Lowe's revises DEI policies amid pressure following Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

The home improvement giant Lowe's recently made changes to its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid scrutiny following a Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action from being considered in college admissions.

Lowe's is the latest company to adjust its DEI policies since the ruling, and amid blowback from right-wing influencers and political commentators. Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Tractor Supply Co. have ended their DEI policies recently, and Zoom, Snap, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot, and Wayfair have reduced their DEI work force, according to the New York Post.

Lowe's leadership claimed it began reviewing its DEI program after the Supreme Court ruling last year, and decided to merge its individual resource groups that were for "diverse sections of our associate population,” into one group, according to an internal memo reported by the Associated Press.

The home improvement company will also no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign's annual survey that measures how inclusive workplaces are for the LGBTQ community. It will additionally stick to participating in and sponsoring events and parades that only align with its business area.

“We may make additional changes over time,” the company’s leadership team said in the memo. “What will not change, though, is our commitment to our people.”

The changes come as Lowe's fights back on a social media claim that the company's CEO Marvin Ellison said conservatives that do not agree with Lowe's values should shop at Home Depot. 

“Lowe’s CEO did not make this comment,” the company wrote on X. “Everyone is welcome at Lowe’s.”

The company's internal memo did not state when the changes were made, but said discussions regarding the changes took place at a meeting on Aug. 21. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.