Several prominent brands, including Ford and Coors Light, have withdrawn their participation from an LGBTQ+ ranking system, a move that has been interpreted as a step back from diversity initiatives.
The ranking system, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a left-leaning organization, evaluates companies based on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and efforts related to the LGBTQIA community.
According to The Post Millennial, other brands such as Harley-Davidson, Lowe's, Tractor Supply, and Brown-Forman, the distiller for Jack Daniels, have also announced their decision to discontinue their association with the HRC. These companies, which had previously scored well on the HRC's "Corporate Equality Index," have refrained from providing specific reasons for their withdrawal. The index, as described by the HRC, serves as a "national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees."
The companies' announcements also indicated that they would cease sharing data with the HRC. Interestingly, each of these corporations had been the focus of conservative filmmaker and commentator Robby Starbuck. Starbuck has been vocal in his criticism of companies collaborating with the HRC, arguing that the index endorses policies that conservatives might find objectionable, such as advocating for sex changes for minors.
In a memo, Ford CEO Jim Farley acknowledged the company's pioneering role in providing opportunities for people of all races, genders, and backgrounds. However, he also indicated that policy changes were imminent, influenced by the "external and legal environment related to political and social issues."
Reacting to Ford's decision, HRC President Kelly Robinson expressed disappointment, asserting that the company was "signaling that inclusion and other core values are no longer a priority in the workplace." Robinson warned that such a stance could potentially harm the company's long-term business success, impacting everything from employee retention to consumer spending decisions.
The HRC clarified that it does not evaluate or score companies that do not provide data for the index rankings. Notably, Molson Coors distanced itself from the HRC shortly after Starbuck contacted the beer manufacturer's executives, threatening to "expose their woke policies."
In response to Starbuck's outreach, Molson Coors announced it would terminate its DEI training programs, halt donations to political events, withdraw from the HRC's ranking system, and discontinue initiatives such as diversity supplier goals. This series of events underscores the ongoing debate surrounding DEI initiatives and their place in the corporate world.
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