Bending the Arc

One of President Trump’s first executive orders placed federal DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) staffers on administrative leave as work began to dismantle their departments.

The pullback on DEI in the private sector began before Trump took office. A slew of companies - including Meta, Walmart, and McDonalds - either reduced or ended their own DEI initiatives. Some had been targeted by conservative activist groups. However, amid the tensions, some executives are taking a public stance in supporting their firms’ DEI policies. Costco is one of those businesses.

Former Costco International Division Senior Vice President Roger Campbell, claims DEI is not a new thing for their business. He recently shared with Fox News, "The term DEI didn't even exist to us, it was the way we ran our business...It's who we are.” Campbell, who spent 29 years working at Costco, told Fox News that Costco never had an official diversity program, the company has just always strived to employ people at their warehouses who reflect the demographics of where their store is located.

Campbell, who said he is a conservative, also told Fox News that Costco has never denied someone a job because they are a white man. He said that if two people with equal qualifications were up for the same job then they would take diversity into account.

Per this Business Insider article, the list of CEO’s voicing support for their companies’ DEI initiatives is growing. In addition to the big names on the list, other well-known DEI supporters include: Apple, Delta, American and Southwest Airlines, Meijer, Kroger, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, TJ Maxx, and Walgreens. 

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