Harley-Davidson has pulled back on some of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives after facing intense online pressure from its customer base.
In a one-page statement shared on X, the motorcycle manufacturer announced that it has “not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today.” Harley-Davidson further wrote that it would not implement “hiring quotas” and “supplier diversity spend goals,” both of which were initially part of the company’s hiring practices. The company is also doing away with racial- and gender-segregated “Business Employee Resource Groups,” or BERGs. Instead, it promised to exclusively focus on “professional development, networking and mentoring.”
Harley-Davidson’s move followed podcast host Robby Starbuck’s exposé into the company’s leftist initiatives, which Starbuck said included forcing its 1,800 employees to undergo training on how to be allies of the LGBTQ+. Moreover, he also wrote that the company bafflingly hosted an all-age pride event that featured a “rage room” adjacent to a drag queen story time for children.
It’s time to expose Harley Davidson.@harleydavidson has been one of the most beloved brands in America but recently on CEO Jochen Zeitz’s watch, they’ve gone totally woke.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) July 23, 2024
Here’s some of what we found:
• Openly supports “the equality act" which would allow men into girl’s… pic.twitter.com/15kPUy8WVY
Indirectly addressing the backlash, Harley-Davidson claimed it was “saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community.” It suggested that it took the scandal “very seriously.”
Starbuck’s video calling out Harley-Davidson for its woke policies has garnered nearly 3 million views on X. “To put it mildly, Harley Davidson seems to have forgotten who their core customers are,” Starbuck wrote above the video.
The motorcycle company pledged to review “all sponsorship and organizations” it is affiliated with and claimed it “will not participate in HRC scoring going forward.” One of Starbuck’s accusations against Harley-Davidson was that it partnered with the Human Rights Campaign for the infamous Corporate Equality Index.
Harley-Davidson is the third major U.S. company that Starbuck has investigated in recent months. Tractor Supply and manufacturer John Deere both pledged to make changes after Starbuck released separate videos delving into the two companies’ policies.
Prior Coverage: WATCH: Robby Starbuck BLASTS John Deere for Massive Betrayal
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