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In a December 16, 2024, employee memo, Amazon said it was winding down “outdated programs and materials” and aimed to complete that work by the end of 2024. The company did not identify which programs were affected. The announcement described a direction and a target date—not a public list of discontinued programs or confirmation that the work was completed.
What did Amazon say about winding down its DEI programs?
Associated Press reporting on the memo quoted Candi Castleberry, identified as a senior human resources executive, saying: “As part of this evolution, we’ve been winding down outdated programs and materials, and we’re aiming to complete that by the end of 2024.” The wording indicates that the process was underway when the memo was sent; it does not say that every diversity, equity and inclusion effort would end.
Amazon did not specify which programs or materials were included. That distinction matters: the memo supports saying that Amazon planned to wind down some programs and materials it considered outdated, but it does not support naming particular initiatives as cuts.
Why did Amazon say it was changing its approach?
Castleberry described a shift away from having separate groups build programs toward focusing on programs with “proven outcomes” and fostering a “more truly inclusive culture.” She also acknowledged that some well-intentioned efforts by individuals or teams might not align with the company-wide approach and might not be noticed immediately.
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Those statements explain the company’s stated rationale: consolidate or change efforts according to its preferred company-wide approach. They do not establish which programs were judged effective, what criteria Amazon used, or what became of any particular initiative.
What did Amazon’s other 2024 reports say?
Amazon’s 2024 sustainability report described inclusion as something to embed in core business processes, rather than rely only on separately organized programs. It also said the company continued to invest in initiatives it considered measurable and scalable. These are Amazon’s descriptions of its approach, not an accounting of what was retained or discontinued under the December memo.
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Examples Amazon described
- Huddles: Amazon said tens of thousands of employees had participated in these micro-learning conversations, which the company described as a way to build an inclusive culture.
- Together at Amazon and employee groups: The report said Together at Amazon launched in August 2024 and described employee-led groups as open to all employees.
- Career development: Amazon said nearly 244,000 employees had pursued education through Career Choice. The report also discussed frontline promotion processes, career development and upskilling.
These examples provide context for the kinds of activities Amazon described in its broader inclusion and employee-development approach. The report does not establish whether any one of them was affected by the later memo.
Does Amazon’s racial equity audit settle what changed?
No. Amazon’s August 2024 summary of a racial equity audit said Paul, Weiss reviewed policies, programs and practices for potentially disparate racial impacts on U.S. hourly employees. Amazon said the review included employee feedback and document review, and did not recommend structural changes to existing policies, programs and initiatives.
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The audit summary predates the December memo. It describes an earlier review with a defined scope; it is not an evaluation of the subsequent wind-down and cannot identify which programs were later changed.
What do Amazon’s workforce figures show?
Amazon’s workforce page reported 2024 compensation comparisons: the company said women in the United States and globally earned 99.9 cents for every dollar earned by men in comparable jobs, and racial and ethnic minorities in the United States earned 99.4 cents for every dollar earned by white employees in comparable jobs.
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These are company-published comparisons, not independent audit findings. Amazon said the figures cover employees for whom gender, race or ethnicity was identified. Its stated coverage includes directly employed seasonal and temporary Field and Customer Support workers and employees in Audible, Twitch and MGM subsidiaries; the page also noted a “plus” self-identification methodology introduced the prior year. These figures describe compensation comparisons and do not identify the programs covered by the memo.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unknown?
The cited public material does not name the programs affected or verify whether Amazon met its end-of-2024 target. A February 2025 headline in The Information reported that Amazon removed “Inclusion and Diversity” from its annual report, but the accessible article text provides little detail; the headline alone does not establish what other programs changed or why.
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A separate shareholder proposal in Amazon’s 2023 proxy filing sought a cost-benefit analysis of the company’s DEI programs. Its supporting argument was the proposal proponent’s advocacy—not an SEC ruling, verified finding, or Amazon statement—and it predates the December 2024 memo.
For employees, investors and customers, the key limit is straightforward: Amazon publicly described a broad change in approach, but the available statements do not provide a program-by-program account or confirm the eventual outcome.
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