Following criticism from conservative activists, Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, is joining an increasing number of large firms in reversing their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Walmart announced the extensive changes on Monday, which range from withdrawing from a well-known homosexual rights index to not renewing a five-year pledge for a racial equity center established in 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd. Additionally, Walmart will not give suppliers preferential treatment based on their gender or color.
Walmart’s actions highlight the mounting pressure on business America as it continues to deal with the consequences of the June 2023 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to abolish affirmative action in college admissions. Encouraged by that ruling, conservative organizations have sued businesses on similar grounds, focusing on workplace policies including diversity initiatives and hiring procedures that give preference to historically underrepresented groups.
More
business
-
Portland Community College cuts ties with Pacific Office Automation over sex assault allegations
-
Thanksgiving gas prices in Oregon cheapest since 2020
-
Nonprofit Literary Arts sets opening date for new Portland headquarters, bookshop
-
Small businesses cheer decision striking down expansion of overtime pay for workers
-
Home-loan agency bumps maximum for federally guaranteed mortgages
On the social media site X, conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck has been criticizing corporate DEI policies and naming specific businesses. A number of those businesses, including Ford, Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s, and Tractor Supply, have since said that they are discontinuing their campaigns.
But the biggest is Walmart, which has 1.6 million employees in the United States.
Starbuck posted on X that he had spoken with Walmart and that this was the largest victory to date for our campaign to eradicate wokeness in corporate America.
Walmart told The Associated Press that it will keep a closer eye on its third-party marketplace products to ensure that they don’t include sexual and transgender items that are targeted at children. According to the company, these would include breast bindings designed for young people undergoing a gender transition.
In order to ensure that it is not financially promoting sexualized content that could not be appropriate for children, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company will also be examining grants to Pride events. For instance, the company stated that it wants to ensure that a family pavilion at a Pride event is not adjacent to a drag act.
Furthermore, Walmart will no longer use gender and race as a yardstick for increasing diversity in its supplier contracts. The business stated that it had no quotas and would not in the future. In order to determine funding eligibility for those programs, demographic information won’t be gathered.
Additionally, Walmart announced that it would not renew a racial equity center that was created as part of a $100 million, five-year philanthropic commitment from the company. The center’s mission, according to its website, is to address the underlying causes of the disparities in outcomes that Black and African American people face in the criminal justice, health, education, and financial systems.
Additionally, it would no longer take part in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index, which gauges how inclusive workplaces are for LGBTQ+ workers.
We’ve been on a journey and are aware that we’re not perfect, but every choice we make is motivated by the desire to create a sense of community, provide opportunities for all of our employees, clients, and suppliers, and be a Walmart for everyone, the firm stated in a statement.
The changes follow the election victory of former President Donald Trump, who has attacked DEI programs and surrounded himself with conservatives who share his views, such as Stephen Miller, his former adviser who directs America First Legal, a group that has opposed corporate DEI policies. Miller was named the deputy chief of policy in Trump’s new government.
According to a Walmart representative, the company has been working on some policy modifications for some time. In work titles and communications, for instance, the term DEI has been gradually being replaced by the word belonging. After the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision, it also began to modify its supplier program.
Companies have been urged by some to adhere to their DEI policies. A group of congressional Democrats made a pitch to Fortune 1000 leaders last month, arguing that DEI initiatives provide equal opportunities for everyone to realize the American dream.
— Innocenzio, Anne D.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
