Edited & compiled by Mike Killalea, NSD president
A social-media commenter wondered what value the February 28 boycott of amazon and other cowardly companies who abandoned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs would have, if we all return to shopping as usual the next day.
It was an insightful comment. I have also wrestled with this conundrum, and probably you have as well. Sure, if boycotters keep their fingers off the “buy now” button on Feb 28, but buy-but-buy on Feb 27 and March 1, the event was a joke. And no significant impact was in fact reported.
My thinking has crystalized along the following lines. The event prompted me to rethink my purchasing habits. I am now turning away from amazon and the big-box boys who have shut down Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. Specifically on amazon, I have canceled my many “subscriptions,” which ranged from printer cartridges to dog food. (And “amazon” is not a typo… amazon does not deserve capitalization)
Maybe I am being overly optimistic (who, me?). Still, signs exist that broader boycotts gain steam against companies scaling back diversity initiatives, highlighting growing frustration over corporate policies
Beyond boycotts
Beside boycotting, we can act in several ways: publicly criticize decisions to abandon DEI through social media, by writing letters to company leadership, organizing petitions, contacting shareholders, engaging with advocacy groups, and raising awareness by discussing the issue with friends and family
The brave ones
Of course, there are still some brave companies who have not buckled down to MAGA. They deserve our business: Costco, Apple, Ben & Jerry’s, e.l.f. Beauty. Unfortunately, the pressure from Trump is nonstop. JPMorgan Chase, which turned thumbs down on an anti-DEI proposal, is reportedly walking its commitment back.
It is ironic that the anti-DEI crowd says they want a “color blind” society. Of course, the absence of same was the main driver for affirmative action and, later, DEI.
Now racists and misogynists are free and protected by law from hiring qualified minorities and women.
We must recognize that these corporations are not making DEI decisions in a vacuum. It’s not just Trump. Costco and JPMorgan Chase, just to name two, were subjected to pressure by right-wing groups to end DEI.
Costco’s shareholders voted almost unanimously against a proposal submitted by a conservative think tank, the National Center for Public Policy Research, that would lead to the termination of its DEI policies. In recommending that shareholders vote against the proposal, Costco’s Board of Directors outlined the benefits of DEI policies to a productive workplace culture and innovations in its product offerings.
And just days after the inauguration, in response to pressure from another conservative group, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to DEI as sound business practice not influenced by partisan considerations. Apple’s shareholders, following their board of directors recommendation, voted down a proposal aimed at abolishing the company’s DEI program and policies; the proposal came from the same think tank that submitted to Costco.
These rabid anti-DEI organizations are the National Legal and Policy Center, and the National Center for Public Policy Research. Very right wing.
Impact of DEI positive
Regardless of what the oligarchs and racists tell you, DEI policies have extremely positive impact. Last summer, Johnson & Johnson published a DEI impact review that described the importance of diverse representation in reducing healthcare inequities and improving outcomes in previously underrepresented communities.
Adding to the corporate resistance, a report from EY, one of the world’s largest accounting and consultancy firms. says DEI improves productivity and workforce innovation in volatile economic conditions. Titled “DE&I Interventions That Deliver”, its release, one week into the Trump presidency, undermines the conservative campaign against “woke” DEI practices and lays out an argument against the new administration’s efforts to eliminate DEI policies in government and the private sector.
Some feel ‘social identity threat’ from DEI
DEI initiatives can sometimes feel threatening, ecause such efforts highlight inequalities and challenge assumptions about fairness, merit and the status quo. When someone identifies strongly with their group — whether as a white person, a man, or a member of another dominant identity — they may see DEI initiatives as attacks on their assumptions. This discomfort is known as “social identity threat.”
For instance, when a company introduces a gender equity policy aimed at addressing women’s under-representation in leadership, some men might perceive this as unfair. Their response — whether it’s skepticism, defensiveness or outright resistance — reflects a defensive reaction to that threat.
Dates to remember!
BTW, here are some big dates for boycotts organized by the People’s Union, a grassroots group, and not just for a day:
· March 7 through 14 — Amazon boycott
· March 21 through 28 — Nestle boycott
· April 7 through 14 — Walmart boycott
· April 18 — Economic blackout, asking shoppers to avoid spending any money, including fast food and gasoline
· April 21 — General Mills boycott
Shopping at locally owned stores is encouraged throughout the boycotts.
I will shop locally as best I can, supporting local chains and shops. Will I pay more? Probably. Will it help? I hope so.
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