Have UK Corporates Stepped Back from Their DEI Commitments Following the US Shift?

The US Backdrop

Donald Trump’s executive orders have sparked a marked rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts across the US. Cuts in public sector DEI roles and the quiet exit of corporations from earlier diversity pledges have set the tone. But even before Trump’s presidency, signs of DEI fatigue had already begun to show among American firms.

As US companies scale back their commitments, many are asking: is the UK next?

The UK Landscape: Still Standing, But Watchful

While the US is experiencing a clear pullback, the UK’s DEI landscape remains largely intact, for now.

• A March 2025 Institute of Directors survey of 605 UK business leaders found that 71% do not intend to change their DEI approach, and only 11% foresee scaling back.
• UK firms continue to embed DEI in core operations, from hiring practices to employee engagement.
• Strong legal frameworks, such as the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty, help shield UK corporates from the policy volatility seen in the US.
• The current Labour government has gone further, pledging to enhance anti-discrimination legislation, with measures like mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting and broader equal pay rights.

The UK’s footing appears solid – but it’s a nuanced picture that could shift.

UK vs Global Trends

The conversation around DEI is evolving globally. While the US sees dramatic swings, the UK’s shift (if any) is more muted – and potentially hidden beneath the surface. Belgium and France, on the other hand, have been two prominent countries that have remained outspoken on DEI initiatives since the Trump administration disbanded DEI programmes.

• Skillcast, a compliance and DEI training provider, reported a 92% spike in demand for its ‘Protected Characteristics at Work’ guide – suggesting that, if anything, interest is growing among UK firms.
• Yet, some UK companies with deep US links, like GSK, have paused DEI activities, likely in response to contractual or political pressure.
• Meanwhile, France and Belgium have responded to the US rollback by reaffirming their DEI commitments at government level.
• Reports suggest that several European companies received letters from the US embassy, requesting proof of non-participation in DEI programmes. European leaders have labelled this as unwelcome interference in domestic policy.

A Google Trends analysis shows interest in DEI has remained high and politically charged in the US, with spikes around September 2024 and January 2025. In contrast, interest in the UK, France and Belgium remains low and steady, which may not signal apathy, but rather a lower political profile or more institutionalised approaches to DEI.

UK Philanthropy: DEI Still a Core Commitment?

Turning to the UK’s philanthropic landscape, major foundations show varied but generally consistent support for DEI-related work:

• Big Lottery Fund (National Lottery Community Fund) has pledged that over 50% of grants will target communities facing the greatest disadvantage, backed by a new missions framework.
• Wellcome Trust continues to invest in anti-racist principles, ethnic diversity targets, and inclusive toolkits.
• Wolfson Foundation supports the British Museum’s DEI Programme, focusing on neurodivergent inclusion.
• Garfield Weston Foundation embeds EDI in its operations, with concrete actions around accessibility, training, and data collection.
• Comic Relief now frames its DEI work explicitly as DEIB – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
• Vodafone Foundation promotes inclusion through digital access, though it has not recently reaffirmed a broader DEI policy.
• Sigrid Rausing Trust and Arcadia Fund continue to support inclusion and fairness, though without fresh DEI statements in recent months.

Conclusion

The UK DEI space isn’t mirroring the US retreat just yet – but there are signs of pressure, particularly among multinationals and contract-bound organisations. UK legal protections and political will currently provide a stable ground. Philanthropy continues to uphold DEI values, even if some signals have quieted.

But this is a moment to stay alert. The question isn’t (just) whether UK corporates will retreat. It’s whether they’ll keep showing up when it matters most.