The latest diversity, equity, and inclusion domino to fall is also the largest, as retail colossus Walmart confirmed that it is scaling back or eliminating related initiatives, including no longer using the term DEI in official communications, reviewing grants to Pride events, and not renewing the racial equity center commitments.
Anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck claimed credit for Walmart’s about-face, saying in a post on X Monday that he contacted Walmart last week and threatened to urge his 700,000-plus followers on the platform to boycott the chain before Black Friday and the start of the holiday shopping season.
However, a spokesperson for Walmart told Bloomberg that the company had already been reviewing its DEI efforts.
Pressure from Starbuck has been a factor in DEI reversals and rollbacks at companies including Boeing, Caterpillar, Craftsman, Dewalt, Ford, Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle, Jack Daniel’s, John Deere, Lowe’s, Molson Coors, Polaris, Stanley Black & Decker, Toyota, and Tractor Supply.
And fellow retail giant Target pulled Pride Month merchandise from roughly 2,000 stores in June.
Starbuck said in his X post, “Last week, I told execs at Walmart that I was doing a story on wokeness there. Instead, we had productive conversations to find solutions … I have to give their executives major credit because this will send shockwaves throughout corporate America. This is the biggest win yet for our movement to end wokeness in corporate America.”
Walmart said in a statement shared with The Associated Press, “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging; to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers, and suppliers; and to be a Walmart for everyone.”