Lowes alters DEI policies following conservative activist campaign

Aug 27

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Another major company has announced plans to move away from policies emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion. Lowes released a memo to its employees this week saying it is making changes to DEI guidelines.

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The home improvement giant joins other companies, such as Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply, John Deere and the maker of Jack Daniels in scaling back these programs.

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One driver of this change has been a conservative activist and podcaster named Robby Starbuck. Starbuck has been sharing videos where he actively campaigns against corporate DEI initiatives. Efforts have been ramped up in recent months, largely driven by Starbuck’s campaigns and a broader corporate reassessment of DEI strategies.

Lowes said it’s scaling back its sponsorships and focusing only on issues directly tied to the business. Issues like affordable housing, and disaster relief top that list. Additionally, Lowes plans to stop participating in Pride events and submitting data to the Human Rights Campaign.

DEI programs are designed to diversify companies and ensure equal access to opportunities. They include initiatives such as mentorship programs, anti-bias training and employee resource groups. Critics argue that race and gender-based preferences can themselves be discriminatory.

Across the country, DEI programs are facing increasing legal challenges, with lawsuits pending against schools, government agencies and corporations. Despite the pressure DEI programs still have significant public support. A recent poll by the Washington Post found that about 6 in 10 Americans view DEI efforts as a “good thing.”

Tags: Conservative, DEI, Lawsuit, Lowes

Lauren Taylor

ANOTHER MAJOR COMPANY IS ANNOUNCING PLANS TO MOVE AWAY FROM POLICIES EMPHASIZING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

LOWES RELEASING A MEMO TO EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK SAYING THEY ARE MAKING CHANGES TO THEIR D-E-I GUIDELINES.

THE HOME-IMPROVEMENT GIANT JOINS THE LIKES OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON, TRACTOR SUPPLY, JOHN DEERE, AND THE MAKER OF JACK DANIEL’S IN SCALING BACK THESE PROGRAMS,

A BIG DRIVER OF THIS CHANGE: A CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST AND PODCASTER.

ROBBY STARBUCK HAS BEEN SHARING VIDEOS – WHERE HE ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNS AGAINST CORPORATE DEI INITIATIVES.

THIS EFFORT HAS RAMPED UP IN RECENT MONTHS – LARGELY DRIVEN BY STARBUCK’S CAMPAIGNS AND A BROADER CORPORATE REASSESSMENT OF DEI STRATEGIES IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGING LEGAL LANDSCAPE.

LOWES SAYS IT’S SCALING BACK ITS SPONSORSHIPS, AND NOW FOCUSING ONLY ON ISSUES DIRECTLY TIED TO THEIR BUSINESS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DISASTER RELIEF. ADDITIONALLY, THEY PLAN TO STOP PARTICIPATING IN PRIDE EVENTS AND SUBMITTING DATA TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN.

DEI PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO DIVERSIFY COMPANIES AND ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES. THEY INCLUDE INITIATIVES SUCH AS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, ANTI-BIAS TRAINING AND EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS. HOWEVER, CRITICS ARGUE THAT RACE AND GENDER-BASED PREFERENCES CAN THEMSELVES BE DISCRIMINATORY.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DEI PROGRAMS ARE FACING INCREASING LEGAL CHALLENGES WITH LAWSUITS PENDING AGAINST SCHOOL, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND CORPORATIONS.

DESPITE THE PRESSURE, DEI PROGRAMS STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SUPPORT. A RECENT POLL BY THE WASHINGTON POST FOUND THAT ABOUT 6 IN 10 AMERICANS VIEW DEI EFFORTS AS A ‘GOOD THING.’

AS THIS STORY DEVELOPS, WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE BROADER IMPACTS AND RESPONSES FROM BOTH CORPORATIONS AND THE PUBLIC.