BlackRock was hit with a federal civil rights complaint on Tuesday in response to the asset management behemoth’s diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, also known as DEI.
America First Legal, a conservative advocacy organization launched by former Trump administration senior adviser Stephen Miller, filed the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is charged with enforcing civil rights laws against workplace discrimination. Attorneys cited programs seeking to increase the number of racial minorities and females in senior leadership at BlackRock.
BlackRock notes in one recent annual report that the company has committed to “cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusion” in the leadership team and overall workforce through “hiring, retention, promotion, and development practices” aligned with DEI principles rooted in “business priorities and long-term objectives.” The company has a “BlackRock Founders Scholarship” that may come with a $17,500 award for some students; the program, however, is meant only for applicants who are “Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American, LGBTQ+ or disabled.”