In recent months, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have proven to be widely unpopular. In May, Townhall reported how the board of governors for the University of North Carolina (UNC) System voted to replace its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The change impacted its 17 public universities across the state.
Last month, reports broke that three universities in Alabama would dissolve their DEI offices, which Townhall also covered.
This week, reports broke that the maker of Jack Daniel’s whisky said that it will reverse course on its DEI initiatives. This came after the threat of a boycott.
Brown-Forman Corp. will no longer link bonuses and pay to DEI progress and cut their “woke” inclusivity training, according to a copy of an internal memo posted on X.
“We will continue to foster an inclusive work environment where everyone is welcomed, respected, and able to bring their best self to work,” the memo stated.
“We know it will not be easy to navigate the road ahead, but please know our deep belief in, and respect for, each of you remains constant,” it added.
Big news: The next company we were set to expose was @JackDaniels_US.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 22, 2024
They must have been tipped off by us going through employee LinkedIn pages.
They just preemptively announced that they’ll be making these changes:
• Ending participation in the @HRC’s Corporate Equality… pic.twitter.com/0O1DkkIKrO
According to the New York Post, the company previously tied 10% of executives’ short-term compensation to progress on DEI goals.
In an interview with the Post, Mahoney Asset Management CEO Ken Mahoney said, “I mean the name diversity, equity, inclusion — you would think that’s a good thing,” adding that “But the way the companies express it, you squeeze out other potential employees that could have even better performance.”
“It hurts their image because consumers feel like they’re not putting the best people in place, but rather keeping score,” Mahoney told The Post. “And for this group of consumers, we’re not born and raised this way.”
Previously, Bud Light faced intense backlash when it partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, a so-called “transgender” influencer who thinks he is a woman. The boycott against Bug Light was intense.
An executive at Texas-based beer distributor made the admission, “Consumers have made a choice,” adding that “They have left [Bud Light] and that’s how it’s going to be. I don’t envision a big percentage of them coming back.”
Other companies, including Brown-Forman Corp., are likely trying to avoid the same fate.