Home improvement chain Lowe’s is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining several other firms which have modified their programs for the reason that U.S. Supreme Court ruling. prohibited positive discrimination in college admissions or after facing conservative backlash online.
In an internal memo Lowe’s provided to the Associated Press, management said the retailer began “reviewing” its programs following the July 2023 court ruling and that the corporate recently decided to consolidate its resource groups, which were intended for “individual groups representing different parts of our workforce,” into one umbrella organization.
The retailer may also stop participating in an annual Human Rights Campaign survey that measures workplace inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees, and may also stop sponsoring and participating in events akin to festivals and parades which are outside its scope of business.
The changes were made to be sure that Lowe’s policies were “compliant with the law” and consistent with the corporate’s commitment to “inclusiveness,” the memo said.
“We may make additional changes over time,” the corporate’s leadership team said within the memo. “What will not change, however, is our commitment to our employees.”
Robby Starbuck, a conservative political commentator who has attacked firms akin to Tractor Supply and John Deere, took credit for the changes Monday in a post on XHe said he contacted a Lowe’s executive online last week and outlined his plans to “expose” the corporate over its hiring policies and other issues akin to LGBTQ+ worker resource groups and funding for Pride events.
However, Lowe’s spokesman Steve Salazar refuted that claim in an email Tuesday, noting that Starbucks reached out after the corporate internally “had already announced changes that had been in the works for a long time.” The company memo didn’t specify when exactly those changes were implemented, but noted that they were discussed at a gathering on August 21.
Last week, Lowe’s refuted one other claim circulating on social media, which included a digitally altered image of Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison saying, “Conservatives who don’t like the company’s values should shop at competitor Home Depot.”
“The CEO of Lowe’s did not make this comment,” the corporate said wrote on X in reply to several users who shared the image. “Everyone is welcome at Lowe’s.”
Ellison, for his part, has Diversification of the corporate’s ranksand has brought other women and ethnically diverse leaders on board since taking office in 2018. Ellison, who’s black herself and grew up in segregated rural Tennessee, has also been outspoken against racism for the reason that police killing of George Floyd, which sparked major protests for racial justice in 2020.
Criticism of such DEI policies extends far beyond Lowe’s and extends to firms in all industries. This includes calls for boycotts on social media and legal attacks following the Supreme Court ruling on positive discrimination, which many anti-DEI activists need to use to similar precedent on the planet of labor.
Starbuck, who has a large following on X, has used the platform as a megaphone to denounce DEI policies at Tractor accessoriesAgricultural equipment manufacturers John Deeremotorcycle maker Harley-Davidson and whiskey maker Jack Daniels. In an interview with The AP last month, Cuban, 35, said he has a listing of firms he desires to publish content about, but is starting with firms that traditionally have a conservative customer base.
Following a web based campaign earlier this summer, Tractor Supply and John Deere ended some diversity efforts. Last week, Harley-Davidson backtracked on its DEI policies, although the corporate noted in its announcement that it “will no longer operate a DEI function as of April 2024.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Jack Daniels’ parent company Brown-Forman said last week that it had “adapted” its diversity and inclusion technique to “ensure that it continues to drive our business results while appropriately reflecting the current environment we find ourselves in.” Starbuck suggested on X that the corporate had taken a preemptive motion after his team checked out worker profiles on LinkedIn.
While conservative activists welcome these changes, DEI advocates say that by accommodating Starbucks and other right-wing figures, the businesses are essentially giving in to hate.
“Racial justice and LGBTQ inclusion are being scapegoated, for lack of a better word, by a small, organized effort that really wants to dictate how companies do business,” said Jen Stark, co-director of the Center for Business and Social Justice at BSR, a consulting network of greater than 300 firms.
Stark said the environment for firms today is difficult, but stressed that almost all persist with diversity and inclusion programs because they make business sense. However, following the Supreme Court decision last yr, she noted that firms must ensure their DEI programs are “on solid ground” — and avoid overcorrecting when there may be backlash, which she said could cause much more damage.
“This isn’t just a step backwards for jobs,” she said. “It’s really a step backwards from how we normalize practices that remove barriers and obstacles for everyone.”
On Tuesday, the Human Rights Campaign, with which Lowe’s isn’t any longer partnering under its recent policy, sharply criticized such DEI retreats, mentioning the potential impact on firms’ bottom lines in the event that they alienate LGBTQ+ and other consumers.
Orlando Gonzales, HRC’s senior vice chairman of programs, research and training, called the changes “shortsighted decisions that are at odds with safe and inclusive workplaces” and would create a “snowball effect with negative long-term consequences.” Gonzales also took specific aim at Starbuck – arguing that firms “shouldn’t intimidate some random guy with no business experience” and that the activist was removed from the Republican Party of Tennessee since it is “so extreme”.
Starbuck, who didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment Tuesday, said last month that his list included firms considered politically mainstream or centrist, including Microsoft. For an organization like coffee chain Starbucks, then again, it might be “hard to put pressure on them to boycott,” he said.
Stark noted that the end result of the U.S. election “will also turn the thermostat up or down in the DEI debate.” A second term for former President Donald Trump would likely increase pressure against DEI policies – a lot of Trump’s supporters have already signaled they would love to abolish such practices – while his challenger, Kamala Harris, could have the alternative effect.
For example, some firms are bracing for potential changes to their federal contracts, which have historically been an efficient approach to promote equal employment opportunity. Others will want to change their language or find recent workarounds for existing programs.
“We could potentially see a resurgence in DEI-related efforts or a retreat from them,” she said. “I think a common thread will be that companies will resume this work in practice or in name – (but) to what extent they step up publicly will depend on the landscape.”
