Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, joining a growing number of major corporations facing pressure from conservative activists.
The move follows a campaign led by conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who has previously pressured other major corporations like Tractor Supply, Ford, and Harley Davidson to alter their DEI strategies. Announcing the development on social media, Starbuck claimed to have engaged Walmart executives with the intent of publishing “a story on wokeness there” timed to coincide with Black Friday. According to Starbuck, these discussions led to “productive conversations to find solutions.”
Among the changes Starbuck reported Walmart has agreed to are:
- Scaling back employee DEI training.
- Ceasing participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual LGBTQ+ index.
- Reviewing involvement in Pride and similar events.
- Removing terms like “DEI” and “Latinx” from official communications.
- Evaluating its marketplace for sexually explicit products marketed under LGBTQ+ themes.
- Halting the consideration of diversity metrics in its relationships with contractors and suppliers.
In a social media post, Starbuck quoted communications with Walmart, stating, “We will evaluate supplier diversity programs and ensure they do not provide preferential treatment and benefits to suppliers based on diversity. We don’t have quotas and won’t going forward. Financing eligibility will no longer be predicated on providing certain demographic data.”
Starbuck’s claims were corroborated by Bloomberg News, which reported Monday that Walmart confirmed these policy shifts.
The activist commended Walmart’s leadership for its decision, stating, “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.” He emphasized Walmart’s immense influence on the U.S. retail landscape, suggesting the decision could inspire similar actions at other companies.
Starbuck also issued a warning to other retail giants, such as Amazon and Target, suggesting they could face similar campaigns. “Companies like Amazon and Target should be very nervous that their top competitor dropped woke policies first. I think Target specifically will suffer serious sales problems as a result, and Walmart will benefit,” he wrote.
This shift highlights the growing tension between public demand for inclusivity and backlash from those who view DEI initiatives as overreach.
