decisions and U.S. Executive Orders on this topic. For example, in 2020, we set aspirational hiring goals and focused on growing our offices outside California and New York to improve representation. We’ll continue to invest in states across the U.S. — and in many countries globally — but in the future we will no longer have aspirational goals.

You mentioned we’ll evaluate our programs. Can you share more about that?

Melonie Parker and her team will lead on closely and carefully evaluating programs, trainings, and initiatives, and will update them as needed — including those that raise risk, or that aren’t as impactful as we’d hoped. She’ll work with senior leaders across the company.

And is there anything else you want Googlers to know now?

While there will be changes, our central Employee Resource Groups will remain, as will our work with colleges and universities, and our work to build products to help all our users and partners. That is all vital work for our business and our Googler community.