Why I Abandoned Companies Who Have Abandoned Their People and Their Planet
The Corporate Retreat: Meta, Amazon, and More Are Walking Back Their Promises
Many of the world’s largest corporations made bold commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and climate change action—until those commitments became politically inconvenient. Now, under mounting legal, political, and financial pressure, they’re rolling back their pledges.
Integrity is easy when it’s convenient. It’s much harder when standing by your values means facing discomfort—whether it’s giving up the conveniences of Amazon’s fast shipping, stepping away from social media, or challenging corporations that have made life easier for us.
But if we don’t choose a little discomfort now, the consequences will come back tenfold—in the form of political instability, economic inequality, and climate disaster. And corporations like Meta (Mark Zuckerberg), Amazon (Jeff Bezos), Tesla (Elon Musk) and others have made it clear that they won’t stand firm when it matters.
Here’s why I’ve stopped supporting them.
Meta: From DEI Champion to Corporate Cowardice
Meta, under Mark Zuckerberg, positioned itself as a leader in DEI efforts. But in 2023-2024, it:
Dismantled its DEI team, cutting hundreds of roles focused on workplace equity.
Eliminated supplier diversity programs, reducing opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses.
Quietly erased diversity hiring targets, backtracking on its commitment to increasing representation in leadership.
Amazon: Climate Commitments? Not Anymore.
Amazon, which Jeff Bezos once paraded as a sustainability leader, has done an about-face:
Abandoned its "Shipment Zero" goal, which aimed for 50% net-zero shipments by 2030.
Increased its carbon emissions by 40% since 2019, despite public sustainability pledges.
Gutted sustainability roles, making it clear that climate action isn’t a priority anymore.
Elon Musk: A Case Study in Performative Free Speech and Corporate Regression
While Elon Musk has long positioned himself as an innovator, his actions in recent months have made it impossible to ignore his role in dismantling corporate responsibility efforts.
Since taking over Twitter (now X), Musk has:
Slashed content moderation teams, leading to an explosion of hate speech, disinformation, and extremism on the platform.
Removed DEI programs from his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, and mocked DEI efforts as "woke nonsense."
Fired sustainability and ESG teams, aligning himself with the growing anti-ESG movement that prioritizes short-term profits over long-term environmental responsibility.
Tesla, once a pioneer in sustainable energy, has also been criticized for its failure to address labor rights and racial discrimination lawsuits—including allegations of widespread racism at its factories.
Musk’s influence extends beyond his own businesses. His vocal opposition to DEI, ESG, and corporate accountability has emboldened other executives to follow suit, fearing backlash from right-wing investors and media figures.
Target: Missing the Mark in a Big Way
In January 2025, Target announced significant changes to its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, aligning with a broader trend among major corporations. The retailer concluded its three-year DEI goals and ended its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives as planned. Additionally, Target renamed its "Supplier Diversity" team to "Supplier Engagement" and ceased all external diversity-focused surveys.
These decisions were influenced by external pressures, including an executive order from President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to terminate DEI programs and encouraging private companies to do the same. The rollback of DEI initiatives has led to significant backlash. The Twin Cities Pride Festival, which Target had sponsored for years, announced that the retailer is no longer welcome at its events. Additionally, Target faces a class-action lawsuit from shareholders alleging that the company misled investors about the risks associated with its DEI policies.
Other Companies Following Suit
It’s not just Meta and Amazon. Across industries, corporations are retreating from their commitments:
Google has dropped leadership diversity goals for underrepresented groups.
McDonald’s, Walmart, and Disney have all scaled back their DEI programs under investor pressure.
These companies have shown that their commitments to DEI and climate action were never about values—they were about PR. The moment they faced political and economic pressure, they folded.
The Trump Effect: Why Corporations Are Playing It Safe
A major driver behind this corporate backtracking? Donald Trump and the rising tide of anti-DEI, anti-ESG rhetoric.
Trump and his allies have labeled DEI efforts as "woke indoctrination", making them politically toxic for companies.
Right-wing activists like Elon Musk have attacked DEI and ESG policies, discouraging corporations from maintaining these programs.
With Trump leading the country, companies are hedging their bets, choosing to gut progressive policies rather than risk conservative backlash.
Instead of standing by their commitments, these companies chose the path of least resistance—even though the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Integrity Over Convenience: Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
Integrity isn’t about what we say when things are easy—it’s about what we do when things get tough.
It would be easy for me to keep using Amazon’s one-day shipping, scrolling through Instagram, and ignoring what’s happening.
But here’s the truth:
If we don’t get uncomfortable now, the discomfort will come back to us tenfold.
Politically, we’ll see more attacks on DEI, voting rights, and corporate accountability.
Economically, corporations will continue to exploit workers, slash sustainability efforts, and prioritize short-term profits over long-term stability.
Environmentally, we’re already running out of time to prevent climate disaster—and these rollbacks are making it worse.
The longer we delay action, the harsher the consequences will be.
This is why I’ve made the personal decision to:
Stop using all Meta accounts (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
Cancel all Amazon subscriptions and shop from ethical, local and sustainable businesses instead.
Avoid companies that abandon their DEI and climate pledges, because if they don’t support their people, I don’ support them.
If we want real change, we have to demand it—through our actions, our voices, and where we choose to spend our money.
These companies may have chosen profit over principle. But I refuse to do the same.
