By Adria Calatayud

GSK said it is dropping its diversity and inclusion targets, joining a growing list of companies retreating from initiatives to diversify their workforces and leadership teams amid a legal and political backlash.

The British pharmaceutical company will drop diversity targets for its leadership and suppliers, according to its annual report published Thursday.

"Going forward, we will make changes in several areas related to inclusion and diversity to ensure continued compliance with the law and being respectful of our operating environment, including no longer setting aspirational targets for our leadership and supplier programmes," GSK said.

GSK is the latest big company to overhaul its diversity, equity and inclusion--or DEI--policies. Other companies including McDonald's and Target scrapped their targets in recent months as well.

Businesses stepped up efforts to diversify their workforces and management in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020, but the programs sparked controversy, particularly in the U.S. President Trump last month issued executive orders aimed at ending such programs.

GSK said in the report that it largely met its leadership aspirations in 2024, as measured against goals it had previously set for 2025. These included having women hold at least 45% of roles from vice president and above globally by the end of 2025 as well as specific targets for the U.S. and the U.K., according to the company's 2023 report.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 27, 2025 12:35 ET (17:35 GMT)

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