A question to UCRP:
What do we do
about DEI?
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) has been in the news lately. DEI is important because it promotes a workplace where everyone feels valued and has equal opportunities to contribute, regardless of a person’s background.
DEI grew from the 1965 Affirmative Action executive order, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin by those organizations receiving federal contracts and subcontracts. In 1967, President Johnson amended the order to include sex on the list of attributes.
At first, Affirmative Action helped African Americans and women in the workplace. Later, as it grew into DEI, all people of color, the physically challenged, and LGBTQ people benefited from it. Many companies like Disney and United Airlines included unmarried partners in DEI by offering family benefits.
DEI has brought inclusion by having maternity leave and to spend time with their newborn; having private mother rooms to feed their baby or pump; allowing one to give care for an ill family member by staying home without losing their employment; having access to family and wheelchair bathrooms, lifts, ramps, and elevators; therapy for veterans - to name a few.
As part of God’s family, UCRP supports and practices DEI within our community by leadership having a voice. It is just within Jesus’ teachings that as Christians we must welcome all of God’s people. It is in UCRP’s mission statement:
“United Church of Rogers Park United Methodist Church seeks, by thinking globally and acting locally, to make known God’s love for persons of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, physical and mental abilities, and economic classes.
What does God require of us?
But to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.”
The President has put out an executive order stopping all governmental departments from DEI. The latest against DEI was his blaming the recent air collision on 29 January 2025 in Washington DC killing 67 people. The President criticized the past administration for encouraging the Federal Aviation Administration to recruit workers “who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative.” He added that the program allowed for the hiring of people with hearing and vision issues as well as paralysis, epilepsy, and “dwarfism.”
Some right-wingers object to companies sponsoring Pride events, supporting transgender employees, taking action against climate change, and more. Some think toxic chemicals turn people queer and that the COVID-19 vaccine is what killed Matthew Perry.
Many companies are withdrawing their DEI programs, and even after nearly five years, these companies declared their commitment to DEI following the police killing of George Floyd. Why? The reasons given are the realization that hiring or promotion based on race and gender does not produce the best candidates for the position. Others are publicly pulling away from those commitments amid intense pressure from the political right, including President Trump and those whose MAGA movement has been notoriously going after diversity initiatives. These are false claims.
The questions to UCRP:
Should we continue to support these companies with our business? Do we help fund these companies with our dollars to be anti-diversity, anti-equity, and anti-inclusion?
Here is a list of companies abandoning their DEI:
Target
The company issued a memo on January 24, announcing the conclusion of three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
Click here for an article from HuffPost “I Spent Over $6,000 At Target Last Year. Here’s Why I’m Giving Up My Favorite Place To Shop” It may be a small thing, but many small actions can make a big impact.”
Amazon
Amazon quietly removed several policies from its public websites aimed at protecting workers, including "solidarity" pledges with its Black employees and health care benefits for transgender workers, according to The Washington Post.
META/Facebook
Almost immediately after announcing new content rules that allow users to abuse LGBTQ+ people, Meta announced that it would be ending all of its major DEI programs effectively immediately.
The company behind Facebook, Instagram, and Threads sent out an internal memo obtained by Axios, which will affect both hiring and training practices, as well as its decisions on which suppliers to work with.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s announced that it will be making several changes to its practices, including "retiring setting aspirational representation goals," ceasing DEI requirements for its suppliers, and "pausing external surveys" focused on inclusion, including the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate CEI. The company also said it will be changing the name of its diversity team to the Global Inclusion Team, which it said it "more fitting for McDonald’s in light of our inclusion value."
McDonald's stated that it was motivated to make the changes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, as it "assessed the shifting legal landscape to anticipate how this ruling may impact corporations such as McDonald’s."
Walmart
Walmart announced it will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, will make changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI] policies, and will monitor its marketplace to ensure “inappropriate sexual and/or transgender products” are not marketed to children, USA Today reports.
Ford Motor Co.
An internal memo was leaked the last week in August that said Ford, which has nearly 200,000 employees, will back away from commenting publicly “on the many polarizing issues of the day,” although there may be times when it’s necessary, and that executives had already decided not to participate in external surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.
Lowe’s
An internal memo from home improvement retailer Lowe’s, obtained by multiple news outlets in August, informed employees that the company will no longer participate in the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index and that its internal employee support resources for those belonging to minority groups will all be combined into one umbrella program. The company also said it would end its sponsorship of and participation in community events such as parades, festivals, or fairs — referring to LGBTQ+ Pride parades.
Harley Davidson
Harley-Davidson, the iconic motorcycle company, also issued a memo in August, saying it was pulling out of the HRC index and that it would ensure that employee training would remain "absent of socially motivated content."
Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s
Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and other beverages, told its employees in an August email that it would no longer participate in initiatives like the HRC Index and that it would end "quantitative workforce and supplier diversity ambitions."
"We will continue to foster an inclusive work environment where everyone is welcomed, respected, and able to bring their best self to work," the message from executive leadership stated. "We know it will not be easy to navigate the road ahead, but please know our deep belief in, and respect for, each of you remains constant."
Toyota
Toyota Motor Corp. announced in early October that it was refocusing its DEI programs and ceasing sponsorship of LGBTQ+ events. In a letter to Toyota's 50,000 U.S. employees and 1,500 dealers, company leaders cited a "highly politicized discussion" about DEI
American Airlines
The airline giant abandoned its DEI hiring practices in December 2024. It came after the conservative group American First Legal [AFL] took legal action against American, Southwest Airlines , and United Airlines. AFL's complaint, filed in January, alleged that American Airlines prioritized race and gender over merit in hiring and promotions.
United’s CEO has been dodging questions about their DEI, but nothing about disbanding their current DEI policy.
Southwest
December 2024, Southwest Airlines acknowledged and agreed to discontinue its DEI practices, including quotas, benchmarks, and hiring preferences, as confirmed by the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs on December 4, 2024
Starbucks
Starbucks has not removed DEI policies, but changes have been made in the past year. At Starbucks' annual shareholders' meeting in March 2024, investors voted to remove diversity and sustainability goals from executive bonus considerations. Previously, 7.5 percent of executive bonuses were tied to diversity objectives, but the new compensation structure focuses solely on financial and individual performance metrics.
Before trumps’ anti-DEI
These companies listed below have always been anti-DEI
Chick-fil-A
This company has been involved in controversy over its donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations and its CEO's comments on same-sex marriage. GLAAD [a non-profit LGBTQ advocacy group] has said that Chick-fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ employees. LGBTQ activists have called for boycotts and protests of Chick-fil-A.
Hobby Lobby
Hobby Lobby has been accused of homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, and antisemitism, and sometimes even discriminating against someone for not being Christian enough.
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