Constellation Brands Pulls Back on Its DEI Programs

Add Constellation Brands to the growing list of companies rethinking their approach to their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Changes being made by Constellation include renaming its DEI operations as the inclusive culture team, renaming its supplier diversity program the supplier inclusion program, and pulling the plug on its Focus on Female Founders and Focus on Minority Founders venture funding programs.

Other changes made by the maker of popular beer brands Corona and Modelo Especial include no longer participating in surveys for LGBTQ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign and ceasing lobbying efforts unrelated to its core business.

CEO Bill Newlands detailed the changes in a statement shared on the company’s website Tuesday, saying, “One additional hallmark of our success over the years has been our ability to recognize and adapt to shifts in consumer, employee, shareholder, and other stakeholder sentiment, as well as the surrounding environment.”

He added, “As we’re all fully aware, we are operating in an increasingly polarized and highly charged environment and a shifting legal landscape related to social and political issues. This requires us to be thoughtful in our approach and to operate with enhanced focus going forward.”

Newlands’ acknowledgment of the politics involved with the DEI scalebacks results from the Trump administration pressuring businesses to pare down or end their DEI programs.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the start of his second term ordering federal agencies to terminate DEI programs while urging the end of “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences” in the private sector.

Several major companies have scaled back their DEI initiatives thus far in 2025, including Amazon, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Google, McDonald’s, Meta, and Target.