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Walmart becomes latest – and greatest
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Walmart becomes latest – and greatest

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining a growing list of major companies that have done the same after coming under attack from conservative activists.

The changes, confirmed by Walmart on Monday, are sweeping and range from not renewing a five-year commitment to a racial equity center created in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd, to removing a major index gay rights. And when it comes to race or gender, Walmart won’t give suppliers priority treatment.

Walmart’s decisions underscore the growing pressure facing U.S. businesses as they continue to deal with the fallout from the June 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action in college admissions. ‘university. Emboldened by the ruling, conservative groups have filed lawsuits making similar arguments against corporations, targeting workplace initiatives such as diversity programs and hiring practices that prioritize historically marginalized groups.

RELATED STORY | U.S. Companies Are Canceling DEI Programs to Critics’ Praise, But Consumers Disagree, Data Shows

Separately, conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck attacked corporate DEI policies, denouncing individual companies on the social media platform were withdrawing their initiatives, including Ford, Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and tractor supply.

But Walmart, which employs 1.6 million people in the United States, is the largest company to do so.

“This is the biggest victory yet for our movement to end wokeness in corporate America,” Starbuck wrote on X, adding that he had a conversation with Walmart.

Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to ensure they do not contain sexual and transgender products intended for minors. This would include chest straps aimed at young people undergoing gender reassignment, the company said.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer will also review subsidies provided to Pride events to ensure it is not financially supporting sexualized content that may not be suitable for children. For example, the company wants to make sure a family pavilion isn’t next to a drag show at a Pride event, the company said.

Additionally, Walmart will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test for improving diversity when offering contracts with its suppliers. The company said it had no quotas and would not impose them in the future. It will not collect demographic data to determine eligibility for funding for these grants.

RELATED STORY | Lawsuit accuses Wells Fargo of ‘fictitious interviews’ to comply with DEI policy

Walmart also said it would not renew a racial equity center that was created as part of a five-year, $100 million philanthropic commitment by the company with a mandate, according to its site Web, to “address the root causes of the achievement gaps encountered by Black people”. and African Americans in the education, health, finance, and criminal justice systems.

And it would stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark that measures workplace inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees.

“We’ve come a long way and know we’re not perfect, but every decision comes from a desire to foster a sense of belonging, open doors to opportunity for all of our associates, customers and suppliers and to be a Walmart. for everyone,” the company said in a statement.

The changes come shortly after the election victory of former President Donald Trump, who criticized DEI initiatives and surrounded himself with like-minded conservatives, including his former adviser Stephen Miller, who leads a group called America First Legal who challenged companies’ DEI policies. . Trump named Miller as deputy policy chief for his new administration.

A Walmart spokesperson said some of its policy changes have been in the works for some time. For example, he abandoned the use of the word DEI in job titles and communications and began using the word “belonging.” It also began making changes to its vendor program following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling.

Some have urged companies to stick to their DEI policies. Last month, a group of Democrats in Congress appealed to Fortune 1000 executives, saying DEI efforts give everyone a fair chance at the American dream.