Boeing Dismantles DEI Department Amid Financial Struggles

Boeing has dismantled its global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) department amid financial struggles and union strikes, with staff being reassigned to the employee experience division. This move is part of CEO Kelly Ortberg's strategy to streamline operations as Boeing faces a $1.05 billion loss and the impact of a six-week union strike. Sara Liang Bowen, who led the DEI department, announced her departure, expressing pride in her team's accomplishments. Boeing maintains its commitment to diversity by pledging merit-based hiring and aims to increase black employment by 20% by 2025, having already achieved a 7.5% increase by 2023. The company launched a stock offering aimed at raising $24.3 billion to bolster its finances. Critics suggest that the dismantling of the DEI division is part of a broader trend of companies moving away from DEI initiatives amid pressures from anti-DEI activists and a focus on performance and profitability.