Where Not To Spend Your Money: NAACP Drops Guide Detailing Companies That Ditched DEI

The guide lists which companies have stood by and recently dropped their DEI programs and commitments.

The NAACP has released a new spending guide for Black Americans that lists the companies that have kept or dropped their DEI initiatives.

As a wave of boycotts combats the recent anti-DEI shift, the civil rights organization is helping Black Americans spend their dollars wisely. The spending guide details brands’ current stance on DEI policies, many of which launched in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020.

The guide details not only which companies have formally disbanded their DEI commitments but also how. The advisory lists brands that have eliminated DEI departments or positions that focus on uplifting diversity. It also lists those that have backtracked on goals for diverse supplier contracts and staffing quotas. Furthermore, the guide states which companies have walked back on investments in HBCUs.

According to the NAACP, the spending guide emphasizes Black Americans’ power in the retail and consumer space. They noted that diversity efforts should be championed by both businesses and the demographic alike. Moreover, they noted that DEI programs can directly help the advancement of Black people.

“Diversity is better for the bottom line,” explained NAACP President Derrick Johnson to The Associated Press. “In a global economy, those who reject the multicultural nature of consumerism and business will be left in the past they are living in.”

As the guide spreads across the internet, the NAACP is meeting with big-name companies, such as Walmart, Amazon, and McDonald’s, to discuss their changes to DEI programming and the fallout with Black consumers. Another company that faced immediate calls for boycotts, Target, will also reportedly meet with NAACP leaders.

However, the guide praised companies like Costco and Ben & Jerry’s for standing firm in their DEI practices. Amid the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown, Trump has faced significant pushback and subsequent lawsuits. Since the executive order against DEI was signed, it has permeated standalone companies’ ethos.

For Johnson, explicitly listing these companies aims to hold them accountable with this massive consumer base. While noting that Black people are more likely to reside in consumer deserts, a study by McKinsey also estimated that Black American’s spending power can reach $1.7 trillion by 2030.

He added, “If corporations want our dollars, they better be ready to do the right thing.”