Lowe's changes some DEI policies amid legal attacks on diversity programs and activist pressure
Home improvement chain Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining the ranks of several other companies that altered their programs since the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action in college admissions or after facing a conservative backlash online.
Related video above: People share reaction about Harley-Davidson dropping DEI initiatives
In an internal memo shared by Lowe's with The Associated Press, its executive leadership said the retailer began 바카라 게임 웹사이트reviewing바카라 게임 웹사이트 its programs following the court's July 2023 ruling and the company recently decided to combine its resource groups, which were for "individual groups representing diverse sections of our associate population," into one umbrella organization.
The retailer also will no longer participate in an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees, and will also stop sponsoring and participating in events, such as festivals and parades, that are outside of its business areas.
The changes were made to ensure Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s policies are 바카라 게임 웹사이트lawful바카라 게임 웹사이트 and aligned with its commitment to 바카라 게임 웹사이트include everyone,바카라 게임 웹사이트 the memo states.
바카라 게임 웹사이트We may make additional changes over time,바카라 게임 웹사이트 the company바카라 게임 웹사이트s leadership team said in the memo. 바카라 게임 웹사이트What will not change, though, is our commitment to our people.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Robby Starbuck, a conservative political commentator who has gone after companies like Tractor Supply and John Deere, for the changes Monday in a post , saying he had approached a Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s executive online last week and detailed his plans to 바카라 게임 웹사이트expose바카라 게임 웹사이트 the company over its hiring policies and other topics, such as LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and funding for Pride events.
However, Lowe's spokesperson Steve Salazar pushed back on that claim in an email Tuesday, noting that Starbuck's outreach came after the company 바카라 게임 웹사이트already announced changes that had long been in process바카라 게임 웹사이트 internally. The company memo did not specify when exactly these changes were implemented but noted that they were discussed at an August 21 meeting.
Over the last week, Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s has knocked down a different claim spreading on social media, in which a digitally-altered image quoted Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s CEO Marvin Ellison as saying that conservatives who didn바카라 게임 웹사이트t like the company바카라 게임 웹사이트s values should instead shop at rival Home Depot.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s CEO did not make this comment,바카라 게임 웹사이트 the company to several users who shared the image. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Everyone is welcome at Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s.바카라 게임 웹사이트
For his part, Ellison has diversified the company바카라 게임 웹사이트s ranks, adding more women and ethnically diverse leaders since taking the helm in 2018. Ellison, who is Black and grew up in segregated rural Tennessee, has also been outspoken about racism since the police killing of George Floyd, which sparked major protests for racial justice in 2020.
Criticism of such DEI policies has extended well beyond Lowe바카라 게임 웹사이트s to companies across all industries. They include boycott calls on social media as well as legal attacks following the Supreme Court바카라 게임 웹사이트s affirmative action ruling, which many anti-DEI activists want to use to set a similar precedent in the working world.
Starbuck, who has a sizable following on X, has used the platform as a mega phone to target DEI policies at Tractor Supply, farm equipment maker John Deere, motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson and whiskey maker Jack Daniels. During an interview with The AP last month, the 35-year-old Cuban American said he has a list of companies he is thinking of posting content about, but was starting with ones that have traditionally conservative customer bases.
Following an online pressure campaign earlier this summer, Tractor Supply and John Deere ended some diversity measures. Last week, Harley-Davidson backtracked on its DEI policies, though the company noted in its announcement that it has not 바카라 게임 웹사이트operated a DEI function since April 2024.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Jack Daniels' parent company Brown-Forman said last week that it had 바카라 게임 웹사이트adjusted바카라 게임 웹사이트 its diversity and inclusion strategy to 바카라 게임 웹사이트ensure it continues to drive our business results while appropriately recognizing the current environment in which we find ourselves.바카라 게임 웹사이트 Starbuck suggested on X that the company had reacted preemptively after his team looked at employee profiles on LinkedIn.
Though the changes are welcomed by conservative activists, DEI advocates say that, by conceding to Starbuck and other right-wing figures, corporations are essentially giving in to hate.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Racial justice and LGBTQ inclusion are being, for lack of a better word, sort of scapegoated by a small, organized effort that바카라 게임 웹사이트s really seeking to dictate how companies conduct their business," said Jen Stark, co-director of the Center for Business and Social Justice at BSR, a consulting network of more than 300 companies.
Stark said it's a challenging environment for companies today, but stressed that a majority are keeping diversity and inclusion programs in place because they make good business sense. However, following last year바카라 게임 웹사이트s Supreme Court decision, she noted that businesses need to ensure their DEI programs are 바카라 게임 웹사이트on firm ground바카라 게임 웹사이트 바카라 게임 웹사이트 and avoid overcorrection when and if backlash arrives, which she noted can cause more harm.
바카라 게임 웹사이트This isn바카라 게임 웹사이트t just a step backward for workplaces,바카라 게임 웹사이트 she said. 바카라 게임 웹사이트It바카라 게임 웹사이트s really a retreat from how we normalize practices that remove barriers and impediments for everyone.바카라 게임 웹사이트
On Tuesday, the Human Rights Campaign, which Lowe's is no longer partnering with under its new policy, blasted such retreats from DEI and pointed to potential impacts on companies' bottom line by turning off LGBTQ+ and other consumers.
Orlando Gonzales, HRC바카라 게임 웹사이트s senior vice president of programs, research and training, called the changes 바카라 게임 웹사이트shortsighted decisions contrary to safe and inclusive workplaces바카라 게임 웹사이트 that would create a 바카라 게임 웹사이트snowball effect of negative long-term consequences." Gonzales also took particular aim at Starbuck 바카라 게임 웹사이트 arguing companies 바카라 게임 웹사이트should not cower to a random guy with zero business experience바카라 게임 웹사이트 and that the activist was removed from Tennessee Republican party because he is 바카라 게임 웹사이트so extreme.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Starbuck, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, said last month that his list included companies perceived as mainstream or middle of the road politically, including Microsoft. For a company such as coffee chain Starbucks, on the other hand, it would be 바카라 게임 웹사이트hard to force boycott pressure on them,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he said.
Stark noted the outcome of the U.S. election 바카라 게임 웹사이트will also turn the thermostat, up or down바카라 게임 웹사이트 on the DEI conversation. A second term for former President Donald Trump would likely increase pressure against DEI policies 바카라 게임 웹사이트 with many of Trump's supporters already signaling ways they바카라 게임 웹사이트d like to see such practices dismantled 바카라 게임 웹사이트 whereas his challenger Kamala Harris could have the opposite effect.
Some companies are bracing for the prospects of potential changes in terms of their federal contracts, for example, which have historically been a powerful way to promote equity in workplaces. And others may be looking to change language or find new workarounds to existing programs.
바카라 게임 웹사이트We could see potentially a resurgence of DEI related efforts or retrenchment," she said. 바카라 게임 웹사이트I think a through line will be that companies will continue again to do this work in practice or in name 바카라 게임 웹사이트 (but) the degree to which they show up publicly will be dependent on the landscape."