US Companies in Diversity Crossfire Are Frozen by Uncertainty

The US Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action has sparked a fierce debate over the future of diversity in corporate America, with dueling sides claiming either that workplace programs are unaffected by the decision, or that they’re suddenly open to legal challenges. The resolution could be years away, throwing companies’ existing efforts into an indefinite limbo.

The court’s decision last month, which effectively banned race-conscious admissions in universities, sent an immediate chill through US company boardrooms as CEOs wondered whether the scope of the ruling could apply to their own hiring goals. It also offered fresh provocation to some Republican lawmakers who’ve ...