Ford to revise diversity policy amid conservative pressure

On Wednesday, Ford Motor Company stated that it will be modifying its diversity, equity, and inclusion plans and pulling out of the ranking system subscribed by an LGBTQ rights organisation. This move comes at a time when Ford and other American companies are recasting their DEI policies in response to growing pressure from right-wing organisations.

The internal communication also revealed how the external legal context of political and social concerns has changed for Ford Automobiles as managed by the CEO Jim Farley. There is a growing recognition that people in our company and in the world outside may have varying beliefs; this fact Farley asserted following the change in orientation from appeasing the public through contentious issues.

This step is not unique to Amazon; other large corporations in America, such as JPMorgan Chase, Harley-Davidson, and Lowe’s home improvement, have also modified their DEI programs to reflect conservatives’ concerns. The changes have occurred as companies’ efforts to promote diversity have faced increased criticism from conservative legal organisations and new legal decisions.

The criticisms of DEI programs have been compounded by the recent US Supreme Court ruling in June 2023, following the decision to eliminate the affirmative action policies in university admissions, regardless of whether or not they are applied to employment practices, they have provided impetus to anti-DEI sentiment in the corporate world. Opponents claim that DEI initiatives can be a form of discrimination with some critics supported by shareholder letters and legal complaints to companies since 2021.

Opposition to DEI policies has come from various political circles, including but not limited to, former president Donald Trump and other conservative personalities. In the memo, Farley emphasised the change in the company’s direction, stressing the belief system inside Ford rather than going to cultural audits and rating systems outside, like the only gay workplace index of the Human Rights Campaign organisation.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson criticised Ford’s decision, stating, "Ford Motor Company is abandoning its financial duty to recruit and retain top talent from across the full talent pool." Despite this, conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who provided the memo to Reuters, celebrated the policy change as a significant victory.