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United Kingdom
Brewer Molson-Coors is the latest company to add its name to the growing list of companies reversing their diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
The firm has announced substantial changes to its DEI policies. The decision, revealed through an internal memo, marks a notable departure from the company's previous stance on supplier diversity and corporate social responsibility.
According to the note, executives have decided to eliminate supplier diversity quotas, explaining that they were "complicated and influenced by factors outside of [the company's] control."
It did, however, emphasize a continued commitment to ensuring its supplier base reflects the diversity of its consumer demographic.
The move places the firm among a growing cohort of major corporations reassessing their DEI strategies. Industry giants such as Ford, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Jack Daniels have recently made similar moves, often in response to mounting criticism from conservative voices and social media influencers. Notably, social media personality Robby Starbuck, who has been at the forefront of the anti-DEI movement. Although Molson Coors maintains that its decision predates his recent activity.
What DEI policies is Molson-Coors removing?
Several key changes to the company's DEI approach will now be made:
Incentives will now be solely tied to business performance metrics, removing previous "aspirational representation goals."
As stated in the memo, "We are ensuring our executive incentives are tied to business performance and do not include aspirational representation goals beginning next year."
Company training programs will undergo a transformation, shifting focus from DEI-centric content to key business objectives. The memo refers to this as "the next evolution" of company training, noting that all current US employees have already participated in the previous DEI-based programs.
Employee Resource Groups will be rebranded as Business Resource Groups, though their core functions appear to remain intact.
It will also cease participation in voluntary third-party company rankings, including the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, where it had previously achieved a perfect score of 100 points.
Molson-Coors says changes won't impact employee belonging
Despite these changes, company representatives emphasize that employee benefits will remain unaltered, saying: "This will not impact the benefits we provide our employees, nor will it change or diminish our commitment to fostering a strong culture where every one of our employees knows they are welcome at our bar."
The brewer's charitable giving strategy is also set for realignment. Future corporate philanthropy will prioritize initiatives directly supporting core business goals, such as promoting responsible alcohol consumption, disaster relief efforts, and expanding access to higher education. This marks a departure from previous programs like "Tap Into Change," which had raised over $700,000 for LGBTQ+ organizations since 2011 and included sponsorship of Pride festivals.
While conservative activist Robby Starbuck suggested these changes were a preemptive response to his recent probe into the company's DEI practices, Molson Coors asserts in its memo that the decision "has been in process since March."
The announcement follows a pattern of DEI policy reassessments across various industries. Rural retailer Tractor Supply Company initiated this trend when it ended its association with the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and abandoned certain DEI targets, such as increasing the number of employees of color at a managerial level. Other major brands, including Harley-Davidson and Lowe's, have since implemented similar policy adjustments.
Most recently, automotive giant Ford outlined plans to reduce supplier diversity quotas and sever ties with the HRC's corporate metrics system.
Industry analysts note that while corporate DEI initiatives gained significant momentum following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder, they have faced increasing challenges following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions.
Although this ruling specifically pertains to academic institutions and does not directly impact corporate policies, there is growing concern (and evidence) that business leaders are being influenced by anti-DEI sentiment.
