Lowe’s, $LOW, is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs

Home improvement giant Lowe’s is scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, joining a number of companies that have adjusted their programs following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions or after facing conservative criticism online.

In an internal memo shared with The Associated Press, Lowe’s executive leadership explained that the company began "reviewing" its policies after the court’s July 2023 ruling. Recently, Lowe’s decided to consolidate its resource groups—which previously represented distinct sections of its diverse associate population—under one umbrella organization.

Additionally, the retailer will no longer participate in the annual Human Rights Campaign survey, which assesses workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees, nor will it sponsor or participate in events, such as festivals and parades, that fall outside of its business interests.

These policy changes were made to ensure Lowe’s compliance with legal standards and its commitment to "include everyone," according to the memo.

“We may make further changes over time,” the leadership team noted. “However, our commitment to our people will remain unchanged.”

Conservative political commentator Robby Starbuck, who has previously targeted companies like Tractor Supply and John Deere, claimed responsibility for Lowe's changes. In a post on X, Starbuck said he had reached out to a Lowe’s executive last week, threatening to "expose" the company's hiring policies and involvement with LGBTQ+ resource groups and Pride events.

However, Lowe's spokesperson Steve Salazar dismissed that claim in an email on Tuesday, stating that Starbuck's outreach occurred after the company had "already announced changes that had long been in process." The memo did not specify the exact timing of the changes but mentioned that they were discussed during an August 21 meeting.

In the past week, Lowe’s also addressed a separate, false claim circulating on social media, where a digitally-altered image falsely quoted CEO Marvin Ellison as telling conservatives who disagreed with the company's values to shop at Home Depot instead.