Accenture to pay $25 million to settle US government allegations over DEI

IT consulting firm Accenture has agreed to pay $25 million to the U.S. government to settle allegations concerning its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. The settlement agreement, made public on Monday and signed by the U.S. Department of Justice and Accenture, resolves claims that the company took race and sex into consideration when making hiring and promotion decisions to achieve demographic goals.

The Trump administration has been scrutinizing DEI practices, which civil rights advocates argue are crucial for addressing historical inequities for marginalized groups. However, the White House has characterized DEI as anti-merit and discriminatory against white people and men. President Trump signed executive orders directing federal contractors and subcontractors to eliminate DEI initiatives, a move that civil rights groups contend reverses social progress.

Accenture stated that it complied with applicable laws and that the resolution agreement does not constitute an admission of liability. A spokesperson for Accenture said the company cooperated with the government's review and is pleased to resolve the matter to avoid the costs of prolonged litigation. The settlement agreement also states that Accenture denied engaging in discrimination.

This settlement follows similar actions against other major firms. Deloitte agreed to pay $21.5 million in August to settle a DOJ probe over diversity practices, and IBM agreed to pay $17 million in April to resolve a comparable U.S. government investigation.