COSTCO has pushed out to wholesale club operators to promote shareholder proposals that will evaluate business risks brought by their diversity, fairness, and comprehensive practices.
Investors were expected to vote for recommendations at the company’s annual meeting on Thursday.
The National Public Policy Research Center, a conservative think tank based in Washington, claims that Costco’s DEI Initiative has “litigation, reputation, financial risk, and therefore financial risks for shareholders.” I submitted a proposal.
The think tank has made a similar proposal to Apple, and the United States Supreme Court, who has already shrunk or retreated from diversity, has banned the positive behavior of university enrollment in July 2023. I quoted.
Costco officials were unable to contact DEI’s proposal.
However, Costco’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to request shareholders to refuse the claim.
The Board of Directors said, “We believe that our commitment to companies rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary. The report requested by this proposal provides meaningful additional information. plug.”
The message of the directors to shareholders is how to promote “creativity and innovation in the products and services we provide” due to various employees and suppliers, and increase customer satisfaction among members of Costco. Taka is detailed.
NEIL SAUNDERS, a manager of the retail department of the consulting company Globaldata, said that Costco was convinced that the proposal would be rejected.
“I think people generally have confidence in Costco’s management, but” why shake the boat? It’s very good, “said Sanders.
Costco’s general posture, which supports diversity, fairness, and comprehensive programs, is in contrast to the positions that other large consumer brands such as Wal -Mart, McDonald’s, and John Dia have taken in recent months.
Last week, more than 30 Walmart shareholders, including Amalgamated Bank and Oxfam America, asked CEOs, the largest retailer in Japan, to explain the impact on the business of suppressing the company’s DEI policy.
Notable technology companies, including Amazon and Meta (Facebook and Instagram), have rolled back DEI Initiative, which is expected to oppose President Donald Trump’s management.
The conservative groups encouraged by the Supreme Court’s decision on positive litigation at universities, giving the same discussions on companies, targeting initiatives such as employee resource groups, giving priority to historically alienated groups. A lawsuit targeting employment practices has been filed.
On Monday, Trump signed a presidential order to end the DEI program in the federal agency. Conservatives have long been accused of them and argue that they have violated the US Constitution by taking into account factors, gender, and sexual orientation.
This plan includes the Ministry of Justice and other organizations to investigate private companies in pursuit of training and pursuing employment practices to discriminate people who do not belong to minority groups such as white men, such as white men. Includes to use.
Regarding Costco, the National Public Policy Research Center is a victim of this type of illegal discrimination because at least 200,000 of the 300,000 employees around the world are “white, Asians, men, or straight. It may be. ”
The center said that if only a small part of these employees complained of Costco, the legal expenses could be important.
Costco has a chief diver Cityio Phiser, but the executive rank of the company does not reflect the diversity of customers.
Almost 81 % of Costco’s executives introduced last year were white, and 72 % were male, according to data published on the website.
Sanders said that the members of the Costco management team had been staying for a long time in consideration of the company’s solid and stable financial performance.
Other than that, Costco was a little marvelick in the corporate world.
There is no official corporate public relations team. It is not as focused on building online business as rival Wal -Mart and target.
The National Public Policy Research Center plans to offer proposals beyond what Costco thinks are desired at Apple’s February 25 shareholder conference.
The resolution of the center calls high -tech companies to abolish inclusion, stock divisions, policies, and goals, and explains that they are “even more steeper than most corporate DEI programs.” 。
The Apple’s Board of Directors wants shareholders to vote for proposals, and the company states that “we are trying to create the belonging culture that everyone can do the best work.”
JPMORGAN CEO Jamie Dimon has joined a corporate leader this week to support the expanded diversity, which has been added after the 2020 police killed George Floyd.
Dimon defended the bank’s DEI policy in an interview with CNBC.
“We will continue to be inherited from the Black Community, Hispanic, LGBT community, and veteran community, talked about Wednesday from the World Economic Forum Conference in Switzerland Davos.
“And no matter where I go, I said that red states, blue states, green, mayor, governor, and they like what we are doing.”
According to David Glasgow, an executive director of Meltzer Center for Diversity in the Faculty of Law, the Inclusion and Doveling, Trump has improved the potential legal risk of companies that resist conservative repulsion against DEI this week.
However, Glasgow said that most large companies would consult a lawyer or conduct internal self -audit after the Supreme Court’s positive lawsuit.
“So, if you did it, and if you were confident in your existing DEI programs, I think you are standing well now.” I said.
