The world’s largest retailer has decided to roll back its diversity policies following pressure from conservative activists. It’s part of a wider trend in the United States that’s been described as a return to “normalcy.”
American retail corporation Walmart will curb its so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program, Bloomberg and the Associated Press reported on Monday, citing a company statement. DEI refers to measures aimed at ensuring equal representation for people of all backgrounds, regardless of their race, gender, or disability status.
The multinational will no longer consider race and gender with a view to boosting diversity when granting supplier contracts. It will also stop using the term “DEI” in official communications, curb racial equity training for staff, end participation in the Corporate Equality Index, and review its support for Pride and other events, according to Bloomberg. Some LGBTQ-related merchandise marketed to children will also be removed from its website.
Last week, conservative influencer Robby Starbuck – whose stated goal is to “bring sanity back to corporate America” – pledged to expose “wokeness” within the company. On Monday, the activist released a statement on X, claiming that Walmart had agreed to the changes after having “productive conversations to find solutions.”
Some of the policy changes, such as a move away from using the word DEI in job titles and communications, have been in progress for a while, AP quoted a Walmart spokesperson as saying.
The retailer, which employs 1.6 million workers in the US, has become the latest and the largest company so far to curb its diversity programs. Previously, Harley Davidson, John Deere, Boeing, Polaris, Ford, Jack Daniels, Caterpillar, and others announced changes to their corporate policy.
“Companies can clearly see that America wants normalcy back. The era of wokeness is dying right in front of our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality,” wrote Starbuck, who has over 700,000 followers on X.
One of them is Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a vocal critic of DEI. “Great!” the billionaire wrote in response to Starbuck’s announcement.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that US President-elect Donald Trump, who has picked Musk to become his government efficiency adviser, plans to outlaw DEI initiatives in workplaces and educational institutions when he assumes office in January.
The pressure against corporate DEI policies got a boost following a 2023 ruling in the Students for Fair Admissions vs Harvard case. The US Supreme Court ruled in June of last year that it is unconstitutional to consider an applicant’s race as a factor in making a decision on university admission. Conservative groups have since started making similar arguments about corporations and their workplace initiatives such as DEI.