Quick Hit:

Molson Coors is discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, joining other major corporations in scaling back their progressive policies.

Key Details:

• Molson Coors will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

• Supplier-diversity goals and DEI-based hiring practices will be phased out.

• The decision follows similar moves by Ford, Lowe's, and other corporations.

Diving Deeper:

Molson Coors has become the latest company to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The move, disclosed in an internal email obtained by National Review, signals the beer maker’s decision to step back from progressive corporate practices aimed at promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and supplier diversity.

As part of this shift, Molson Coors will cease its participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. The company previously held a perfect score of 100, which reflected its compliance with the index’s workplace protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. The company will also end its supplier-diversity goals, which encouraged the procurement of goods from businesses owned by women and racial minorities.

In the email, Molson Coors explained that the decision aligns with the company's new focus on welcoming all employees, regardless of race or gender, stating, “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.”

This announcement follows a series of similar moves by major companies like Ford and Lowe's, which have recently abandoned DEI initiatives in light of changing political and social pressures. Lowe’s cited the recent Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action in higher education as a factor influencing its policy change.

The reversal of DEI efforts has been driven in part by conservative activists like filmmaker Robby Starbuck, who has publicly urged corporations to reconsider their involvement in progressive political causes. Starbuck took credit for reaching out to Molson Coors executives, and shared a video outlining how the company will no longer implement DEI-based training programs or make donations to divisive events.

The corporate retreat from DEI has been on the rise since last year, when Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light faced a major conservative backlash for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The resulting boycott significantly hurt the brand’s sales, forcing the company to change its marketing approach to repair its image.

With companies like Molson Coors following suit, the trend of distancing from DEI efforts appears to be gaining momentum across corporate America.