Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson (HOG) is attempting to extinguish the fire of “woke” backlash after a group of its consumers began focusing on the company’s supposed policies and beliefs.
Outrage against the company erupted in late July after Robby Starbuck, a former Republican candidate for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District in 2022, took to social media platform X to “expose” Harley-Davidson for going “totally woke.”
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“@harleydavidson has been one of the most beloved brands in America but recently on CEO Jochen Zeitz’s watch, they’ve gone totally woke,” wrote Starbuck in a tweet on July 23.
He revealed that Harley-Davidson has a “total commitment” to diversity, equity and inclusion, and supports a number of LGBTQ-based policies, events and training for its employees. He also claimed that the company’s CEO, Jochen Zeitz, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge, and that Harley-Davidson is “openly working to have less White suppliers, dealers and employees.”
“I don’t think the values at corporate reflect the values of nearly any Harley Davidson bikers,” said Starbuck in the tweet. “Do Harley riders want the money they spend at Harley to be used later by corporate to push an ideology that’s diametrically opposed to their own values?”
Many users on X were outraged at Starbuck’s findings, and some even claimed that they were boycotting the company over its beliefs.
Talk about another brand that doesn’t understand its target market….
— Webmiester (@YourWebmiester) July 23, 2024
Wow.
Boycott Harley; they are not who you thought they were
— BlkHeart 🖤 (@BillTJr6) July 25, 2024
Thanks. You've done some great work here.
— Chip Gibbons (@GibbonsChip) August 9, 2024
So many companies have been sold on the idea that being more woke will strengthen their brand. But if the cost of buying a product you love is supporting values contrary to your own, that product is way too expensive.
After catching heat over its policies, Harley-Davidson finally responded to the backlash in a statement on X on Aug. 19.
“We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community,” said the company in the statement. “As a Company, we take this issue very seriously, and it is our responsibility to respond with clarity, action and facts.”
The company also refuted allegations that it supports DEI initiatives as it claims that it axed its “DEI function” months ago.
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“It is critical to our business that we hire and retain the best talent and that all employees feel welcome,” said Harley-Davidson. “That said, we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals.”
Going forward, Harley-Davidson said that it will ensure that its business resource groups “exclusively focus on professional development, networking, and mentoring.” Sponsorships and affiliations will also be under “review” and will only be approved and managed by the company or its foundation. Employee training will also undergo a major adjustment.
“Training provided will be related to the needs of the business and be absent of socially motivated content - only legally required training has even been mandatory at Harley-Davidson,” said the company in the statement.
We remain committed to listening to all members of our community as we continue on our journey together as one Harley-Davidson. United We Ride. pic.twitter.com/0feGYhTUMh
— Harley-Davidson (@harleydavidson) August 19, 2024
Harley-Davidson did not immediately respond to TheStreet’s request for comment.
Related: John Deere makes a harsh move after ‘woke’ policies face scrutiny
Companies are starting to shy away from DEI
The move from Harley-Davidson comes after farm supply company John Deere also cut its DEI policies in July after it was exposed by Starbuck for its supposed corporate beliefs. Tractor Supply also made the same decision last month, avoiding a boycott, after outrage erupted over its “woke” policies.
Microsoft even decided to lay off its DEI team last month after it faced controversy over its DEI goals in February.
Many companies have been making cuts to their DEI policies due to fears of facing backlash. According to a recent analysis from Bloomberg, more than two dozen public companies mentioned DEI as a risk factor in their securities filings. They cited that DEI can cause legal and reputation harm if they take on too little or too much action on diversity, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions in June 2023.
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