In a move that has drawn criticism from a group of state attorneys general, retail giant Walmart is facing pressure to uphold its commitments to fostering a workplace punctuated by diversity, equity, and inclusion. Attorney General Kwame Raoul, together with 13 attorneys general, expressed concerns about Walmart's recently publicized intentions to move away from its diversity programs in a letter sent directly to Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon. The letter campaigns for the continuation of the supplier diversity programs, the sustainment of the Center for Racial Equality, and the preservation of equity trainings, as well as keeping the use of "diversity" and "DEI" in company literature and job titles.
"Diversity initiatives are not just laudable goals, they are also broadly popular and good for business," Raoul remarked in the letter, asserting that Walmart's step back would not only retreat from social progress but also leave behind the employees and consumers who expect the company to deliver on the promises it once made. According to a statement obtained by the Illinois Attorney General's office, Raoul and his cohort of attorneys general have taken a firm stance, calling on Walmart to maintain its commitments and to reject the pressure from those trying to altogether reverse the progress made toward equity.
The letter touches on the misuse by opponents of diversity initiatives of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (SFFA), noting that these groups have improperly attempted to extend the ruling's reach to pressure businesses with threats of legal action. Raoul and the other attorneys general clarify that Walmart's decision to eliminate these programs isn't mandated by law. As they endorse such programs, they also underscore the importance of diverse leadership teams, which, as research indicates, are correlated with higher financial returns.
Additionally, Raoul has actively defended diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives after the Supreme Court's SFFA ruling in 2023. He has condemned baseless attacks on various institutions, including a meritless attempt to connect the FBI and the recent New Year's Day terrorist act in New Orleans directly to these very initiatives. Raoul, as conveyed by the press release, has led outreach efforts to emphasize that strides towards diversity are not only legal but vital, and encouraged institutions like Fortune 500 companies and the American Bar Association to hold fast to, and continue building upon, such policies.
The push for Walmart to reconsider its decision reflects a broader conversation about the corporate responsibility to mirror societal values and the public demand for equal opportunity and representation. The attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont joined Raoul in signing the letter, marking it a multistate appeal to the retail corporation for staking a definitive stand on issues of diversity and inclusion that affect not just employees and customers, but the fabric of American society at large.
