Walmart announced on Monday that it will end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The company emphasized that its decisions were driven by a desire to foster belonging and open doors to opportunities for all associates, customers, and suppliers. As part of the changes, Walmart will cease funding events aimed at influencing children sexually, stop participating in the Human Rights Coalition’s Corporate Equality Index, and remove the gender-neutral term “Latinx” from its documents, according to conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck.
Walmart will also revise its Supplier Inclusion program, which faced criticism for offering preferential treatment to minority, women, and LGBT-owned businesses. The company will no longer extend funding beyond its 2020 commitment of $100 million to the nonprofit Center for Racial Equity. Additionally, Walmart will eliminate products marketed to children that have been deemed inappropriate, such as chest binders, from its website.
Starbuck, who had been investigating Walmart’s DEI practices, called the decision a “massive win” for the conservative movement, which advocates for equality of opportunity rather than the equality of outcome promoted by DEI policies. Other companies, such as Lowe’s, Ford, and Jack Daniel’s, have also moved away from DEI initiatives.
The changes come amid growing backlash against DEI programs in corporate America and other sectors. President-elect Trump has signaled plans to eliminate divisive policies in the U.S. military, with his Defense Secretary-designate, Pete Hegseth, stating that generals involved in DEI should be removed. Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, expects a 2024 revenue of $657.3 billion.
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