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Harley-Davidson is dropping DEI policies after pressure from diversity critics

By
Megan Cerullo
Reporter, MoneyWatch
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.
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Megan Cerullo

/ CBS News

Harley-Davidson on Monday said it is ditching some of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals, a move that comes after it faced pressure from anti-diversity critics on social media. 

The iconic motorcycle manufacturer follows John Deere & Co. and Tractor Supply, which both made similar decisions to scratch their diversity programs earlier this summer. 

In a posted to X, Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson said it currently has no "DEI function" and has not operated such a program since April 2024. The company added that it has no hiring quotas and no longer has "supplier diversity spend goals" designed to spread the company's spending out across businesses operated by people from diverse backgrounds. 

Additionally, Harley-Davidson said it will no longer participate in Human Rights Campaign (HRC) scoring, and will strike any "socially motivated content" from its employee training materials. 

"We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community," the company said in its announcement. Despite shelving some of its initiatives, Harley-Davidson said it believes "having both a broad employee and customer base is good for business and that ultimately everybody should experience the joy of riding a Harley-Davidson."

Conservative political commentator and filmmaker Robby Starbuck the announcement in a statement on X, calling it "another win for our movement."

Starbuck, a 35-year-old Cuban American, has the Associated Press he stands against hiring decisions based on race, as well as DEI initiatives and policies that he believes weave allow social issues and politics into a company's culture. 

He first took aim at Harley-Davidson in July, writing on social media that the company has "gone totally woke." 

The decision illustrates the growing pressure on companies to shelve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Some conservative activists are questioning the efficacy and fairness of policies aimed at making organizations more diverse and inclusive.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

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