Ford Is Backing Off DEI Initiatives

In what will be viewed by some as a controversial decision, Ford CEO Jim Farley is joining Tractor Supply, John Deere, Lowes, and Harley Davidson in revising and/or backing away from some Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Robby Starbuck, who calls himself an anti-DEI activist, shared with Bloomberg News a memo that was sent to Ford employees by CEO Farley.  Ford confirmed the memo as accurate.  The carmaker said it would shift some corporate sponsorships, would no longer engage with various “best places to work” lists, and comment less on polarizing issues, according to Starbuck. 

After my time in Detroit as the Ford National Dealer Council Chairman and seeing how things work, I can assure you this decision and the internal memo were approved by Ford Chairman Bill Ford.

According to Automotive News, an auto industry trade publication: 

"The letter marks a shift in tone from the carmaker since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, when Chairman Bill Ford and then-CEO Jim Hackett pledged “to lead from the front and fully commit to creating the fair, just and inclusive culture that our employees deserve.”

In his posting on X.com, Starbuck said:

Big news:

We were in the middle of investigating woke policies @Ford but this morning Ford confirmed to me that they’re making changes. Here are the changes:

• Ending participation in the @HRC’s woke Corporate Equality Index social credit system.

• It sounds like there will be no more donations to pride events or other divisive events.

• ERG groups must be focused on business.

• No supplier or dealership diversity quotas.

• CEO calls for respect and civility toward all ideologies, hints at merit based approach.

This isn’t everything we want but it’s a great start. We’re now forcing multi-billion dollar organizations to change their policies without even posting just from fear they have of being the next company that we expose. We will continue to communicate with our sources in companies we expose and report on any that step out of line. I can promise that if we have to do a second report, it will be much more aggressive. We are winning and one by one we WILL bring sanity back to corporate America. So far you’ve helped me change corporate policy at Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris, Indian Motorcycle, Lowe’s and now Ford. We are a force to be reckoned with. If you love what we’re doing, subscribe to my X page for $5 a month to help fund our growing team! If you want to expose your woke workplace, send tips and the evidence to EliminateDEI@protonmail.com

In the memo that was confirmed by Ford as authentic, CEO Jim Farley wrote:

Ford Team,

For more than a century, Ford has been a pioneer in providing opportunities to people around the world of all races, genders, and backgrounds. This enduring promise traces back to the Great Migration and the "five-dollar workday" and still guides us into the future.

Our people are our greatest strength, and the diverse experiences, perspectives and talents of our team have enabled Ford to create some of the most iconic vehicles in history and afford millions of people the freedom of mobility.

As we work together to build an even brighter future, we are mindful that our employees and customers hold a wide range of beliefs, and the external and legal environment related to political and social issues continues to evolve.

In the past year, we have taken a fresh look at our policies and practices to ensure they support our values, drive business results, and take into account the current landscape. Here is what you should know:

• • Ford remains deeply committed to fostering a safe and inclusive workplace and building a team that leverages diverse perspectives, backgrounds and thinking styles to craft the best products, services, and experiences for our customers. We have more work to do to realize this vision.

• • Ford does not utilize hiring quotas or tie compensation to the achievement of specific diversity goals. Likewise, while we continue to develop a dealer body that reflects the communities they serve, we will not use quotas for minority dealerships or suppliers.

• • As a global company, we will continue to put our effort and resources into taking care of our customers, our team, and our communities versus publicly commenting on the many polarizing issues of the day. There will of course be times when we will speak out on core issues if we believe our voice can make a positive difference.

• • Over the past year, we have evolved our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to focus on networking, mentorship, personal and professional development, and community service. All ERGs are open to all employees.

• • Ford Philanthropy will continue to support causes that help move people forward and upward, aligning with Ford's 120-year-plus legacy of helping build a better world. We will direct our philanthropic efforts to areas where we can make the biggest positive difference for the most people, including education for the future of work, entrepreneurship, and essential services, such as our support of and volunteer work with Team Rubicon, the veteran-led group dedicated to disaster recovery.

• • We made the decision early this year to stop participating in external culture surveys such as the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and various 'best places to work" lists. We will continue to build a high-performance culture focused on "what we deliver with aligned obiectives, high standards and accountability and, as importantly, "how we deliver it through excellence, focus, and collaboration. This creates an environment where all of us can do our best work anchored in respect and inclusion.

Issues and events around the world evoke strong emotions and affect us as individuals in different ways. And while we may have differences of opinion, we can treat each other with respect and civility, recognizing how much we have in common as colleagues and friends.

Thank you for all you do for Ford every day.

(Signed: Jim)

Jim Farley

Photo: File, Ford (2019.)