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Shopify froze funding to its employee resource groups at the end of 2023, two people familiar with the matter said.
The ERGs also sometimes planned events for Shopify's merchant community and paid for speakers to come and share their stories with employees.
But two people said that funding for the groups became increasingly limited over time, until they could no longer pursue initiatives that would require additional monetary support from the company. As of partway through 2024, funding for ERG events had not resumed.
Shopify has been stepping back from other diversity- and inclusion-focused initiatives. In January, the company laid off employees working on its Build Black and Build Native programs. Those provided resources, networking events, and financing opportunities for Black and Indigenous merchants using Shopify. It also shut down Slack channels it hosted for merchants participating in those programs, BetaKit reported.
The team responsible for these programs — also known as the equitable commerce team — had built an online directory highlighting Shopify stores run by Black and Indigenous entrepreneurs. The directory, called emPowered by Shopify, is no longer online.
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