by Daniel Johnson
May 25, 2025
AT&T’s CEO John Stankey indicated that the company is not obligated to amend any policies to assuage the federal government’s assault on DEI.
After Verizon capitulated to the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission’s demands regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion before its forthcoming $20 billion purchase of Frontier Communications, one of Verizon’s chief competitors, AT&T, signaled that they will make no such concessions.
As Yahoo Finance reports, AT&T’s CEO John Stankey indicated that the company is not obligated to amend any policies to assuage the federal government’s assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“We don’t have to roll back anything. Our policies and our approach at AT&T have always been that we progress people on merit. That any employee that comes to work here should have an opportunity to grow their career, work on building their skills, have an opportunity to succeed and earn a living,” Stankey told the outlet in an interview.
Stankey continued, “And our goal is to make sure that every employee that walks through the door of AT&T feels like they belong here and it’s a good place for them to work. And I’m pretty confident that anybody who examines our practices and how we run the business is going to come to that same conclusion.”
Stankey also admitted that despite the bluster from the Trump administration regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion the $5.75 billion deal to acquire Lumen Technologies in a bid to expand its fiberoptic network, that the deal does appeal to Trump’s stated goal of creating jobs for Americans.
To Stankey’s point about AT&T’s meritocracy, the company has featured several Black Americans as executives over the years, including Jerome B. Holland, Cynthia Marshall, William Kennard, Chuck Smith, and Michelle Jordan, the telecommunications company also has not backed down from celebrating Black History Month, unlike Google and several other companies.
In 2023, Jordan, AT&T’s Chief Diversity Officer described her role in an interview with Ebony Magazine and the company’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“AT&T is committed to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion, not just within our organization but across the tech industry. One of the greatest barriers that must be overcome is the understanding that the industry’s struggle with diversity is oftentimes not a pipeline problem or a legacy problem—it’s the result of numerous gaps and longstanding inequities that collectively keep underrepresented talent from finding success. From getting diverse talent interested in technology as a career path to ensuring equitable access to programs, mentorship, and entry-level and advancement opportunities,” Jordan said.
As a nod to this commitment, in February, AT&T issued the 32nd edition of its Black History Month Digital Calendarwhich the company described as “a symbol of our respect for the distinguished Black leaders who have shaped the world we live in,” and “Our digital calendar serves not just as a testament to the honorees’ accomplishments, but also as an engaging tool to educate, inspire, and celebrate their legacy.”
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