Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Saturday, January 11, 2025
Hawaii attorney general questions Walmart's retreat from DEI
By Selected News Articles @ 2:10 PM :: 388 Views :: Labor, Law Enforcement

Thirteen states' attorneys general question Walmart's retreat from DEI

by Greg Bishop, The Center Square, Jan 10, 2025

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is joining attorneys general from other states to meddle in the internal operations of Walmart policy on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Walmart reportedly is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies to focus on being more "belonging." 

In an undated post to Walmart’s website, the company said its vision is “simple, yet powerful.” 

“‘Everyone included.’ By nurturing a workplace culture where everyone is – and feels – included, we create an environment where everyone wins,” the company said. “By making Walmart a welcoming place where people feel like they belong, we’re able to engage associates, strengthen our business, improve our ability to serve customers, and support the communities where we operate.”

The Associated Press reported a Walmart spokesperson said some of the company’s policy changes have been in progress for a while. That included moving away from using the terminology of DEI in job titles and communications and instead using words like “belonging.” The company also started making modifications to their supplier programs.

The AGs’ letter to Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon dated Thursday said they fear the plan “risks undermining important social progress and antidiscrimination efforts” and understand the pressure the company likely faced following “the anti-DEI pressure campaign.”

“[T]hreats to boycott, sue, or otherwise negatively impact Walmart’s bottom line may well have contributed to your decision to walk away from your commitments to DEI," the group of states’ attorneys general said. "But we are concerned that Walmart failed to consider the other side – the customers and employees that will be alienated by this departure, the historically-disadvantaged minority- and women-owned small businesses that will have a harder time becoming suppliers to Walmart, and the economic benefits of diversity that Walmart will lose by abandoning its commitment to a diverse workforce."

Walmart didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Center Square Friday. 

“Everything we do comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to create opportunities for all and be a Walmart for everyone,” the undated website posting said. 

Raoul and the other states’ AGs said in their six-page letter to Walmart they want more information from the company. 

"We would welcome more information, either as you communicate your recommitment to the important values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or as you share with our offices how you intend to ensure compliance with our states’ laws," they said. 

Raoul was joined in signing the letter by the attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. 

DEI has come under increased scrutiny as critics say it places physical characteristics and identity over merit and outcomes. Critics also say DEI programming costs corporations money and government agencies taxpayer dollars.

---30---

PDF: Walmart Letter from AGs

NR: ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL AND FELLOW STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL URGE WALMART TO KEEP ITS COMMITMENTS TO ENCOURAGING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

 

 

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii