A group of 14 attorneys general have united in a letter urging Walmart to rethink its decision to scale back on its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The coalition of attorneys general sent the letter in response to Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, pausing its DEI initiatives following the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in higher education, CBS News reported.
“We are writing to express our concern regarding Walmart’s recent decision to step away from its commitments to diversity, equity,
and inclusion (“DEI”). In particular, we are concerned that Walmart’s decision to phase out supplier diversity programs, close down the Center for Racial Equality, end equity training for staff, and remove the words “diversity” and “DEI” from company documents and employee titles risks undermining important social progress and anti-discrimination efforts,” the letter read.The rollback of DEI efforts came after the Supreme Court’s decision, with conservative anti-DEI groups filing lawsuits against corporations to challenge diversity programs and racially conscious hiring practices. As a result,
Walmart, along with Ford, McDonald’s, Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, Harley-Davidson, and Meta, all announced the termination of their DEI programs.However, the attorneys general argue that opponents of DEI have misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College to pressure businesses into abandoning DEI programs. The coalition emphasized that these programs remain legal and are essential for ensuring compliance with civil rights laws.
“Diversity, equity,
and inclusion policies are critical tools for preventing discrimination and addressing historic injustices against minorities and other marginalized groups,” Maryland Attorney General Brown said in a statement. “When major companies roll back their commitments to these efforts, they signal to smaller businesses that it is acceptable to do the same, creating a ripple effect that inflicts lasting harm across our State and nation.”Walmart’s policy changes include no longer factoring in race and gender when making supplier decisions, ending several diversity programs, and replacing the terms “diversity” and “DEI” with “belonging” in official documents.
The attorneys general who signed the letter are from California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, and Rhode Island. They are calling on Walmart’s CEO to respond to the letter and their call against ending DEI initiatives.RELATED CONTENT: Axed Disney Employee Hacked Menus To Exclude Food Allergens; Added Swastika, Mass Shooting Locations