Walmart US CEO defends decision to roll back DEI policies

The president and CEO of Walmart U.S., John Furner, on Tuesday defended his company's decision to eliminate some of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, claiming the decision was intended to ensure that every customer feels they can shop at the retailer.

Walmart on Monday became the largest corporation to end some of its DEI policies, which was prompted in some cases by conservative pushback. 

Some of the policies that the company reneged on include ending its racial equity training programs for staff, and deciding not to extend its Center for Racial Equity, which was slated to last five years and was established in 2020.

The company has also promised to monitor third-party items they sell to ensure they do not include sexual or transgender products aimed at minors, and that it would no longer consider race or gender a factor when offering contracts to suppliers.

Furner told CBS News on Tuesday that the company was still on a journey to make their retailer the most welcoming it can be to all consumers.

"What we're trying to do is to ensure that every customer, every associate feels welcome here to shop. And to feel like they belong," Furner said. "We're going to continue to make the best decisions we can that makes everyone – our customers, our associates – feel like this is an environment they can shop in and thrive in."

Although Furner leads the company's U.S. branches, he is not the overarching CEO, a role filled by Doug McMillon. 

Furner said he was also devoted to helping small businesses be successful in their markets, and that the company was committed to selling American-made goods that make up about two-thirds of its inventory. 

Other companies that have pulled back their DEI initiatives and policies include DoorDash, Harley-Davidson, and Lyft.

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