(Reuters) – Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) have joined a growing number of U.S. companies in scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), meant to boost racial and ethnic representation at workplaces against the backdrop of rising pressure from conservative groups.
At least six major U.S. companies, including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), modified their DEI policies last year, according to a Reuters review of corporate statements.
Here is a list of companies that have either dropped the DEI program or made tweaks to some of the policies in 2024:
Company Statement
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) 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 (NASDAQ:TSCO) also said it would eliminate DEI
roles and retire its current DEI goals.
Deere (NYSE:DE) 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 (NYSE:LOW) 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 (NYSE:F) The automaker said it will change its DEI
program, including ending participation in an
LGBTQ advocacy group’s ranking system.
Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP) 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 (NYSE:BA) 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 (NYSE:WMT) 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.
The social media company ended its DEI
Meta programs, including those for hiring, training
Platforms and picking suppliers.
The ecommerce giant was “winding down outdated
Amazon.com programs and materials” as part of a review of
hundreds of initiatives, according to a memo
sent to employees in December.
