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Paramount Global is facing internal criticism after employees issued a scathing letter denouncing the company’s decision to scale back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The letter, addressed to Paramount’s co-CEOs Brian Robbins, George Cheeks, and Chris McCarthy, was shared publicly, accusing the leadership team of hypocrisy and exclusion.
The backlash follows a February memo from Paramount executives announcing the end of aspirational hiring goals related to race, gender, and sexuality. The company also confirmed it would no longer factor DEI metrics into employee compensation or collect diversity data from US job applicants.
Employees call out Paramount leadership
"As employees of Paramount Global, we are extremely disappointed - but not surprised - by the senior leadership team’s decision to roll back our commitments to DEI," the letter says. It criticizes the company for benefiting from diverse communities while simultaneously reversing internal policies aimed at fostering inclusion.
The letter goes on to question how Paramount can continue marketing to diverse audiences while failing to uphold internal commitments to equity. “How, in good conscience, can we continue to market to our global audiences and profit from their cultural contributions while erasing our own internal commitments to equity for and inclusion of those audiences?”
Employees also pointed to recent layoffs, claiming they disproportionately affected underrepresented groups and forced the company to say goodbye to “countless talented and brilliant colleagues.”
Corporate shift driven by federal policy changes
The leadership memo cited the Trump administration’s executive orders targeting DEI policies in the federal government and among federal contractors as a driving factor behind the company’s decision. "With our business objectives firmly in mind, we will continue to evaluate our programs and approach to ensure that we are widening our aperture to attract talent from all geographies, backgrounds and perspectives," the memo read.
Paramount’s move comes at a critical time for the company as it faces scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over its proposed $8billion merger with independent studio Skydance.
The letter’s authors accused the company of “kissing the ring and paying off mob bosses,” suggesting that the rollback of DEI policies is part of a broader effort to align with shifting political and regulatory pressures.
With tensions rising within the company, Paramount’s leadership now faces the challenge of addressing employee concerns while appeasing an evolving corporate and political landscape.
