NC LGBTQ group ‘caught off guard’ as Lowe’s ends DEI programs amid conservative backlash

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated Wednesday, Aug. 28, with more information from one LGBTQ+ group.

Lowe’s is the latest national retailer to end some of its diversity, equity and inclusion programs — mostly LGBTQ focused — following the Supreme Court’s ruling reversing affirmative action in college admissions and pressure from conservative activists.

The Mooresville-based home improvement retailer is reviewing and changing its DEI policies, according to a memo sent to employees on Monday. The memo, signed by “The Executive Leadership Team,” was shared by Lowe’s with The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday. Lowe’s declined further comment.

At least one group, the Charlotte-based Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce , was “caught off guard” by the move, director of operations Abby Mederos said Wednesday morning. The chamber and Lowe’s officials were meeting Tuesday and Wednesday about the changes, she said.

Lowe’s, ranked 49th on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies, is the rare Fortune 500 company with a Black CEO in Marvin Ellison. The chain has 1,700 stores nationwide and 300,000 workers, including 11,000 in the Charlotte region,

Lowe’s and DEI

In 2019, Lowe’s launched a multi-year program to integrate diversity and inclusion initiatives to foster a diverse workplace that better serves its customers, according to the company’s responsibility report .

Lowe’s has received awards for its DEI work , including the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Company of the Year Award by Store Brands and WISE, and the 2022 Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.

In this week’s memo, Lowe’s said it began reviewing its diversity and inclusion programs after last year’s Supreme Court decision that race-conscious admissions policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina are unconstitutional.

According to the memo, among Lowe’s DEI changes, it will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign survey or LGBTQ surveys. Lowe’s also will combine diverse employee group representation under one organization.

Lowe’s will focus future investments on projects that “align with our business,” and concentrate on safe and affordable housing, disaster relief and skilled trades education. Lowe’s also will no longer support or participate in community events “outside of this scope,” such as festivals, parades and fairs.

“We may make additional changes over time,” the memo stated. “We believe in inclusion, not exclusion. This simply means we ensure that everyone is included and considered fairly based on merit and results. ... Our hiring is not and has never been based on numbers or targets.”

The home improvement company said its workforce mirrors the makeup of America and its customers. “All of you are here because of your talent,” the memo stated.

Lowe’s and Charlotte Pride Parade sponsorship

Lowe’s was one of last year’s Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade sponsors, and had booths and stage sponsorship at this month’s event . This year, over 240,000 people attended this year’s parade and festival, according to the organization.

An official with Charlotte Pride Festival did not respond to a request for comment about Lowe’s’ latest move. The Carolinas LGBT+ chamber declined comment other than to confirm its pending meeting.

In 2019, Lowe’s was a sponsor of the pride parade and festival with over 100 employees attending , according to a company Facebook post.

Before the Lowe’s DEI memo

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck said Monday on X he was targeting Lowe’s DEI policies for a potential boycott when the policy changes were made.

Other companies that have dropped DEI policies are Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris and Indian Motorcycle, Starbuck noted.

On Saturday, after Starbuck reached out to Lowe’s and two days before the employee memo was released , a fake meme quoting Ellison was posted in comments on the company’s X page that told conservatives who don’t like the company’s values to shop elsewhere.

A barrage of “cancel Lowe’s” comments followed on the company’s X account.

“This statement is false. Lowe’s CEO did not make this comment. Everyone is welcome at Lowe’s,” Lowe’s replied several times.

The original CNBC graphic used for the fake meme was a quote from Ellison talking about customers delaying big-ticket purchase because of inflation. It’s unclear who was responsible for creating the fake meme.

After the Lowe’s memo

Online reactions were mixed to the changes that Lowe’s outlined.

On Reddit, some called Lowe’s “cowards” and said they “got played for profit.”

“Another company caves to right wing white rage freakout over DEI programs,” another person said on X.

But others agreed with the Lowe’s changes. “I’m all for ditching DEI as putting anything in front of merit is a disaster and the repercussions are quite noticeable,” one person said on Reddit.

“I had quit shopping at @Lowes because of their DEI policies but if they’re truly changing their Woke crap, I’ll be happy to shop there again,” another person said on X.

Either way, there were calls online for canceling Lowe’s because of its DEI policies and now because it is scrapping some of those programs.

NC Reality Check reflects the Charlotte Observer’s commitment to holding those in power to account, shining a light on public issues that affect our local readers and illuminating the stories that set the Charlotte area and North Carolina apart. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@charlotteobserver.com