John Deere to scale back DEI initiatives

John Deere announces the company is dropping DEI initiatives
The company will audit training materials to rid them of ‘socially motivated messages’
The company will continue to track and advance diversity

Updated: Jul 18, 2024 / 12:52 PM CDT

FILE – The John Deere logo is seen at their equipment exhibit at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., Aug. 31, 2015. Equipment manufacturer John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation have signed a memorandum of understanding that ensures farmers and ranchers have the right to repair their own farm equipment. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)

(NewsNation) — Farm equipment manufacturer John Deere announced that the company will be scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the company announced this week.

The company said in a statement on X that it would be reaffirming within the business that “the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy,” but the company will continue to track and advance the diversity of the organization.

It also stated that the company would no longer be participating in “external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events,” and that it would be auditing training materials to ensure the “absence of socially motivated messages.”

The statement said that the changes are based upon the company’s commitment to listening to customer, employee and key stakeholder opinions.

The company also announced that employee resource groups will now focus exclusively on “professional development, networking, mentoring and supporting talent recruitment efforts.”

“Our customers’ trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere,” the statement read.