(Reuters) – Major U.S. companies from Facebook owner Meta Platforms to fast food chain McDonald’s have joined a growing number of firms dropping their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, meant to boost racial and ethnic representation at workplaces against the backdrop of rising pressure from conservative groups.
At least six major companies, including JPMorgan Chase, modified their DEI policies in 2023 according to a Reuters review of corporate statements.
Here are some of the companies that have scrapped their policy or facing pressure to pare back their DEI policies:
Company Statement
Starbucks In March, the coffee giant’s shareholders voted
for an executive compensation plan that dropped
a bonus related to DEI goals.
Tractor The company in late June said that it would no
Supply longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign
(HRC), which advocates for LGBTQ rights.
Tractor Supply also said it would eliminate DEI
roles and retire its current DEI goals.
Deere The company said in July it would not
participate in or support external social or
cultural awareness parades, festivals, or
events. The farm equipment maker also
reaffirmed that the existence of diversity
quotas and pronoun identification have never
been and are not company policy.
Harley-David In August, the motorcycle manufacturer said it
son would not participate in the HRC survey and had
ended its DEI initiatives.
Brown-Forman The Jack Daniel’s maker said it would ensure
executive incentives and employee goals are
tied to business performance, end participation
in the HRC survey and scrap its quantitative
workforce and supplier diversity goals.
Lowe’s The home improvement chain will no longer
participate in HRC surveys and will combine its
various business resource groups that represent
diverse employees into one umbrella
organization. Lowe’s said in August it would
not sponsor or participate in community events
such as parades, festivals, or fairs.
Ford Motor The automaker said it will change its DEI
program, including ending participation in an
LGBTQ advocacy group’s ranking system.
Molson Coors The beer maker said it will end participation
Beverage in the HRC index, and will tie executive
incentives to business performance and not
aspirational representation goals beginning
next year.
Boeing The planemaker has dismantled its global
diversity, equity and inclusion department
according to Bloomberg News. Boeing’s diversity
vice president Sara Liang Bowen announced in
October on LinkedIn that she had left the
company.
Walmart The retail bellwether will no longer consider
race and gender to boost diversity when
granting supplier contracts and is scaling back
racial equity training. Walmart is also
stopping participation in rankings by HRC and
also reviewing its support for Pride and other
events.
Meta The social media company ended its DEI
Platforms programs, including those for hiring, training
and picking suppliers.
Amazon.com The ecommerce giant was “winding down outdated
programs and materials” as part of a review of
hundreds of initiatives, according to a memo
sent to employees in December.
The fast-food chain is retiring its
McDonald’s goal for diversity in corporate leadership and
<MCD.N shifting away from some diversity practices.
McDonald’s also said the company’s diversity
team will now be called its “global inclusion
team.”
The iPhone maker’s board
Apple recommended investors
vote against a shareholder proposal
by National Center for Public
Policy – a conservative think-tank – to abolish
the company’s DEI programs.
(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Tasim Zahid and Maju Samuel)
