Summary
Walmart has rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, ending DEI training, racial equity programs, and diversity metrics in hiring and supplier decisions.
Employees call the move a betrayal, citing the lack of communication and its impact on marginalized groups.
The rollback has drawn praise from conservatives but criticism from racial equity advocates, including Walmart’s largest workers’ group, United for Respect, which plans to reintroduce a racial equity audit proposal in 2025.
Critics argue the changes mark a major regression for racial and workplace equity at the nation’s largest private employer.
If you’re shocked that broad corporate fair-weather astroturfing wasn’t actually what it claimed, you were naive. The speed coming the other way–from not acknowledging LGBTQ or other minority groups existed as humans who deserve a voice or consideration to sponsoring pride shirts and hiring visibly tokenized figureheads–should have been indicative the change wasn’t organic, which means it wasn’t going to stick at the first pressure; economic, political, or other.
Companies largely follow non-discrimination laws related to employment not because it’s the right thing to do, but because they can be sued easily under federal and many states’ employment laws. Don’t put your time into company-run employee groups, put it into getting progressives elected and engaging with unionization so you can take your place at the table rather than waiting for it to be given.
Not shocked, just disappointed. I do appreciate the shit talk though.