(Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp. distanced itself from some of its LGBTQ initiatives and said it doesn’t have a quota system to boost diversity among its suppliers, after a social media attack from an anti-DEI activist.
The Japanese carmaker was targeted by Robby Starbuck Thursday for sponsoring LGBTQ events and programs and offering “preferential treatment for diverse suppliers.” Toyota said the LGBTQ programs in question were led by employee groups, not the company directly.
“Not every activity is sanctioned by the company, and we have over 14 affinities and 116 chapters and over 8,000 members in our ERGs,” a company spokesman said in a statement. The campaign from Starbuck hasn’t prompted a review of policies for these employee groups but the company periodically evaluates its strategic investments, the spokesman added.
Tetsuo Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota North America, is quoted on the company website as saying “supplier diversity is a critical part of economic inclusion and development for the communities where we live and work.” But the spokesman said that doesn’t extend to setting specific quotas for underrepresented groups.
Toyota is among a handful of companies Starbuck has targeted in recent months, urging customers to boycott the brands for their “woke” policies. Harley-Davidson Inc., Lowe’s Cos. and Ford Motor Co. said they would curb their DEI efforts, including scaling back programs directed at LGBTQ groups.
“Short-sighted decisions to abandon DEI initiatives will have a lasting, negative impact on business success in a future where more people than ever are identifying as LGBTQ+,” Eric Bloem, a vice president at LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, said in an email.
“The spread of online misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people have real world consequences and deserve no place in corporate decision-making,” he added.
Starbuck’s fight against corporate DEI programs is the latest in a conservative-led campaign that was emboldened by the US Supreme Court’s decision to ban affirmative action in college admissions last year. That ruling sparked a series of lawsuits and federal complaints against companies for discriminating against White workers.
DEI supporters have been trying to fight back against Starbuck, calling for counter boycotts and warning companies not to succumb to his bullying.
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