UnitedHealth Group Removes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Content from Website
UnitedHealth Group has significantly reduced the content related to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies on its website. This change includes removing blog posts and taking down substantial sections of its site, as observed by TechCrunch.
Archived versions of UnitedHealth’s website show that several pages dedicated to DEI are no longer accessible and now redirect to a “page not found” error. A portion of the company’s career page that previously had a dedicated section for diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with its diversity initiatives, is also no longer visible on the live page. Additionally, UnitedHealth removed a 2022 blog post featuring an interview with its vice president of DEI.
The reason behind UnitedHealth’s decision to remove these pages is not clear, and it is uncertain whether this change represents a shift in terminology or an actual alteration in its policies. Tyler Mason, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth, did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
The removal of DEI content from UnitedHealth’s website coincides with a broader trend of companies retreating from DEI policies and programs. This shift is partly due to mounting pressure from executive orders issued by the Trump administration targeting DEI programs.
In February, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed the Justice Department to investigate, eliminate, and penalize DEI programs deemed illegal at private sector companies receiving federal funding. A federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with its efforts, despite a lower court ruling that the government’s actions were unlawful.
Several tech companies, including Google and OpenAI, have already removed mentions of DEI from their websites. TechCrunch observed UnitedHealth removing its web pages related to DEI in real-time on Wednesday morning. Since the ransomware attack on Change Healthcare last year, TechCrunch has utilized a web page monitor to track changes to UnitedHealth’s website, including updates to its data breach notice.
In place of the removed DEI content, UnitedHealth has introduced a streamlined page titled “Culture of Belonging,” which omits previous references to the company’s diversity efforts on university campuses, diversity in recruiting, and its various employee resource groups.
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