The Collapse of Corporate DEI

[Grifman]

Walmart becomes the latest large corporation joining Ford, John Deere, Toyota and others to ditch corporate DEI initiatives:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/w ... -trend.amp

Whether you believe this is good or bad, it reveals the depth of corporate hypocrisy. When “wokeness” was riding high, corporate DEI was the hot thing. Now that the backlash from the right increasing, corporations are backtracking. But if it was the right thing to do, it was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?

I always thought from my experience at a Fortune 500 firm, a lot of this stuff was heavy handed and performative, and this does nothing to change my opinion.

[raydude]

Walmart becomes the latest large corporation joining Ford, John Deere, Toyota and others to ditch corporate DEI initiatives:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/w ... -trend.amp

Whether you believe this is good or bad, it reveals the depth of corporate hypocrisy. When “wokeness” was riding high, corporate DEI was the hot thing. Now that the backlash from the right increasing, corporations are backtracking. But if it was the right thing to do, it was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?

I always thought from my experience at a Fortune 500 firm, a lot of this stuff was heavy handed and performative, and this does nothing to change my opinion.

From a CNN article about Walmart rolling back DEI programs

It’s not clear what impact Walmart’s moves will have on its workforce of 1.6 million employees in the United States. More than half of its hourly employees and 42% of management are people of color, according to the company’s latest data.

Also from the article:

Companies that move away from their commitments to diversity could put them at odds with their own employees and hurt talent retention strategies, however. DEI initiatives have been shown to reduce employee attrition and increase employee motivation, according to Boston Consulting Group research based on data from more than 27,000 employees in 16 countries.

“Employees are going to insist and demand employers do something,” Harper said. “Those employers are going to be woefully underprepared to respond.”

So I guess it depends. If a worker didn't feel any significant changes from pre-DEI to DEI then this probably wouldn't affect them. But if a worker felt that DEI programs were a positive benefit to them then I can see them raising a fuss.

[LordMortis]

From a CNN article about Walmart rolling back DEI programs

[Isgrimnur]

Corporations don't do the "right" thing.

[Grifman]

Corporations don't do the "right" thing.

I would disagree - corporations are run by people and like people they sometimes do the “right” thing and sometimes they don’t. It’s not as black and white as your statement makes it out to be.

[Smoove_B]

Corporations do the "right thing" when (1) laws hold them accountable or (2) there are lawsuits that make not doing the "right thing" financially painful.

I will die on the hill that believes American corporations are largely inherently psychotic.

[LawBeefaroni]

Walmart becomes the latest large corporation joining Ford, John Deere, Toyota and others to ditch corporate DEI initiatives:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/w ... -trend.amp

Whether you believe this is good or bad, it reveals the depth of corporate hypocrisy. When “wokeness” was riding high, corporate DEI was the hot thing. Now that the backlash from the right increasing, corporations are backtracking. But if it was the right thing to do, it was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?

I always thought from my experience at a Fortune 500 firm, a lot of this stuff was heavy handed and performative, and this does nothing to change my opinion.

From a CNN article about Walmart rolling back DEI programs

It’s not clear what impact Walmart’s moves will have on its workforce of 1.6 million employees in the United States. More than half of its hourly employees and 42% of management are people of color, according to the company’s latest data.

Also from the article:

Companies that move away from their commitments to diversity could put them at odds with their own employees and hurt talent retention strategies, however. DEI initiatives have been shown to reduce employee attrition and increase employee motivation, according to Boston Consulting Group research based on data from more than 27,000 employees in 16 countries.

“Employees are going to insist and demand employers do something,” Harper said. “Those employers are going to be woefully underprepared to respond.”

So I guess it depends. If a worker didn't feel any significant changes from pre-DEI to DEI then this probably wouldn't affect them. But if a worker felt that DEI programs were a positive benefit to them then I can see them raising a fuss.

Companies that lean into DEI probably also lean into other worker-supporting efforts. Things like mental health support, better benefits, more generous PTO, etc. It's probably a spectrum where DEI is part of a more progressive HR philosophy. Does removing DEI also remove other benefits? How high on the list is DEI for worker satisfaction when compared to other initiatives?

[Blackhawk]

Corporations don't do the "right" thing.

I would disagree - corporations are run by people and like people they sometimes do the “right” thing and sometimes they don’t. It’s not as black and white as your statement makes it out to be.

Better statement: Corporations are not motivated by doing the right thing.

[Alefroth]

To a corporation, the right thing is increasing value to shareholders, so I'd argue they always try to do the right thing.

[Zarathud]

Corporations are motivated by shareholders and the agendas of management.

A smart company would realize eliminating DEI invites discrimination lawsuits. But it’s hard to be subject to targeting by the President and MAGA. It will be a test of company management.

[waitingtoconnect]

It’s an endorsement for naked racism and sexism. Which fox have somehow successfully goose stepped their way around.

Affirmative action was about taking affirmative action to no longer favour white men and to consider everyone equally.

[Kraken]

To a corporation, the right thing is increasing value to shareholders, so I'd argue they always try to do the right thing.

+1.

[Blackhawk]

Hey! Someone catch those goalposts!

When people say 'the right thing', they're typically talking about the moral and ethical 'right thing.' If we're going to change it to mean 'what is most beneficial to yourself', then we should probably clarify that to begin with.

[GreenGoo]

I mean, DEI is needed for a specific reason. Has that reason gone away? No? Then DEI is still needed.

'Woke' is just a way to paint a target on a philosophy you don't like without ever addressing the reasons, context or purpose of it. You're a bad person if you actively attack equal rights. You're a MAGA warrior if you attack Woke.

But since courts have decided that racism no longer exists in America, all policies and laws addressing racism are now extraneous and wasting time and resources. The final solution is to remove any protections under the law.

Solved. Q.E.D.

[Grifman]

Corporations are motivated by shareholders and the agendas of management.

A smart company would realize eliminating DEI invites discrimination lawsuits. But it’s hard to be subject to targeting by the President and MAGA. It will be a test of company management.

Not really. Proving discrimination is pretty hard and I don’t remember a lot of discrimination lawsuits before DEI. And this is a good article on the changing legal landscape that says DEI might actually lead to more discrimination lawsuits:

https://apnews.com/article/walmart-dei- ... 950d8d2c74

[Zarathud]

You can counter hostile environment claims by showing training and support.

Conservative legal activism has been built around developing novel arguments sold to future conservative judicial appointments. Its recent success is entirely built on packing the court with Republican activist judges.

The Constitution enshrined discrimination with slavery and 3/5 person. It’s a valid policy to roll back those effects to become more equal, but conservatism has undermined it by seizing on the moral arguments of being “nondiscriminatory.” It’s leveraged liberal fairness arguments against liberal policy.

[Pyperkub]

You can counter hostile environment claims by showing training and support.

Conservative legal activism has been built around developing novel arguments sold to future conservative judicial appointments. Its recent success is entirely built on packing the court with Republican activist judges.

The Constitution enshrined discrimination with slavery and 3/5 person. It’s a valid policy to roll back those effects to become more equal, but conservatism has undermined it by seizing on the moral arguments of being “nondiscriminatory.” It’s leveraged liberal fairness arguments against liberal policy.

Yeah, as of now, current workplace discrimination laws are that Companies will be wide open to discrimination lawsuits and required to implement programs and pay (lots of) money to address those issues. Whether called DEI or something else, DEI is there mostly as programs to limit that exposure. So, just as there were plenty of big, splashy announcements about companies not donating to insurrectionist candidates, and then those same companies slinking back with money shortly thereafter, many companies will keep up the training and promotion processes, just under a different name. Others will get sued more.