Costco Refuses To Buckle To Pressure From Conservatives To Ditch DEI

A statement from the store read, 'We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.'

Unlike John Deere, Tractor Supply Co., and Walmart, businesses that caved to pressure from far-right conservative figures, Costco is standing by its pledge to uphold its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

According to CNN, the big box wholesale retailer’s board of directors indicated in a proxy statement to its investors that the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives contribute to Costco’s core values.

“Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the ‘treasure hunt’ that our customers value,” Costco’s board of directors said in its proxy statement to the company’s investors. “We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.”

The board continued, pointedly criticizing a proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research that the company issue a report on the risks of maintaining its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

“The proponent professes concern about legal and financial risks to the company and its shareholders associated with the diversity initiatives,” the board of directors stated. “The supporting statement demonstrates that it is the proponent and others that are responsible for inflicting burdens on companies with their challenges to longstanding diversity programs. The proponent’s broader agenda is not reducing risk for the company but abolition of diversity initiatives.”

As The Seattle Times reported, the statement from Costco’s board of directors follows recent activity from the NCPPR against DEI, decarbonization, and disarmament policies issued to American Express, Intel, General Electric, Progressive, Ford, and Duke Energy, all of whom denounced those policies in response to the group’s purported concern over potential lawsuits.

According to the outlet, that group and Stephen Miller’s America First Legal are likely to increase their targeted litigation and challenges of DEI initiatives after President-elect Donald Trump returns to power in January 2025.

In its proposal to Costco, the NCPPR also mentioned a false claim that purported that Microsoft fired its entire DEI team; those reports were later proved false according to an internal memo released by Microsoft’s Chief Diversity Officer Lindsey Rae McIntyre in July 2024.

According to Microsoft spokesperson Jeff Jones, “As we move forward, our D&I commitments remain unchanged,” Jones said in July 2024. “Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work.”