Rolls Royce rolls back DEI groups amid pressure from the US

May 7, 2025

Rolls Royce has abandoned its LGBTQ+ and other diversity programmes after coming under pressure from the US government to drop its DEI initiatives.

The company has withdrawn funding and internal support from its employee inclusion networks, including Prism, its group for LGBTQ+ staff.

While employees can still meet informally, these groups will no longer receive corporate backing, appear on the company intranet or be permitted to promote events on company premises.

In place of the previous networks, Rolls-Royce plans to launch a new “employee voice network.” The group will be open to all staff and serve as a replacement for the prior identity- and background-specific groups.

Rolls-Royce said the decision was made to ensure compliance with recently introduced anti-DEI legislation in the US, where 6,000 of its 43,000 employees are based.

Although the legislation does not apply outside the US, the company has implemented the changes across its global operations to maintain consistency for all staff.

A spokesperson for Rolls Royce said: “We support all our colleagues to be at their best, ensuring we live by our behaviours and drive a culture of high performance and engagement. We regularly review our policies and approach to ensure we achieve this outcome, while complying with all legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which we operate.”

The move marks a reversal for Rolls-Royce, which had previously championed its DEI efforts. The company was notably recognised as a supportive workplace for LGBTQ+ employees, earning a spot on the UK’s ‘Stonewall Top 100 Employers’ list and receiving a ‘Gold’ rating for LGBTQ+ inclusion in 2022.

At the time, Warrick Matthews, chief procurement officer at Rolls Royce and co-sponsor of Prism, said: "For a sustainable future we need to have innovation, diversity of thought, and a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. Our achievements with Stonewall demonstrate that we are an inclusive employer and that will help attract and retain the best talent.’’

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