Walmart has announced significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, joining a growing list of major U.S. corporations pulling back on “woke” initiatives.
The retail giant will discontinue its ‘Racial Equity Center’, phase out terms like “LatinX” and “DEI” in favour of “belonging,” and adjust its approach to funding community events, including Pride celebrations, to ensure they promote child-appropriate environments.
Walmart also confirmed it has removed products, such as chest binders marketed toward children, that violate company policies. The company said these decisions reflect ongoing adjustments to align with the evolving values of its associates and customers.
This rollback mirrors recent moves by other prominent companies like Ford, John Deere, and Toyota, which have also scaled back their participation in DEI-related programmes.
Earlier this year Toyota announced it was ditching its sponsorship of the Olympics due to an out of control “woke” politicisation of the games.
Notably, Walmart, Ford, and others have opted out of the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which evaluates workplace policies for LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
The trend signals a broader shift in corporate America, as businesses respond to criticism over DEI initiatives perceived as politically divisive or overly intrusive into corporate culture.
Anti-woke activist Robby Starbuck has taken credit for pushing Walmart to rethink its policies, telling Fox News that the retailer’s changes reflect a growing movement to “eliminate wokeness” from corporate America. Walmart, however, clarified that many of these adjustments were already in progress before recent activism. In a statement, the company reiterated its commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for its diverse workforce and customer base, emphasising that every decision is aimed at creating opportunities and inclusivity for all.
As for Starbuck, the crusade continues, “I won’t stop until wokeness is a relic of the past,” he said.
