Target is far from the only retailer to capitulate to the Trump administration and roll back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, but it has suffered more backlash, foot-traffic declines, and reputational damage than others that did so.

One reason that consumers may seem inordinately disappointed with Target—and some are even boycotting the company—is that it trumpeted its commitment to DEI for decades before its retreat just five days after Trump’s inauguration—an inauguration, it turns out, to which Target contributed $1 million.

In 2009, for example, Target received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) annual Corporate Equality Index, which rates companies on their inclusiveness for LGBTQ+ employees. It’s a milestone that Target still includes on its online company history timeline, but as part of its DEI rollback announcement, it pulled a 180, revealing it was “stopping all external diversity-focused surveys, including HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.”

This timeline tracks some milestones of Target’s diversity initiatives, as well as the fallout when the company rolled back its DEI efforts in January.

Keep reading here.—AAN

After months of pressure from conservative groups, much of it preceding President Trump’s January demand that all public agencies and private businesses dismantle their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, The Home Depot has quietly removed the section of its website that championed its commitment to DEI.

“We strive to ensure that our company culture maintains a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment so that we can attract and retain the best employees, amplify their unique experiences and ideas, and strengthen the communities where we operate,” begins a recently removed page from The Home Depot’s website with the heading “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.” “We believe this commitment has been a competitive advantage and key to our long-term success, which is why we continue to build a culture of understanding, acceptance, and appreciation.

The page, available now only through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, was taken down sometime after March 28, the last of 52 times since July 22, 2022, that the Wayback Machine had saved the page.

The page had been accessible through a “Responsibility” dropdown menu on Home Depot’s website and was called “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

Today the dropdown menu is called “Living our Values,” and has been replaced by a page called WeAreTHD. The WeAreTHD page has some of the same links to features about multicultural Home Depot employees as the one it replaced, but doesn’t use the words “diversity,” “equity,” or “inclusion” or make even an oblique assertion about the value of DEI.

Keep reading here.—AAN

President Donald Trump has promised to “end the tyranny” of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, both in the public and private sectors, prompting companies including Target and Amazon to roll back their diversity efforts. And with the Trump administration barring federal employees from using preferred pronouns in email signatures and vowing not to respond to reporters who do, the way that REI’s new CEO, Mary Beth “MB” Laughton, introduced herself at a recent meeting couldn’t help but sound like an act of defiance.

“I’m Mary Beth Laughton, or ‘MB,’ and I use she/her pronouns,” Laughton said on May 8 at the annual member meeting of the outdoors retailer, an incorporated consumer co-op. It is, according to Laughton, common for REI executives and employees to voluntarily state their pronouns at gatherings.

But the company’s dedication to both DEI and environmental stewardship was at the core of Laughton’s remarks.

“For decades, our core values and our impact priorities aimed at protecting a healthy planet, ensuring access to nature, and fostering an inclusive outdoors have guided our decision-making and have been a beacon for attracting great talent and have strengthened our community,” Laughton said. “In a time when our public lands and values like diversity, equity, and inclusion are under threat, I want you to hear from me that REI believes these are essential to our business.”

Keep reading here.—AAN