Ocado has extended its timeline for increasing ethnic minority representation in its senior management team amid a rollback of DEI in the corporate world.
The online grocer is pushing its target of 10% senior management roles made up of people from ethnic minorities from 2027 to 2030, as reported by The Telegraph. The adjustment comes amid a broader retreat from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in businesses in the UK and around the globe.
Companies worldwide have begun to reassess their diversity programmes following restrictive measures implemented by Donald Trump. The US President banned DEI programmes at federal agencies and terminated government contracts with companies that maintain these policies, labelling them as “woke”.
The decision coincides with Ocado’s plans to expand its US operations through a partnership with supermarket giant Kroger, supplying technology for robotic delivery warehouses.
Despite the delayed timeline, Ocado said it maintains its commitment to diversity initiatives. The company attributed the extension to “strong retention among senior managers”, suggesting limited turnover has slowed diversity progress. Currently, 5.6% of Ocado’s senior management positions are held by people from ethnic minorities, up from 4.5% in the previous year.
An Ocado spokesperson said: “It does not reflect any change in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we are making good progress across our other goals in these areas which extend across the business and our pipeline of talent. We strongly believe that diversity is a key driver of innovation and these targets are important for us to maintain our position as one of the UK’s most innovative technology businesses.”
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