Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy ends DEI programs, social advocacy efforts

Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, made a significant announcement on Tuesday by ending its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, along with its social advocacy efforts related to immigration reform and racial equity grantmaking. This decision was communicated to the staff by the Initiative’s chief operating officer, Marc Malandro, through an email.

The move to end these programs comes after Zuckerberg’s company, Meta, had already ended its DEI initiatives last month. This decision was aimed at ensuring that the company focuses on hiring the most talented individuals. In addition to this, Meta also decided to end its fact-checking program and lift restrictions on speech to promote free expression across Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta platforms. The company acknowledged that its content moderation practices had been overly restrictive.

In the email sent to employees, Malandro explained that the leadership team had been reviewing CZI’s programs and practices to align them with the organization’s focus as a science philanthropy and the current legal and policy landscape. He emphasized that the majority of CZI’s resources are invested in building Biohubs and supporting research teams working on complex biological and health-related questions.

While CZI remains committed to solving grand challenges in the field of science, it has decided to wind down its social advocacy funding. This includes ending support for immigration reform and racial equity grantmaking. Malandro highlighted that CZI’s focus will continue to be on pushing the frontiers of biology and AI.

In response to the changing regulatory and legal landscape, CZI has discontinued its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility team. The organization has also ended its Diverse Slate Practice for hiring, opting to cast a wider net to attract top candidates for various roles.

Overall, CZI is dedicated to building a workforce that reflects diverse experiences and opinions, ensuring that all employees feel welcome and can excel in their careers. The organization supports this by providing employee resource groups and rewarding individual initiative, excellence, and hard work.

In conclusion, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s decision to end its DEI programs and social advocacy efforts marks a significant shift in its focus towards science philanthropy. This move aligns with Meta’s recent decisions to prioritize free expression and talent acquisition. The organization remains committed to driving innovation in biology and AI while fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment for its employees.