Jack Daniel’s and Harley-Davidson Drop DEI Initiatives

Iconic American brands Jack Daniel’s and Harley-Davidson have both decided to halt their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts allegedly after facing intense pressure from extremists threatening “anti-woke” boycotts.

Harley-Davidson made its announcement on Monday, revealing that it would be reassessing its sponsorships and withdrawing from the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) corporate equality index. The motorcycle giant also stated that future employee training sessions would be free from what it called “socially motivated content.”

“We are saddened by the negativity on social media over the last few weeks, designed to divide the Harley-Davidson community,” the company stated in a public message. “As a company, we take this issue very seriously, and it is our responsibility to respond with clarity, action, and facts.”

Jack Daniel’s, the famed whiskey maker, followed suit with an internal email sent to employees on Wednesday. The email confirmed that the company would no longer participate in initiatives like the HRC campaign and would be ending its “quantitative workforce and supplier diversity ambitions.”

The message from Jack Daniel’s executive leadership emphasized their commitment to maintaining an inclusive workplace despite the changes. “We will continue to foster an inclusive work environment where everyone is welcomed, respected, and able to bring their best self to work,” the email read. “We know it will not be easy to navigate the road ahead, but please know our deep belief in, and respect for, each of you remains constant.”

The decisions by these two companies come after intense pressure from far-right figures like Robby Starbuck, a conspiracy theorist with a significant following on X (formerly Twitter). Starbuck, who has successfully pressured other companies like John Deere and Tractor Supply into dropping their DEI efforts earlier this year, took credit for Jack Daniel’s move. He boasted to his followers that the whiskey brand was “the next company we were set to expose.”