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Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Ford reverses DEI initiatives, following trend in corporate world.

Ford Motor is the latest company to walk back some of its commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The automaker has taken “a fresh look” at its DEI policies and practices over the past year to take into account the evolving “external and legal environment related to political and social issues,” according to an internal communication that was shared with global Ford employees. Ford confirmed the letter was authentic and said it had no additional comment on the matter.

Ford’s move follows retailer Tractor Supply, which was one of the first major companies to stop its DEI efforts. Tractor Supply severed ties earlier this summer with the Human Rights Campaign and retired DEI targets like boosting the number of employees of color at the manager level. Harley-Davidson, whose board of directors includes Ford CEO Jim Farley, also decided last week to stop consulting the HRC’s metric for treatment of LGBTQ+ employees and affirmed that it does not have a DEI function.

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s joined the efforts earlier this week and noted that it might also make additional changes to the policies over time. The companies have cited conservative backlash or changing social and political environments in their announcements. Tractor Supply and Harley-Davidson also noted a desire to appeal to their more rural or conservative-leaning customers.

In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said, “Ford Motor Company’s shortsighted decisions will have long-term consequences.” The organization also added that it evaluates every Fortune 500 company on its equality index, regardless of whether or not the company submits additional information about its priorities, which means Ford will continue to be scored on the list.

Many companies, including automakers such as Ford, amped up their DEI commitments in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests of the summer of 2020. But, in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn affirmative action in colleges, a growing number of conservative activists on social media have called on companies to stop investing in DEI.

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