Walmart, the world’s largest retailer with 1.6 million employees in the US alone, said it will phase out many of its diversity initiatives in the workplace.
The announcement comes amid an intensifying campaign by organizations in the US against DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) programs in the public and private sectors and the negative economic impact these programs have.
Among other things, the company will no longer take race and gender into account when making bids to suppliers, several media outlets reported.
Additionally, Walmart will no longer offer DEI training seminars, will not renew the operation of a “Racial Equity Center” it created to “address the root causes of disparities in outcomes experienced by blacks and African Americans in education, health, finance and criminal justice systems.”
Finally, the company will remove LGBTQ+ merchandise from its stores.
“Our purpose, to help people save money and live better lives, has been at our core since our founding 62 years ago and continues to guide us today,” the company said in a statement, adding that “every decision comes from our desire to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunity for all partners.”
Walmart is the latest in a string of companies in the US to end DEI programs. It was preceded among many others by Lowe’s, which sells home goods, Harley-Davidson and Ford Motor Company.
