Facing brewing consumer backlash and likely recalling the public relations fiasco that consumed rival Anheuser-Busch last year, alcoholic beverage giant Molson Coors announced last week that it was immediately abandoning its so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) policies. The company specifically stated that it would no longer be participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) corporate equality index (CEI) – one of the most powerful tools the left has used to coerce companies into embracing woke politics.
As reported by National Review, in an email to employees, Molson Coors said it would end its “supplier diversity goals” and “open its business resource groups to any employee who wants to join.” The company also said that it would no longer have specific “representation goals” in hiring – in other words, employees will be hired based on merit alone, rather than to meet racial quotas.
“The driving force behind this shift was the understanding that when all our people know they are welcome, they are more engaged, motivated, and committed to our company’s collective success,” the email reads. “Since then, we have reviewed all our policies and practices to ensure our work is aligned with this renewed focus.”
The news came just days after Ford and Lowes announced similar moves to abandon their DEI initiatives. Jack Daniel’s, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Tractor Supply Company have also reversed their stance on DEI policies in recent months.
Perhaps the most noteworthy part of the Molson Coors policy shift was the announcement that the company would no longer be participating in the Corporate Equality Index. In effect, CEI is a social credit system that grades how well companies adhere to LGBTQ ideology and other left-wing political agendas in the workplace.
According to the HRC, companies earn better CEI scores by taking “concrete and dedicated steps to establish and implement comprehensive policies, benefits, and practices that ensure greater equity for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.” In practice, this means relentlessly pushing the latest ideological fads on the cultural left.
The credit system is based on four main criteria. The first is “Workforce Protections.” These are written policies of “inclusivity” and “nondiscrimination” on the basis of gender identity and orientation – in effect requiring every employee to embrace the most extreme elements of LGBTQ ideology.
The second criteria is providing so-called “Inclusive Benefits,” which effectively means requiring employers to pay for so-called “gender-affirming” care for employees who claim to be transgender – including surgeries and cross-sex hormones.
The third criteria is “Corporate Social Responsibility,” which broadly means using a company’s platform and resources to advance LGBTQ ideology. This includes mandatory “sensitivity training” for employees, permitting men to use women’s restrooms, diversity quotas for senior management, explicit marketing to LGBTQ individuals (like rainbow packaging during pride month), and requirements that companies explicitly show that they are prioritizing working with LGBTQ individuals over non-LGBTQ individuals.
The fourth criteria is “Responsible Citizenship.” This factor deducts 25 social credit points from any company whose leadership has any “anti-LGBTQ blemish” on its records. This includes “advocating for public policies or regulations related to LGBTQ equality that would be detrimental to employees and their families.” HRC considers the Republican Party to be explicitly “anti-LGBTQ.” Any corporation or company official caught publicly supporting Republican candidates or conservative causes automatically loses 25 points on their CEI score.
The CEI ranking system was first debuted in 2002. Since then, HRC, with the backing of major institutional investors like BlackRock and Vanguard, has effectively wielded it as a weapon to bully corporations into embracing left-wing ideology. Noncompliant companies are threatened with boycotts – which the HRC has already rolled out against Molson Coors and other companies that have dropped their DEI initiatives.
Molson Coors itself obtained a perfect score in the most recent CEI rankings. The fact that the company now feels compelled to abandon CEI altogether could signal a broader shift in the corporate environment, where association with woke initiatives like the CEI is increasingly viewed as a net negative rather than a net positive by corporate leadership.
If this is indeed the case, left-wing activist groups like HRC have serious cause for concern. The entirety of the woke corporatism racket is built on the premise that companies benefit, both in terms of attracting top talent and building goodwill with customers, from being associated with left-wing policy priorities.
If that perception, always a false one, is shattered, having a high CEI score will become not just irrelevant, but a sign that a company prioritizes appeasing activists over providing quality goods and services to its customers. As the backlash against Bud Light last year proved, that is something that will hurt companies where it hurts the most – in their bottom line.
Andrew Shirley is a veteran speechwriter and AMAC Newsline columnist. His commentary can be found on X at @AA_Shirley.
Most welcome news. I suspect the work environment is immediately happier and more productive when a corporation returns to merit-based hiring and promotion. Is there a list somewhere of companies that do NOT support CEI and DEI that we can support with our business?
Vote Trump MAGA 2024 and lets make America great again
Would somebody please explain to me how such a small segment of our society is/was able to generate such control of all these so-called “woke” businesses. Common sense would suggest hiring the most qualified individual for the given position. Why would any company turn over that important position to someone with an obvious agenda?
I’ve noticed around here, if you are white and want to work, you are overlooked completely. I recently talked to a State Social Worker who told me they are short handed. She stated there are ads put out everyday and no one answers the ads. Perhaps she’s posting the ads in papers in the wrong neighborhoods.
Way past time to get rid of this nonsense. I worked hard from grade school to college (low class – not Kamal’s middle class) to position myself to meet high standards of the career where I wanted to excel. I was a poor white kid but didn’t expect any special treatment just someone to recognize my assets to the cooperation. I sure hope that highly qualified veteran gets accepted into medical school, ASAP. We need former military medics showing up as doctors, NOW. Get with reality.
Vote TRUMP
George S., keep in mind that your life is also in the hands of air traffic controllers when you step into a commercial aircraft. Sadly, air traffic controllers are also being hired based on skin color and not on qualifications, I recall watching a news segment about this a couple of years ago on Newsmax or OAN.
All this fuss over 2%. I can’t believe how led by the nose these corporations were. I hope they reconsider Klaus Schwab who told them it would only hurt a little while then they’d be richer. Again led by their noses and none thought to ask their main consumers before they ostracized them.
ALL of these initiatives are Marxist tactics that have everything to do with creating strife, division, tension, jealousy, disrespect, etc. in US society. When we are divided it is easier for far left wing policies to be implemented. That, and voting for the Marxist Harris/Walz ticket.
Great news … I will absolutely support you and pass this along !!
GOOD!!! Perhaps common sense isn’t dead (especially as it relates to their bottom line).
Don’t know about woke but if Coke goes up in price any more I’m going to start drinking beer or scotch… may as well get the buzz if it costs as much!
Hi. I’m Joie ,your new CEO. I went to College and i know it all. First off Joe has been brainwashed by these left wing liberals proffesors we got now. These CEO’s we got now is dumb. No common sence. Lets back pride and get all their business. Well he gained 100 new customers and lost 125. He cant understand hiw that happened. Lets face it, Dowah the gay blade walks into a 7-11 and grabs up a 6 pack ,pa6ys for it and walks out. He dosen’t shout ,hey look I’m Gay. So the 7=11 allreddy nhas his business. This is true in all business. If a Gay wants your product ,he or she will go in and purches it. Kyle L.
Go WOKE. Go BROKE.
Way past time to get rid of this nonsense.It’s much more reassuring to know that the plane you are on is being piloted and maintained by the most experienced and competent individuals available, rather than folks who are hired to meet a quota.
The finest part-time income opportunity to work on mobile or laptop earn more than $700 every day. In the preceding month, I earned $21,683by working 3 or 4 hours every day online. Simply visit this website for further information.
HERE——≻≻≻≻≻ Highcash990.pages.dev./