John Deere releases statement rejecting DEI policies: 'Committed to our customers'
John Deere announced it will be scuttling nearly all its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) polices in favor of a quality-based workplace.
The major tractor company released a statement on its X account Tuesday saying that it will commit to prioritizing quality and customer trust over DEI initiatives.
"Our customers’ trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere. We fully intend to earn it every day and in every way we can," the post read, along with a full statement.
Their efforts include pledging the company "will no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals or events," will be "auditing all company-mandated training materials and policies to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages" and "reaffirming within the business that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy."
In addition, the statement said that employee resource groups "will exclusively be focused on professional development, networking, mentoring and supporting talent recruitment efforts."
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The statement came about a week after filmmaker Robby Starbuck released a video report on a number of woke policies at John Deere, saying he found the company was "funding a pride event for kids as young as 3," asking employees to "list their ‘preferred pronouns’ on all communications," promoting a "United for Equity" program among accounting and finance teams and forming "LGBTQ & race-based identity groups at corporate."
While John Deere did not reference the report directly, the company's statement emphasized its committment to listening and responding to customer feedback.
"To best serve our customers and employees, Deere is always listening to feedback and looking for opportunities to improve. That's why we consistently prioritize internal policies that more closely align our business strategy to meet the needs of our customers," the statement read.
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The statement also came just weeks after John Deere announced massive layoffs following a reduction in demand.
The company is slashing around 280 workers from a plant in East Moline, Illinois, while another 230 employees are being let go at a factory in Davenport, Iowa. About 100 production employees at the company’s Dubuque, Iowa, plant will also be impacted. All layoffs are said to be effective from Aug. 30, the company told FOX Business on June 29.
Tractor Supply was similarly attacked for promoting woke policies before reversing course. The company announced in June that it will ax DEI goals and positions and cease sponsorship of "nonbusiness activities" such as Pride festivals and voting campaigns, with the intention of focusing more on "rural America priorities."
"We work hard to live up to our mission and values every day and represent the values of the communities and customers we serve," Tractor Supply said in its statement. "We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them. We have taken this feedback to heart."
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Fox Business’ Michael Dorgan and Aislinn Murphy contributed to this report.