The NAACP is urging Black consumers to leverage their significant buying power of over $1.8 trillion annually to support companies committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a recent 'Black Consumer Advisory' memo, the NAACP called for a shift in consumer spending away from companies that have scaled back on DEI-related efforts, citing these actions as reinforcing historical barriers to progress.
Specific companies highlighted by the NAACP as ones to avoid include Walmart, Meta, McDonald's, Lowe's, Amazon, Tractor Supply, and Target. On the other hand, companies such as Delta Air Lines, Apple, Ben & Jerry's, e.l.f. Cosmetics, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Costco were commended for their continued commitment to DEI.
This call to action comes amidst political pressure to roll back DEI initiatives, with the Trump administration and GOP officials targeting such policies in both public and private sectors. President Trump's executive order and the Justice Department's directive to investigate and eliminate DEI preferences have added to the contentious climate surrounding diversity efforts.
Recent developments include FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's probe into Comcast's DEI practices and Missouri's legal challenge against Starbucks' DEI policies. The NAACP emphasized that the erosion of DEI initiatives poses a direct threat to Black economic progress and civil rights, urging Black consumers to be vigilant and intentional in their spending decisions to hold corporations and institutions accountable.
The NAACP plans to update its consumer guidance as companies adjust their DEI commitments and is engaging in discussions with firms that have reversed their pledges. NAACP CEO and President Derrick Johnson emphasized the importance of consumer choice in driving corporate accountability and supporting the community's economic empowerment.
