They are corporations on the front line of a culture war: Harley Davidson, John Deere, home improvement retailer Lowe's and now Ford Motor Co.The companies are rolling back some, or even all, of their programs and commitments promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce —DEI, for short.Companies invested heavily in DEI programs in 2020, spurred in part by the death of George Floyd.
According to a poll from The Washington Post and Ipsos, 61% of Americans think DEI programs are a 'good thing.'And in a recent survey of more than 300 company executives conducted by Morning Consult and the Public Private Strategies Institute, 82% say diversity is 'essential to their business strategy.' The executives cite reasons like gains in the bottom line, attracting top talent and boosting creativity and innovation.