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Black America Web
07-07-2025
- Business
- Black America Web
Home Depot's DEI Removal Has Activist Group Calling For Boycott
Source: Luke Johnson / Getty Another day, another company rightfully facing consequences for abandoning its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The latest company facing a potential boycott is none other than The Home Depot. According to Newsweek, People's Union USA founder John Schwartz has called for a 31-day boycott against the home improvement retail store for quietly removing their DEI initiatives from their website. People's Union USA is a non-partisan activist group focused on 'economic resistance, corporate accountability, and real justice for the working class.' 'We the people have had and seen enough. So this July, we make a different kind of noise. We stop shopping with them, we stop funding the systems that don't serve us. And we shift our energy to small businesses, to local shops, to the people who actually care. Because we are the economy,' Schwartz said in a video posted to Instagram. 'For over 45 years, our business success has been driven by our eight core values, including respect for all people and taking care of our people. We're proud to have a culture that welcomes everyone, and we believe it helps us achieve our business goals by supporting associates, building relationships and fostering innovation,' Home Depot said in a statement sent to Newsweek. It appears Home Depot has rebranded its DEI program to the more generic 'WeAreTHD.' A look at its website shows very little in terms of DEI commitments or even the word diversity. The most I could find was the 2024 racial equity assessment that highlighted its prior commitment to DEI and a stat revealing that 58 percent of its new hires were 'ethnically diverse.' It feels more than a bit self-serving for Home Depot to keep up the report and statistics while erasing any public support for DEI. The pullback from DEI initiatives has proven to have adverse consequences for several businesses this year. Target is among the most notable as it went from being a brand favored by Black and queer consumers to one no one seems to be rocking with. The company wasted no time announcing it would be ending its DEI initiatives shortly after President Trump took office. The move sparked outrage among consumers and activist groups nationwide. Dr Jamal Bryant was the first to call for a boycott of Target and it appears to have taken hold as foot traffic has steadily been down in Target stores throughout the year. In May, the company reported a drop in quarterly sales during an earnings call. The boycott has proven so successful that other companies have begun listing consumer boycotts as potential sales risks for investors. What makes the companies pulling back from DEI initiatives look so bad is that we've seen several companies stand ten toes down on DEI and face little to no consequences. In fact, a recent poll revealed that companies who maintain their DEI initiatives actually have better reputations. Costco announced it'd be keeping its DEI initiatives and has seen sales grow this year. Apple similarly announced that its shareholders voted to keep its DEI programs, which predictably sent President Trump into a hissy fit, but no legal action has been taken against the company. While the Trump administration has made a big show of cracking down on DEI in universities and colleges, it hasn't taken nearly as an aggressive stance against private business. Considering that the administration ostensibly wants to be seen as 'pro-business' (one look at the big, horrifying bill shows they certainly aren't pro-worker), one has to wonder if Trump is all bark no bite when it comes to regulating DEI in private businesses. If the last six months have revealed anything it's that the only people actually tripping over DEI are the weirdos in the White House and trolls online. If companies want to avoid boycotts and a potential loss in sales, they should continue to embrace DEI and not abandon it. SEE ALSO: Poll Shows Companies Maintaing DEI Intiatives Have Better Reputations Survey: High-Level Business Execs Say DEI Is Necessary SEE ALSO Home Depot's DEI Removal Has Activist Group Calling For Boycott was originally published on
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Home Depot Responds to Nationwide Boycott
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Home Depot has responded to the People's Union USA's calls for a monthlong boycott. In a statement shared with Newsweek, a spokesperson said "We're proud to have a culture that welcomes everyone." Newsweek has reached out to the founder of the People's Union USA via email for comment. Why It Matters Boycotts, led by consumers against prominent U.S. companies have been sweeping the country in recent months. Some boycotts have come as companies have been accused of scaling back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI), following the return of President Donald Trump to office, where he moved to dismantle such practices. The Home Depot logo is displayed outside a store on March 10, 2025 in San Diego, California. The Home Depot logo is displayed outside a store on March 10, 2025 in San Diego, To Know The People's Union USA is a nonpartisan group focused on "economic resistance, corporate accountability, and real justice for the working class." Its founder, John Schwartz, said in a video shared to Instagram and TikTok "This July, we are boycotting Amazon, Starbucks and Home Depot for the entire month of July. And we're not just doing this because of their political view we are doing it for the people." Schwartz went on to say in the video that Home Depot has "Quietly erased their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page, as if standing for fairness or for equality or for representation, was something to be ashamed of. That was a choice." In response, a Home Depot spokesperson shared a statement with Newsweek which read in part "For over 45 years, our business success has been driven by our eight core values, including respect for all people and taking care of our people." The statement continued that Home Depot is "proud," to have a culture that "welcomes everyone." It continued, "We believe it helps us achieve our business goals by supporting associates, building relationships and fostering innovation." The spokesperson added: "As we continually refine our communications, we have been using 'WeAreTHD,' which we have long used to represent the welcoming culture that we've built here." The "WeAreTHD" page on Home Depot's website reads in part "Our culture and our associates provide intangible and hard-to-replicate competitive advantages, which have been key to helping us navigate challenging market conditions." The page does not mention diversity, equity or inclusion. The website did originally have a page that championed the company's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. This was taken down after Trump's orders to ax DEI programs in both public and private sectors across America. DEI initiatives were created to promote the fair treatment and full participation of individuals, in particular those who are from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups. Companies such as Meta, Walmart and McDonald's have made changes to their DEI policies. What People Are Saying John Schwartz, speaking in a TikTok video about the boycott: "We the people have had and seen enough. So this July, we make a different kind of noise. We stop shopping with them, we stop funding the systems that don't serve us. And we shift our energy to small businesses, to local shops, to the people who actually care. Because we are the economy." The "WeAreTHD" page on Home Depot's website reads in part: "To preserve and protect that customer experience, we focus on cultivating a compelling associate experience, which we believe supports our ability to attract and retain our associates. This includes investing in competitive wages and benefits while also providing the culture, tools, training, and development opportunities that make working at The Home Depot an enjoyable and rewarding experience." What's Next The Home Depot boycott is to last for the month of July, as the People's Union USA continues to spearhead boycott initiatives against major American companies.
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Nationwide Home Depot Boycott Planned for July: What To Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The People's Union USA is organizing a month-long boycott of home improvement retailer The Home Depot. Newsweek has reached out to the founder of the People's Union USA via email for comment. Why It Matters Consumer-led boycotts against well-known and prolific American corporations have been sweeping the country since late February. Some boycotts have taken specific action at companies accused of scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, following the commencement of President Donald Trump's second term in office, where he moved to dismantle such practices. The People's Union USA is organizing a month-long boycott of home improvement retailer Home Depot in July 2025. The People's Union USA is organizing a month-long boycott of home improvement retailer Home Depot in July To Know The People's Union USA is a non-partisan group focused on "economic resistance, corporate accountability, and real justice for the working class." Its founder, John Schwartz, said in a video shared to Instagram and TikTok: "This July, we are boycotting Amazon, Starbucks and Home Depot for the entire month of July. And we're not just doing this because of their political view, we are doing it for the people." He said in the video that The Home Depot has "Quietly erased their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page, as if standing for fairness or for equality or for representation, was something to be ashamed of. That was a choice." A section of the website that had championed the company's DEI efforts was taken down. The move came after Trump's orders to axe DEI programs in public and private sectors across the country. DEI initiatives were created to promote the fair treatment and full participation of individuals, in particular those who are from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups. Companies including Meta, Walmart and McDonald's have made changes to their DEI policies. Other companies, including Apple and Costco, have continued theirs. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for The Home Depot, in a statement shared with Newsweek: "For over 45 years, our business success has been driven by our eight core values, including respect for all people and taking care of our people. We're proud to have a culture that welcomes everyone, and we believe it helps us achieve our business goals by supporting associates, building relationships and fostering innovation." People's Union USA founder John Schwartz, in a TikTok video about the boycott: "We the people have had and seen enough. So this July, we make a different kind of noise. We stop shopping with them, we stop funding the systems that don't serve us. And we shift our energy to small businesses, to local shops, to the people who actually care. Because we are the economy." What Happens Next The group is continuing to spearhead boycotts of major American companies. The boycotts against The Home Depot, Amazon and Starbucks will last for the month of July.
