The attorneys general of 13 states are calling on Walmart to reverse its decision to end diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and explain how the company plans to protect the civil rights of its workers.
Walmart announced in November, shortly after the election of President-elect Donald Trump, that it would cease training through the Racial Equity Institute, shut down its Racial Equity Center, and stop using the terms "diversity," "DEI" and "LatinX" in documents.
In response to this decision, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul led 12 of his fellow Democrat attorneys general in sending a letter to Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillion last week.
"We are writing to express our concern regarding Walmart's recent decision to step away from its commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion ("DEI"). In particular, we are concerned that Walmart's decision to phase out supplier diversity programs, close down the Center for Racial Equality, end equity training for staff, and remove the words "diversity" and "DEI" from company documents and employee titles risks undermining important social progress and anti-discrimination efforts," the letter read.
Those who signed the letter include the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
"There could be economic pressure from the other side of things which is, quite frankly, the majority of the United States. Women and minorities buy as well, have purchasing power as well," Raoul said in an interview with NewsNation.
"On the heels of George Floyd's murder, Walmart had stepped forth and said that we're making a commitment to the very thing that they're now abandoning. So I question how genuine that commitment was," he added.
In a statement, Walmart said that the company is "committed to creating a culture where everyone can be successful."