Companies are retracting their DEI policies, and Ford is among them.

• Ford Motor communicated to its employees that it had conducted a comprehensive review of its DEI policies and practices during the past year.
• The automaker stated that it will not implement quotas for minority dealerships or suppliers, and it does not have any hiring quotas.
• The company will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index or other "best places to work" lists.

The latest company to retract some of its pledges to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is.

Ford has revised its DEI policies and practices to address the changing external and legal environment related to political and social issues, as stated in an internal communication shared with global employees and posted on X by an anti-DEI activist. Ford confirmed the authenticity of the letter and declined to provide further comment.

Ford has followed suit with a major retailer that recently stopped its DEI efforts, including severing ties with the Human Rights Campaign and retiring DEI targets such as increasing the number of employees of color at the manager level. Additionally, the company has decided to stop consulting the HRC's metric for treating LGBTQ+ employees and has affirmed that it does not have a DEI function.

Earlier this week, a home improvement retailer joined the efforts and mentioned that it may make further changes to its policies in the future.

The companies have attributed their announcements to conservative opposition or shifting social and political circumstances.

Ford announced on Wednesday that it will not implement quotas for minority dealerships or suppliers, and also stated that it does not have any hiring quotas.

The automaker will cease its participation in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and other "best places to work" lists.

The Human Rights Campaign evaluates companies' LGBTQ+ equality measures annually, including offering spousal medical benefits regardless of sex and having LGBTQ+ community outreach efforts. Ford has consistently received a perfect score on this index.

"We will prioritize caring for our customers, team, and communities over publicly commenting on polarizing issues, as Ford stated in a statement to employees. However, we will speak out on core issues if we believe our voice can make a positive difference."

Following the Supreme Court's decision to abolish affirmative action in universities, an increasing number of conservative social media users have urged corporations to cease their investments in DEI initiatives.

"Industrial and organizational psychologist Derek Avery stated on CNBC that the Supreme Court's ruling on institutions of higher education was essentially what they had seen, with conservative state attorney generals sending letters to corporations warning them of potential lawsuits if they continued to advocate for DEI practices that could be perceived as counter to the ruling, even though the ruling did not apply to corporate initiatives."