U.S. companies adjust diversity policies as challenges mount

(Adds Meta, Amazon, updated) Jan 10 (Reuters) – Meta Platforms and Amazon.com have joined a growing number of U.S. companies scaling back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts to This comes amid growing pressure from conservative groups to improve racial and ethnic representation in the workplace. At least six major U.S. companies, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., revised their DEI policies last year, according to a Reuters review of company statements. Here is a list of companies that are abandoning DEI programs or making adjustments to some of their policies in 2024: Company Statement Starbucks In March, the coffee giant’s shareholders voted in favor of an executive compensation plan that eliminated bonuses tied to DEI goals. . Tractor said in late June that Supply would no longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which advocates for LGBTQ rights. Tractor Supply also said it would eliminate the DEI role and eliminate current DEI goals. Deere & Company said in July that it would not participate in or support outside social or cultural awareness parades, festivals or events. The farm equipment maker also reiterated that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun recognition has never been company policy. Harley-David In August, the motorcycle maker said it would not participate in the HRC investigation and had ended its DEI program. Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s, said it would ensure executive incentives and employee goals are tied to business performance, stop participating in an HRC investigation and scrap its workforce size and supplier diversity goals. Lowe’s The home improvement chain will no longer participate in the HRC investigation and combine its various business resources representing different employees into one umbrella organization. Lowe’s said in August that it would not sponsor or participate in community events such as parades, festivals or fairs. Ford Motor Co. said it will make changes to its DEI program, including ending participation in a ranking system for LGBTQ advocacy groups. Beer maker Molson Coors said it will remove Beverage from the HRC index starting next year and tie executive incentives to business performance rather than ideal representation goals. Boeing Co. has dissolved its global diversity, equity and inclusion unit, Bloomberg reports. Sara Liang Bowen, Boeing’s vice president of diversity, announced on LinkedIn in October that she had left the company. Retail leader Walmart will no longer consider race and gender when awarding supplier contracts to promote diversity and is scaling back racial equity training. Walmart also stopped participating in HRC’s rankings and reviewed its support of Pride and other events. The social media company ended its DEI Meta initiative, which included programs for recruiting, training platforms and selecting vendors. The e-commerce giant is “phasing out outdated Amazon.com procedures and materials” as part of a review of hundreds of initiatives, according to a memo sent to employees in December. (Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Tasim Zahid)