Corporate America looks like it's backing away from diversity, equity and inclusion, but a new report suggests the real pullback is in how openly companies disclose their DEI efforts.

Findings from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index (CEI) revealed that there was a 65% drop in the number of Fortune 500 companies choosing to publicly document their DEI policies through CEI submissions.

According to the report, just 131 companies chose to publicly document their DEI practices in 2026, down from the 377 firms in 2025.

"This change reflects the increasingly complex environment in which many employers are navigating heightened scrutiny and competing expectations around workplace inclusion," the report said.

That environment includes the growing backlash against organisations' DEI policies, with critics frequently relying on companies' own public‑facing DEI webpages and statements as evidence.

Last year, Florida's Office of the Attorney General sued Starbucks for allegedly implementing and enforcing race‑based hiring quotas, citing materials from the company's website in its complaint.

No retreat on inclusion

But the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) noted that the retreat on transparency does not come with a rollback on inclusive efforts at work.

"It does not indicate a withdrawal from inclusive policies, but rather a reassessment of how those commitments are externally documented and communicated," the report read.

An analysis of verified CEI data revealed that the reduced transparency has not weakened the implementation of LGBTQ+-inclusive workplace accountability measures among companies that chose to submit a CEI survey.

"Across every sub‑criterion measured in the 2026 CEI, participating employers demonstrated year‑over‑year increases in the adoption of inclusive practices," the report read.

"These gains span core employment standards, including non-discrimination protections and equitable benefits, as well as operational practices such as workforce training, data collection, employee resource groups, outreach, and external engagement."

Read the full article here.