09-05-2024
Lowe’s and Ford became the latest large companies to reverse 2020-era diversity efforts because of the conservative backlash and changing political environment. A conservative podcaster claims he approached Lowe's management to warn them that he intended to target their employee resources groups and donations to Pride events, according to reporting from the Washington Post. Lowe's shared that it was reviewing its DEI policies following the Supreme Court's affirmative action decision in a memo to employees. Similarly, Ford shared revisions with its employees. In its letter, Ford said it evolved its Employee Resource Groups to focus on "networking, mentorship, personal and professional development, and community service," with all groups open to everyone. Ford will stop participating with the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and “best places to work lists.” The Human Rights Campaign scores companies based on equality measures for LGBTQ+ individuals.
These corporate changes have had a considerable impact on nonprofits working to bring diversity to industries. A recent article in the Washington Post noted at least five groups designed to bring more women and people of color to tech shut down because companies are distancing themselves from those efforts. Tech continues to employ primarily men, with just 26% of science, tech, engineering, and math workers made up of women. Black workers make up less than 6% of Google's U.S. offices. Some of these nonprofits want to rebrand to entice these employers to continue broadening their workforce, using language around "culture, identity, and belonging" or leadership development, not equity.