On Monday, Walmart announced it will roll back its diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies, despite previously emphasizing the importance of these initiatives and amid an increasingly polarized racial climate.
In response, Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), issued the following statement:
“Considering people of color constitute nearly half of Walmart’s workforce, it is unfortunate that the company has made the misguided decision to walk away from policies and practices meant to support and protect them. While Walmart is only the latest among many U.S. corporations to scale back DEIA programs, its status as the largest private employer in the United States and largest retailer in the country means this decision has especially significant ramifications for Black people and members of other historically marginalized groups.
“Despite incontrovertible evidence that diverse teams produce greater profits, generate more innovation, and out-perform less diverse ones overall, U.S. corporations continue to eliminate or gut programs that help foster and support the diverse workforces that are integral to their companies’ success. At their core, DEIA programs are meant to eliminate biases and ensure there are adequate and equitable opportunities available for all. By pulling back from this important work, corporations are contributing to a false and damaging narrative about the nature of DEIA programs and what they can provide to improve workplace conditions and ensure equal opportunity to all workers.
“LDF has issued guidance to employers on how to lawfully maintain and advance principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace and joins the call to engage directly with Walmart’s leadership about its ongoing anti-discrimination obligations under state and federal laws and how effective DEIA programs are integral to complying with those mandates.”
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
