Ford Motor Co. told employees it would modify its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and end participation in a notable ranking by an LGBTQ advocacy group, joining a series of companies including Lowe’s Cos. and Harley-Davidson Inc. in curtailing some of the programs.
“We are mindful that our employees and customers hold a wide range of beliefs,“ Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley wrote in an internal email, which was shared with Bloomberg by anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck and confirmed as authentic by the company. “The external and legal environment related to political and social issues continues to evolve.”
Ford said it will no longer engage with the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and various “best places to work” lists, and that it refocused employee resource groups and opened them to all its employees. The carmaker also said it would shift some of its corporate sponsorships and comment less on polarizing issues.
Tractor Supply Co., Deere & Co. and Harley-Davidson each said they’d revise their DEI initiatives after Starbuck started a stream of posts on social media platform X taking aim at what he describes as “woke” initiatives out of step with their customers. Starbuck has also claimed credit for changes at Lowe’s, saying on X the company announced changes to its DEI policy after Starbuck reached out to the home-improvement retailer last week.
Starbuck said he was investigating Ford’s policies before the announcement. Ford declined to comment beyond the memo.
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