Ford Motor Co. will pare back its diversity efforts, joining companies like Lowe’s, John Deere and Beam Suntory, the producers of Jim Beam liquor who have entirely abandoned so-called DEI programs. Ford’s move was hailed by conservatives, but denounced as “shortsighted” by human rights advocates. For his part, CEO Jim Farley said the automaker will still work to creative an “inclusive workplace.”
It’s unclear how the changes outlined by CEO Jim Farley will impact employment at Ford.
Ford CEO Jim Farley on Wednesday notified employees that the automaker will curb its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, following a growing list of U.S. companies that have buckled to pressure from conservative activists and reduced or fully eliminated their DEI efforts.
Such programs have come under attack in the wake of a 2023 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down the use of affirmative action for university admissions. Since then, companies such as Tractor Supply, John Deere, Lowe’s and Jim Beam have dropped diversity efforts. Ford CEO Farley told employees in a memo that it will no longer use diversity quotas or participate in various equality indices.
The memo suggested Ford wanted to avoid being called out for taking a stand on “the many polarizing issues of the day,” though Farley wrote that the automaker was still committed to “fostering a safe and inclusive workplace.” A company official denied in a text to Headlight.News that Ford will abandon diversity efforts.
The battle for – and against – diversity
Robby Starbuck
The questions of how to address discrimination based on race, gender and sexual orientation has divided the country for decades. For many years, programs aimed at expanding diversity gained momentum. Many major corporations have instituted programs aimed at accelerating the promotion of minorities, while submitting diversity records to groups such as the Human Rights Campaign.
They have come under increasing pressure, especially following the election of Donal Trump as president in 2016. Conservative groups have continued targeting DEI programs even though the Biden administration has vocally supported such efforts.
A number of companies have rolled back their programs over the past year, often in the face of boycott efforts led by conservative groups and advocates like Robby Stabuck who had threatened to challenge the “woke” policies at Ford.
“This isn’t everything we want, but it’s a great start,” Starbuck said in a post on X, the former Twitter. “We’re now forcing multi-billion dollar organizations to change their policies.”
Changes at Ford
Ford CEO Jim Farley told employees the company will make some changes to diversity programs but maintain a policy of inclusion.
In his memo, Farley wrote that, “Ford is mindful that employees and customers have a wide range of beliefs “and the external and legal environment related to political and social issues continues to evolve.”
Among the steps outlined in the memo, he said, “We made the decision early this year to stop participating in external culture surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and various ‘best places to work’ lists.”
Ford, he added, “does not utilize hiring quotas or tie compensation to the achievement of specific diversity goals. Likewise, while we continue to develop a dealer body that reflects the communities they serve, we will not use quotas for minority dealerships or suppliers.”
But Farley insisted that the company “remains deeply committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace and building a team that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds and thinking styles.”
Company spokesman Mark Truby told Headlight.News that “People are overstating” the changes Ford is making, “and missing the commitment. We have not disbanded DEI (its) office like many companies.”
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Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford has been an active proponent of diversity efforts.
The response
While Starbuck and other conservative groups were generally positive about the changes outlined by Farley, Ford has come in for criticism from groups attempting to promote workplace diversity.
The Human Rights Campaign accused the automaker of buckling under in the face of threats from an “Internet troll.” A statement by president Kelley Robinson said “Ford Motor Company is abandoning its financial duty to recruit and keep top talent from across the full talent pool,” adding that, “Their shortsighted decision will hurt the company’s long-term business success.”
What the competition is doing
For its part, the U.S. side of Euro-American automaker Stellantis has described diversity, equality and inclusion efforts as “essential to the performance and sustainability of our business.”
GM CEO Mary Barra has promised to make the automaker “the most inclusive company in the world.”
General Motors, meanwhile, has take a strong pro-diversity position, underscored by the appointment of Mary Barra, a decade ago, as the first female CEO of any major automaker. Barra has established an Inclusion advisory Board to promote her goal of making GM “the most inclusive company in the world.”
GM did come under fire several years ago from leaders of the black media community, accused of minimizing its ad spending for minority publishers and broadcasters. It subsequently announced plans to expand its ad budget.
Ford itself has stood up for minority groups on a number of occasions, a decade ago resisting calls for it to pull ads from various LGBTQ media outlets.
Chairman Bill Ford was among the top officials at nine Detroit-based companies calling for changes in the criminal justice system in the wake of the murder of George Floyd four years ago by a Minnesota policemen.
The full text of Farley’s memo follows
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Robby Starbuck is the worst kind of bigot. He and his ilk should be deported.