The U.S. 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 U.S. corporate 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 long campaigned against what they call "woke" capitalism.

Companies that had been bragging about their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) progress in the three years since George Floyd's murder are now questioning whether they've set themselves up for future legal action, said Lindsay Burke, co-chair of the employment practice group at law firm Covington & Burling, which has done racial equity audits for companies including Airbnb Inc. and BlackRock Inc.