IBM to eliminate DEI department, commits to 'viewpoint' neutrality in attempt to reach 'all consumers'

IBM announced a massive investment in the United States just days after it was revealed the company would be committing to political neutrality.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative activist group, announced that as an IBM shareholder, it filed a proposal with the company to provide a report on what it described as discriminatory diversity-based hiring policies. The group told IBM that it should be recruiting employees without regard to race, gender, religious beliefs, or political affiliation and that it should encourage management and executives to be bias-free in its activities.

Following the foundation's filing and alleged pressure on IBM, the computer company updated its corporate policies. On its website, IBM declared it does not have a political action committee, does not engage in independent or electioneering communications, and does not provide any financial support to political parties or candidates, directly or indirectly.

The company then stated its "media-buying and content policies are audience-centric," are "aiming to reach all consumers authentically, and are viewpoint neutral with respect to political or religious status or views."

'Companies can see that America wants sanity back.'

In a statement obtained by Blaze News, the Heritage Foundation's Andrew Olivastro called IBM's move a "critical step" in restoring "equality, transparency, and commitment to merit in the marketplace."

"The company now has a real opportunity to make good on this commitment and take the lead in setting the tone for the rest of corporate America," Olivastro continued. "IBM needs to make it clear, to shareholders, employees, and customers — that there is no area of its corporate policy in which immutable characteristics like race and gender are prioritized over merit. Full stop."

Activist and anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion proponent Robby Starbuck announced in mid-April that IBM had not only dropped its DEI department, but it would no longer have a diversity council, a diversity-centric podcast, and would not participate in the social credit scoring system of the progressive activist group the Human Rights Campaign.

Other initiatives that were dropped include IBM's "I'm In Allyship" campaign, diversity-based supply chain operations, "Allyship" training, and diversity-based executive compensation.

"Companies can see that America wants sanity back," Starbuck wrote. "The era of wokeness is dying right in front of our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality. We are the trend, not the anomaly."

On Tuesday, IBM unveiled plans to invest $150 billion in the United States over five years in a plan that is intended to fuel the economy. More than $30 billion was dedicated to research and development, Yahoo reported, directed at the enhancement of quantum computing in the United States.

IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna, a 62-year-old from India, claimed the company has been "focused on American jobs and manufacturing" for the last 114 years.

Krishna added, "With this investment and manufacturing commitment we are ensuring that IBM remains the epicentre of the world's most advanced computing and AI capabilities."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!