Walmart is one of the latest corporations pulling back from its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, phasing out many of its programs and removing the words “diversity” and “DEI” from documents.
However, the move has raised concerns among a group of state attorneys general who are calling on Walmart to reconsider the changes.
The top prosecutors from 13 states signed the letter addressed to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon. They want to know why Walmart is rolling back its diversity policies and how the company is planning to protect civil rights in the workplace.
The company confirmed the changes back in November, saying it would no longer hold diversity trainings, nor give priority to diverse suppliers, and will be removing the words “diversity” and “DEI” from its vernacular altogether.
Instead, the company has started to use the word “belonging” in communication. It also stopped collecting demographic data on potential suppliers.
In response to the moves, 13 Democratic attorneys general say in part, “Threats to boycott, sue or otherwise negatively impact Walmart’s bottom line may well have contributed to your decision to walk away from your commitments to DEI. But we are concerned that Walmart failed to consider the other side — the customers and employees that will be alienated by this departure.”
NewsNation spoke with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul about why he wanted to send the letter.
“There could be economic pressure from the other side of things which is, quite frankly, the majority of the United States,” he said. “Women and minorities buy as well, have purchasing power as well.”
“On the heels of George Floyd’s murder, Walmart had stepped forth and said that we’re making a commitment to the very thing that they’re now abandoning,” he added. “So I question how genuine that commitment was.”
NewsNation reached out to Walmart about the letter. The company told us it remains “committed to creating a culture where everyone can be successful.”
Walmart isn’t the only company making moves to step back from DEI. Other major corporations like McDonald’s, Meta, Ford, Molson Coors and several others are dropping DEI initiatives as well.
Many of the changes came following the Supreme Court ruling last summer eliminating affirmative action in schools, though that ruling does not have any implications for private businesses.
Workers themselves are divided on the issue.
Pew Research data from November found 21 percent of workers think DEI is a bad idea, up 5 percentage points from the year prior.
“I understand people have certainly suffered in recent years just to make ends meet, getting paycheck to paycheck, some of them have their employment and some have taken to trying to convince such people that it is because somebody else is taking your opportunity,” Raoul said.
“Frankly, the numbers don’t reflect that. The numbers do not reflect that DEI programs or any other programs are taking away these opportunities in any significant number from others,” he added.
Meanwhile, 52 percent of people said think DEI at work is a good thing, a number that is down 4 percentage points from a year ago.
However, political and public pressure has still encouraged businesses to pull back from DEI and President-elect Trump is openly opposed to such policies.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.
