Boeing reportedly dismantled its global diversity, equity and inclusion
(DEI) department as part of an overhaul of its operations ordered by
the company’s new top executive — becoming the latest major company to
ditch the controversial initiative.
The aerospace giant — which was slammed by [1]tech mogul Elon Musk for
prioritizing DEI over safety and quality controls after a
near-catastrophic blowout during an Alaska Airlines flight — said staff
from its DEI office would be absorbed into another human resources team
focused on talent and employee experience, [2]according to Bloomberg
News.
Sara Liang Bowen, a company vice president who was put in charge of the
now-defunct DEI unit, left the company on Thursday.
[3]Boeing, the Seattle-based airplane manufacturer, is doing away with
its DEI team.
Boeing, the Seattle-based airplane manufacturer, is doing away with its
DEI team. REUTERS
[4]In January, a Boeing aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines suffered a
blowout of one of its doors during a flight.
In January, a Boeing aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines suffered a
blowout of one of its doors during a flight. AP
“The team achieved so much — sometimes imperfectly, never easily — and
dreamed of doing much more still,” Bowen wrote in a farewell post on
LinkedIn.
“It has been the privilege of my lifetime to lead Equity, Diversity,
and Inclusion at the Boeing company these past 5+ years. Our team
strived every day to support the evolving brilliance and creativity of
our workforce.”
A conservative influencer who has launched viral campaigns that forced
other high-profile companies —[5] including John Deere, Harley Davidson
and Jack Daniels — to scrap their DEI policies took credit for Boeing’s
overhaul.
Robby Starbuck said he reached out to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and
board chair Steve Mollenkopf by email last month to let them know he
would wage an online campaign against their DEI policies.
“Our campaigns are so effective that we’re getting some of the biggest
corporations on earth to change their policies without me even posting
a video first just from the fear they have of being the next company we
expose,” [6]Starbuck wrote on X on Thursday.
He added that the “landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting
to sanity and neutrality.”
[7]Robby Starbuck was set to wage a pressure campaign against Boeing.
Robby Starbuck was set to wage a pressure campaign against Boeing.
William DeShazer for NY Post
Musk had called out Boeing in the wake of the mid-air incident in
January over a filing that appeared to show the company two years ago
began using DEI goals as incentives for executive compensation after
previously focusing solely on safety and quality controls.
“Do you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring
over your safety? That is actually happening,” Musk said on X.
In a subsequent, Musk wrote: “People will die due to DEI,” citing a
news article on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, which had to make an
emergency landing at Portland International Airport after a chunk of
the plane blew off at about 16,000 feet, leaving a gaping hole in the
plane.
[8]Tech mogul Elon Musk has criticized Boeing for prioritizing DEI over
safety and quality controls.
Tech mogul Elon Musk has criticized Boeing for prioritizing DEI over
safety and quality controls. REUTERS
The company, which has been embroiled in damaging labor strike, beefed
up its DEI initiatives following the death of George Floyd in May 2020
— pledging to increase overall black employment by 20% by 2025.
Last year, Boeing reported that it had increased black employment by
17% since 2020.
“Boeing remains committed to recruiting and retaining top talent and
creating an inclusive work environment where every teammate around the
world can perform at their best while supporting the company’s
mission,” the company said after news broke that it will scrap its DEI
department.
Corporate America has gradually moved away from DEI initiatives due to
backlash that has grown more intense on social media.
[9]Harley-Davidson is one of several large companies that scaled back
its DEI initiatives.
Harley-Davidson is one of several large companies that scaled back its
DEI initiatives. REUTERS
In June, Tractor Supply Co. said it had eliminated DEI roles and
withdrew from various DEI-related activities.
John Deere, the agricultural equipment manufacturer, recently ended its
support for “social and cultural awareness events,” while
Harley-Davidson withdrew from participating in the Human Rights
Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.
Toyota and Ford also announced that they were scaling back their DEI
programs and policies.
Critics argue that education, government and business programs which
single out participants based on factors such as race, gender and
sexual orientation are unfair and the same opportunities should be
afforded to everyone.
[10]John Deere stopped participating in a "corporate equality index"
run by Human Rights Campaign.
John Deere stopped participating in a “corporate equality index” run by
Human Rights Campaign. wolterke – stock.adobe.com
Meanwhile, striking Boeing workers will on Monday vote on a proposal
that boosts a wage hike to 38% over four years from a 35% increase
earlier and offers an improved $12,000 ratification bonus, but does not
meet their key demand of a return to a defined-benefit pension.
About 33,000 IAM members have been on strike for seven weeks, shutting
down production of most Boeing airline jets including the company’s
best-seller, the 737 Max.
The strike began Sept. 13 when more than 94% of workers voting rejected
an offer of 25% over four years. Last week, 64% shot down a proposal
that would have raised general wages 35% over four years.
With Post Wires
References
1.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/11/business/elon-musk-rips-boeing-they-prioritized-dei-over-safety/
2.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-31/boeing-dismantles-diversity-team-as-pressure-builds-on-new-ceo
3. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
4. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
5.
https://nypost.com/2024/08/26/business/lowes-becomes-latest-company-to-end-dei-policies/
6.
https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/1852149367483793440
7. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
8. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
9. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
10. file:///tmp/lynxXXXXdJsstn/L943845-4476TMP.html
