Walmart has announced plans to cut back on some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a spokesperson said on Monday. The move comes amid growing pressure from conservative groups.
The US retail joint will no longer consider race and gender when granting supplier contracts, according to Bloomberg. The company will also scale back racial equity training and stop participating in rankings by the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group.
A Walmart spokesperson confirmed the changes, stating, “We are willing to change alongside our associates and customers who represent all of America.”
Walmart’s decision follows a similar move by other major US companies, including Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase, and Ford. These companies have modified their DEI policies in response to pressure from conservative groups.
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck claimed credit for Walmart’s decision, stating that he had “productive conversations” with company executives. Starbuck has been a vocal critic of DEI initiatives and has targeted several companies over their employment policies.
In addition to scaling back its DEI initiatives, Walmart has also agreed to monitor its online marketplace for listings that may be deemed objectionable or what Starbuck describes as “sexual and/or transgender products marketed to children” and remove them if necessary.
The company will also review its grants for Pride events to ensure that they are not supporting “sexualised content” that may be unsuitable for children.