Alexander Farnsworth
Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) is pulling back its “woke” policies that it said were unpopular with its customers, after facing weeks of backlash on social media.
The farm supply retail chain will eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion roles and retire its current DEI goals. It will also ditch its carbon emission goals, instead focusing on land and water conservation efforts.
Tractor Supply (TSCO) will sharpen focus on rural America priorities like animal welfare and veteran causes, and stop sponsoring pride festivals and voting campaigns.
“We heard from customers that we have disappointed them,” it said. “We’ve taken this feedback to heart.”
Tractor Supply (TSCO) previously targeted to increase people of color at the manager level and above by 50% by 2026, among other DEI goals, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
Companies have increasingly been revising DEI targets for executive pay, including Best Buy (BBY) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Bloomberg reported last week.
“Companies are trying to be careful when setting these goals,” said Brian Bueno, ESG Leader at consulting firm Farient Advisors. “It’s possible we could see movement away from diversity or towards broader measures of human capital or workforce-related measures.”
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