At its April 2025 virtual annual meeting, Goldman Sachs shareholders decisively voted against two shareholder proposals aimed at dismantling the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Each proposal received only 2% support, reflecting a strong endorsement of the company’s DEI strategies. The proposals, submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), sought to eliminate DEI-related executive compensation incentives and to conduct an independent racial discrimination audit concerning the firm’s race-based initiatives .
The Goldman Sachs board had recommended voting against the proposals, emphasizing that “diversity, including diversity of thought, experience and perspectives, is important to our commercial success,” and asserting that “there is no place at Goldman Sachs for discrimination of any kind” .
Despite this strong shareholder support, Goldman Sachs has recently adjusted its DEI policies in response to evolving legal landscapes. The firm has removed specific diversity targets from its annual filings, aligning with changes in U.S. legal requirements and reflecting a broader trend among corporations reevaluating their DEI commitments .
The overwhelming rejection of the anti-DEI proposals underscores a significant shareholder endorsement of Goldman Sachs’ commitment to diversity, even as the company navigates the complexities of legal and political pressures surrounding DEI policies.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon Picture
