By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Related Articles National News | Ex-FBI informant accused of lying about the Bidens is indicted on federal tax charges National News | Bird flu virus was found in raw milk. What to know about the risks National News | Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailers National News | Man found guilty of holding down teen while he was raped at a youth center in 1998 National News | What Black Friday’s history tells us about holiday shopping in 2024 Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.NHRA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF LANDMARK 75TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN FOR 2026 SEASON
Marketing Technology Leader Celebrates Four Consecutive Years of Recognition for Outstanding Growth and Innovation SAN ANTONIO , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stirista, a leader in data-driven marketing innovation, today announced it has secured the #4 position in the San Antonio Business Journal's Fast Track Awards for 2024. This marks Stirista's fourth consecutive year on the list, moving up two spots from last year's ranking and further solidifying its place as a powerhouse in the marketing technology space. The Fast Track Awards recognize the region's fastest-growing companies, celebrating innovation, success, and contributions to the local economy. Stirista's continued rise on the list highlights its sustained growth, fueled by data solutions, strategic client partnerships, and its commitment to excellence in marketing. "We are honored to be recognized for the fourth consecutive year, and moving up to the #4 spot re-affirms our dedication to exceeding expectations and the trust our clients continue to place in us," said Ajay Gupta , CEO of Stirista. "This achievement reflects our never-ending drive to push boundaries, deliver value, and make a meaningful impact in marketing technology. San Antonio has been an incredible foundation for our success, and we're excited to continue contributing to this vibrant business community." Achieving record growth of 73% (2021-2023), Stirista's upward trajectory on the Fast Track Awards is attributed to its proprietary platforms and data-driven strategies that enable marketers to connect with their audiences effectively and responsibly. Recent milestones include the incorporation of AI, high customer retention, and continued strategic acquisitions. For more information about Stirista and its marketing solutions, visit www.stirista.com . About Stirista Stirista is a data-driven marketing technology provider that combines the power of authoritative identity data with the execution of omnichannel marketing. Through its data and customer-centric approach, Stirista is helping Fortune 500 and mid-market brands increase brand loyalty and acquire new customers. Stirista's privacy compliant data insights helps clients interact with customers and prospects via digital, email and social channels. For more information, please visit http://www.stirista.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stirista-climbs-to-4-on-san-antonio-business-journals-2024-fast-track-awards-302330550.html SOURCE StiristaOntario to restrict electricity exports to US and bar American-made alcohol if Trump tariffs appliedThe official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion The official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Unless the provincial government comes to the table with a new funding/revenue model for the city, there is no way that will happen — not unless the city does far more to cut costs or increase revenue streams elsewhere, or both. In fact, it could be higher than 5.95 per cent in future years if nothing changes. Mayor Scott Gillingham and finance committee chairman Coun. Jeff Browaty unveiled the 2025 budget Wednesday. As expected, property taxes will rise beyond the 3.5 per cent Gillingham promised voters in the 2022 civic election. They had little choice. Even with the increase, the city’s financial situation remains dire. There are few contingencies in the budget for surprise cost increases, which will almost certainly arise. And the city’s financial stabilization reserve, which will be depleted this year to cover the 2024 deficit, is projected to be a paltry $4 million by the end of 2025. The city is broke and this week’s proposed tax hike will do little to change that. The city could do a better job of managing spending. The 2025 budget was disappointingly weak on cost controls. It focuses primarily on expanding services. Overall spending in the tax-supported budget is up 4.7 per cent in 2025 compared with 2024 — a bit steep considering the city’s fiscal challenges. Most of that is to pay for 115 new full-time equivalent staff. While some of that is in police (six general patrol officers, with another 30 coming in 2026 and 2027) and fire-paramedic (24 firefighters for Waverley West), most are in other departments such as public works, community services and planning, property and development. The city is adding 14 full-time equivalent positions to expand library hours and services. That’s a great benefit, but can the city really afford it? The city’s total salary and benefit costs are projected to rise by $53.7 million in 2025, a 5.3 per cent increase over 2024. For a city that has drained its financial reserve and has no real plan to replenish it, that seems awfully high. Worse, the city is planning to add a total of 226 full-time equivalent employees to its payroll over the next three years, according to the budget. That would increase total salary and benefit costs by $129 million, a 12.7 per cent increase from 2024 to 2027. There is some spending-control language in the budget. But most of it is vague goals about identifying savings and efficiencies. One concrete plan to save money is to implement a pilot project to clear streets after 15 centimetres of snow has fallen, up from the current 10. That’s a service cut, even though the city claims there are no service cuts in this budget. It was a bad choice for a city that already does bare-bones snow-clearing. Some of the cost controls in the budget are only temporary, including $20.5 million in “vacancy management” — a delay in filling existing city jobs. That only kicks the can down the road and doesn’t solve the city’s long-term fiscal problems. It was also disappointing that the city is proposing to freeze business property taxes while residential property owners, including low-income ones, bear the full brunt of the tax hike. The tax pain should have been spread more evenly. As the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg said this week, there should have been accommodation made for low-income property owners in the form of a rebate. It’s hard to see the fairness in freezing taxes for businesses, especially large ones, and hiking them for pensioners and others on fixed-incomes. Still, the financial problems can’t be solved through spending controls alone. It would help if the city did a better job of managing costs; it’s a little surprising it hasn’t, considering both Gillingham and Browaty are self-professed fiscal conservatives. But it wouldn’t change the reality that even a 5.95 per cent property tax hike will make little difference in the long run to the city’s bottom line. Gillingham and Browaty acknowledge that in the budget. “With the financial stabilization reserve expected to be depleted by the end of 2024, the 2025 property tax increase is a necessary step to close the gap,” they wrote. “However, this alone won’t be enough. The city will also require additional support from both the provincial and federal governments to fully address these financial challenges.” This problem isn’t going away anytime soon, even if the 5.95 per cent tax hike is extended for the next several years. The city can’t operate under the status quo. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. . Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The ’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the ’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. . Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The ’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the ’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement
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The official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion The official line from the City of Winnipeg is that the 5.95 per cent property tax hike proposed in this week’s budget is a one-off. The city says it plans to return to annual tax increases of 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027. That’s a pipe dream. Unless the provincial government comes to the table with a new funding/revenue model for the city, there is no way that will happen — not unless the city does far more to cut costs or increase revenue streams elsewhere, or both. In fact, it could be higher than 5.95 per cent in future years if nothing changes. Mayor Scott Gillingham and finance committee chairman Coun. Jeff Browaty unveiled the 2025 budget Wednesday. As expected, property taxes will rise beyond the 3.5 per cent Gillingham promised voters in the 2022 civic election. They had little choice. Even with the increase, the city’s financial situation remains dire. There are few contingencies in the budget for surprise cost increases, which will almost certainly arise. And the city’s financial stabilization reserve, which will be depleted this year to cover the 2024 deficit, is projected to be a paltry $4 million by the end of 2025. The city is broke and this week’s proposed tax hike will do little to change that. The city could do a better job of managing spending. The 2025 budget was disappointingly weak on cost controls. It focuses primarily on expanding services. Overall spending in the tax-supported budget is up 4.7 per cent in 2025 compared with 2024 — a bit steep considering the city’s fiscal challenges. Most of that is to pay for 115 new full-time equivalent staff. While some of that is in police (six general patrol officers, with another 30 coming in 2026 and 2027) and fire-paramedic (24 firefighters for Waverley West), most are in other departments such as public works, community services and planning, property and development. The city is adding 14 full-time equivalent positions to expand library hours and services. That’s a great benefit, but can the city really afford it? The city’s total salary and benefit costs are projected to rise by $53.7 million in 2025, a 5.3 per cent increase over 2024. For a city that has drained its financial reserve and has no real plan to replenish it, that seems awfully high. Worse, the city is planning to add a total of 226 full-time equivalent employees to its payroll over the next three years, according to the budget. That would increase total salary and benefit costs by $129 million, a 12.7 per cent increase from 2024 to 2027. There is some spending-control language in the budget. But most of it is vague goals about identifying savings and efficiencies. One concrete plan to save money is to implement a pilot project to clear streets after 15 centimetres of snow has fallen, up from the current 10. That’s a service cut, even though the city claims there are no service cuts in this budget. It was a bad choice for a city that already does bare-bones snow-clearing. Some of the cost controls in the budget are only temporary, including $20.5 million in “vacancy management” — a delay in filling existing city jobs. That only kicks the can down the road and doesn’t solve the city’s long-term fiscal problems. It was also disappointing that the city is proposing to freeze business property taxes while residential property owners, including low-income ones, bear the full brunt of the tax hike. The tax pain should have been spread more evenly. As the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg said this week, there should have been accommodation made for low-income property owners in the form of a rebate. It’s hard to see the fairness in freezing taxes for businesses, especially large ones, and hiking them for pensioners and others on fixed-incomes. Still, the financial problems can’t be solved through spending controls alone. It would help if the city did a better job of managing costs; it’s a little surprising it hasn’t, considering both Gillingham and Browaty are self-professed fiscal conservatives. But it wouldn’t change the reality that even a 5.95 per cent property tax hike will make little difference in the long run to the city’s bottom line. Gillingham and Browaty acknowledge that in the budget. “With the financial stabilization reserve expected to be depleted by the end of 2024, the 2025 property tax increase is a necessary step to close the gap,” they wrote. “However, this alone won’t be enough. The city will also require additional support from both the provincial and federal governments to fully address these financial challenges.” This problem isn’t going away anytime soon, even if the 5.95 per cent tax hike is extended for the next several years. The city can’t operate under the status quo. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. . Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The ’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the ’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. . Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The ’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the ’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement AdvertisementUnity’s Stock Shake-Up! What It Means for Gamers and Developers
Biden admin says it is surging deliveries to Ukraine as Trump criticizes decision to allow US weapons to strike inside Russia
Ohio State AD: Ryan Day ‘absolutely’ back in 2025Article content If it feels like driving has gotten a bit more hair-raising lately, a study coordinated by the firm of Preszler Injury Lawyers will confirm your suspicions. Using data from Transport Canada and other sources, the study shows motor vehicle fatalities are on the rise in this country. In fact, the law firm’s study suggests recent years have broken about three decades’ worth of downward trend. During 2022, the most recent calendar year for which the firm says data is available, the number of people killed on Canadian roads totalled 1,931 souls — apparently the highest in about ten years. More worryingly, the firm uses modelling and partial data to speculate road fatalities in the 2023 and 2024 calendar years will continue to rise, likely exceeding 2,000 deaths once complete numbers are available. A chart provided by Preszler Injury Lawyers using Transport Canada source data shows the trend. Motor vehicle fatalities regularly exceeded 3,000 per year until the late 1990s and dropped under the 2,000 mark about a decade later at which point it seems to flatten out around 1,800 deaths per annum. The legal group then drilled down further into the data, taking numbers for each of our ten provinces and comparing it to population count. This revealed that, as a per capita measure, Ontario statistically has the lowest road fatality rate, at 4.1 deaths per 100,000 people. Quebec measured 4.2 on the same scale. At the opposite end of the spectrum, New Brunswick saw 8.2 fatalities per capita; and Manitoba settled at 7.1 deaths per 100,000 residents. Further insight can be gained by looking at the data along lines which have divided Canadians since the dawn of time: rural versus urban. Big cities like Toronto and Ottawa had fewer lives lost on the road compared to the year prior, resulting in per capita fatalities of 0.8 and 1.6 respectively, using the same measure as applied to the provinces overall. Vancouver was even lower, at 0.7 fatalities per 100,000 residents during that year. While the total number of crashes in urban areas outstripped those in rural spots, it was the latter in which wrecks were three times more likely to claim a life. Higher speeds are pointed to as a major factor in this stat, since it is easier to achieve extra-legal velocities when not hemmed in by gridlock; in other words, when a crash does happen outside city limits, it’s likely to be more serious in terms of injury. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.Best Bets for NCAA Basketball Picks Against the Spread for Wednesday, November 27
By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.
Federal DEI spending explodes under Biden-Harris administrationA steaming bowl of nourishing soup is the perfect antidote to a hectic holiday season punctuated by social evenings and heavy meals. At this time of year, it’s also a welcome and efficient way to use any leftover turkey that may be lurking in your refrigerator. If you manage to eat all the turkey (kudos to you), chicken works just as well. And if you don’t have a chicken to roast, a store-bought roasted chicken will do in a pinch. This is a simple and restorative soup. Its ease of preparation belies its inherent comfort and depth of flavor. The broth is rich and hearty, yet the ingredients are clean and straightforward. Silky, umami-rich shiitake mushrooms impart an earthy, smoky flavor to a vegetable-studded broth swirling with nutty farro. Farro is a nutrient-dense ancient grain. It’s available in various forms, which can affect flavor and cooking time. Whole-grain farro imparts a notable earthy flavor and is the most nutritious because it hasn’t been stripped of its bran. The trade-off is an exceedingly long cook time, best preceded by an overnight soak. Semi-pearled farro is partially stripped of its bran, and thus retains some of its nutrients, fiber and flavor, while it requires about 30 minutes to cook. Pearled farro is the least nutritious, since all the bran is removed, which diminishes its flavor and can lead to mushiness when the grain is cooked. For this soup, a semi-pearled farro is ideal. It provides flavor and heft with a satisfying chewiness to each slurpy bite. Turkey Soup With Shiitakes and Farro Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, sliced 1 medium celery stalk, sliced 8 ounces small shiitake mushrooms, ends trimmed 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro, rinsed 6 cups turkey or chicken stock 2 to 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or chicken) breast 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley 1. Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Toss in the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Saute until the carrots brighten in color and the mushrooms begin to release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes more. 3. Add the farro; stir to coat and lightly toast the grains, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer the soup until the farro is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. 4. Add the turkey or chicken. If the soup is too thick, add additional stock to your desired consistency. Simmer the soup, partially covered over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the broth and season with the salt and black pepper, adjusting to your taste. 5. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with parsley. Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste .