On Monday, Walmart announced its intentions to roll back its “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) policies, following several other corporations that have done so recently after widespread public criticism.
This means that the company will no longer consider race and gender when granting supplier contracts, and that eligibility for financing will not be determined using such data. Additionally, the retail giant will not renew its five-year commitment for the “equity racial center” established after the 2020 death of George Floyd.
“Like many companies all across the United States, we’ve been on a journey and we continue to be on a journey,” John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. told CBS on Tuesday. “And what we’re trying to do is to ensure that every customer, every associate feels welcome here to shop. And to feel like they belong.”
“We’re going to continue to make the best decisions we can that makes everyone – our customers, our associates – feel like this is an environment they can shop in and thrive in.”
