The National Black Farmers Association called on Tractor Supply’s president and CEO Tuesday to step down after the rural retailer announced that it would drop most of its corporate diversity and climate advocacy efforts.
The resignation demand emerged as Tractor Supply, which sells products ranging from farming equipment to pet supplies, faces a deepening backlash over its decision, which itself came after conservative activists spoke out against the company’s work to be more socially inclusive and to curb climate change.
In a public announcement last week, the company said it would eliminate all of its diversity, equity and inclusion roles, end sponsorships of “nonbusiness activities” like Pride festivals, and withdraw its goals for reducing carbon emissions. Critics of the new position argue that Tractor Supply is giving in to hate and harming its customers by abandoning crucial principles.
Most of the programs exist to avoid lawsuits. They don’t actually help much of anything. And before people jump down my throat I’m not against the idea of what DEI claims to fix in corporate America. I just know from the level I’ve worked at multiple companies that leadership doesn’t really care. DEI is another box to check for the shareholders to feel good about themselves.
So tl;dr DEI is mostly pointless. Leadership allows people to talk about DEI because talk is cheap and ineffectual. But they shit their pants of we try to unionize and force change. So stop focusing on DEI and start focusing on unionization.
I just know from the level I’ve worked at multiple companies that leadership doesn’t really care. DEI is another box to check for the shareholders to feel good about themselves.
I’m confused, are you saying places with DEI policies don’t actually hire more black or gay employees and just pretend like they do, or that they do hire more diverse employees but the management don’t really care about that and are just hiring more diverse employees because they think that protects them from lawsuits?
Some of both.
Great talk I skipped to an important part of which will likely explain better than I am. Whole video is worth watching if you have time. https://youtu.be/deYUUfak08Y?feature=shared&t=7m54s
But in essence, leadership will say they care about DEI. But then doesn’t set any goals or timeframes. Then what I’ve seen a few times is the responsibility for the initiatives get pushed to lower level people who have no authority to bring about much of any change. Leadership gets to pat themselves on the back while doing nothing.
