Delta Air Lines stands firm on DEI commitment amid federal, corporate rollbacks

ATLANTA - As President Donald Trump continues his war on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, Atlanta’s largest employer says it’s not backing down from that commitment.

Delta Air Lines is one of many companies with plans to continue DEI programs as others announce plans to roll theirs back.

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What we know:

Atlanta’s hometown airline, Delta, says it is committed to its DEI program despite it being on the chopping block at other companies and within the federal government.

Delta’s commitment to DEI comes as President Trump ends programs in the federal government. Last month, Trump's executive order said "illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity." The order also aims to deter big companies and large nonprofits from continuing with DEI programs.

While companies like Delta and Costco will keep their diversity programs, others have made changes. Target, Walmart, Amazon and McDonald's all announced plans to either end or roll back some of their DEI programs.

While Delta plans to keep its program in place, it is unclear if they will make any changes to avoid federal scrutiny.

By the numbers:

Delta employs more than 100,000 people around the world. 

In Atlanta, Delta’s workforce stands at more than 36,000.

What they're saying:

"We are steadfast in our commitments because we think that they are actually critical to our business," said Peter Carter, Chief External Affairs Officer at Delta Air Lines. "Sustainability is about being more efficient in our operations and really DE&I is about talent and that's been our focus."

That statement from Delta’s Chief External Affairs Officer came during the airline’s 4th quarter earnings call last month. A reporter at the Wall Street Journal asked executives if the airline was rethinking its pledges to sustainability and DEI.

"The key differentiator at Delta is our people," Carter said.

President Trump has pushed back against DEI programs, calling for them to end.

"We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based," he recently said.