Diversity under pressure – what US developments mean for German companies

Published: May 26, 2025
Last updated: 21. October 2026

While diversity and equal opportunity are becoming ever more important in our society, a worrying counter-trend is emerging in the US under President Donald Trump: programmes to promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) are coming under political pressure – with possible effects far beyond US borders.

The key points at a glance

in the US, President Trump is taking a new course on DEI – measures to promote it are to be scaled back or stopped entirely
German companies too have received demands to discontinue their diversity programmes
it's currently unclear how companies should best respond

Diversity – setbacks instead of progress: the new course in the US

On 20 January 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States for the second time. As one of his first measures, he abolished programmes to promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) – with far-reaching effects.

In US authorities and public institutions, terms like "LGBTQ", "Black" or "Discrimination" were removed from official documents. Even archive articles about women or Black figures were deleted. The political message: DEI is unwanted – a course that some large US companies are already going along with. Firms like Google, McDonald's or Amazon have scaled back or stopped their DEI measures. Others, however – including Apple or Coca-Cola – have declared that they want to stick with them.

What's worrying here isn't only the domestic development, but also the attempt to push this course internationally: German companies report that they were asked by US embassies to discontinue their diversity programmes – partly with vague references to economic risks. Subsidiaries of German firms in the US also seem to be giving in to this pressure already – Aldi Süd or Telekom, for example, have joined Trump's line in the US.

And Germany? Between a clear stance and cautious restraint

And how are German companies reacting? According to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) , around two dozen companies in this country have received the demandto likewise discontinue their DEI programmes. According to a recent survey among the "Charta der Vielfalt (Diversity Charter)", however, 90 percent of German companies are continuing their DEI activities unchanged. Only a few report cuts – mostly related to the US market. Large corporations like Siemens, Adidas or Puma are keeping a low public profile – when asked by BR, for example, the corporations did not want to comment on the topic.

Some German firms fear legal uncertainties, since it's unclear what concrete consequences the US course could have for their business relationships. Yet in this country the General Equal Treatment Act applies – and with it a clear legal framework that protects diversity. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) does see Trump's decrees as an additional irritation in the relationship between Europe and the US, already strained by the tariff conflict, but in practice assumes only minor effects. Tijen Onaran, founder of the strategy and management consultancy on diversity ACI, comments as follows on BR regarding the question of legal consequences for German companies: “There are indeed companies that fear legal consequences, because they simply don't know which of the provisions, the regulations, has which consequence. We're looking at that with a team of experts: what actually has relevance for the German market and where are they really actively subject to reporting obligations.”

Why now is the right time for taking a stance

The research is clear: diverse teams are more innovative, more creative and more economically successful. Studies show that companies with an inclusive culture have competitive advantages – not least in the battle for talent. You can read how family-friendliness, for example, can bring competitive advantages in this blog article of ours!

A turn away from DEI would therefore not only be a setback for society, but also a business risk. That's why it's now all the more important that companies in Germany take a clear line:

✅ Develop long-term DEI strategies that aren't aligned with short-term political trends.

✅ Communicate confidently, internally and externally, what the company stands for.

✅ Show leadership, especially in difficult times – diversity needs not less, but more leadership.

Conclusion: diversity isn't a political statement – but an economic success factor

The current developments in the US are causing uncertainty in this country too. All the more valuable, then, when companies in Germany find their own way – with a clear stance on diversity and equal opportunity. Those who bet on diversity invest not only in company culture but also in the company's future viability.

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