Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. joins a growing list of companies that are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Like others before it, the social media giant cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision in July 2023 that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.

Conservative activists have gone after companies — both in the courts and on social media — seeking to set a similar precedent in the working world. They've been targeting workplace initiatives such as diversity programs and hiring practices that prioritize historically marginalized groups, and have widened their objections to include programs focused on gender identity and sexual orientation.

DEI policies typically are intended as a counterweight to discriminatory practices. Critics argue that education, government and business programs which single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unfair and the same opportunities should be afforded to everyone.

Joel Kaplan, Meta's freshly appointed global policy chief, told Fox News Digital on Friday that the move will ensure that the company is "building teams with the most talented people" instead of making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics.

"This is ultimately about doing what's best for our company and ensuring that we are serving everyone and building teams with the most talented people," Kaplan told Fox News Digital. "This means evaluating people as individuals, and sourcing people from a range of candidate pools, but never making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics like race or gender."

Here's a look at some of the other companies that have retreated from... Read More