UK Firms Reconsider Ethics and Diversity Policies Amid Trump-Era Anti-“Woke” Backlash, Study Finds

More than half of major U.K. businesses are rethinking or rolling back their ethical and diversity policies in response to political pushback against so-called “woke” initiatives in the United States, according to new research.

According to The Guardian, a study by law firm Freeths found that 54% of the 250 general counsels and chief legal officers surveyed said their companies had either changed, scrapped, or discussed revising diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability initiatives following criticism of such programs by the Trump administration.

In the U.S., federal officials under the Trump administration labeled anti-racism measures “discriminatory,” and major corporations including Amazon, Disney, Google and Meta have scaled back DEI programs. The Reform Party in Britain has vowed to eliminate similar initiatives from councils it controls, while Blue Labour has urged ministers to curb DEI efforts in response to pressure from Nigel Farage’s party.

Freeths’ research, published Thursday, revealed that 28% of large U.K. firms—each with over £100 million in annual revenue—have made “wholesale changes” to ethical programs, and 26% reported implementing targeted adjustments. Nearly one-third said they were debating possible changes.

“The truth is that a drive for profit can significantly impact or impede ethical decision-making,” said Philippa Dempster, senior partner at Freeths. “Our research exposes a troubling reality: while businesses express commitment to doing the right thing, there’s still a significant gap between principle and practice.”

The study found 83% of respondents believe profit outweighs ethics in business decision-making, with more than half saying such conflicts arise regularly or very regularly.

While U.K. discrimination laws under the Equality Act prevent a full rollback of DEI policies, political figures including Suella Braverman and Jacob Rees-Mogg have called for its abolition. Some companies, such as BT, have already removed DEI criteria from bonus structures while maintaining a stated commitment to inclusion.

Helena Morrissey, chair of the Diversity Project, called the findings “depressing.” She added, “Ethics is all about doing the right thing. I don’t really see how ethics are ‘woke’—that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Freeths highlighted some progress, citing the proposed Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, which would require large employers to report ethnicity and disability pay gaps.