Recent reports suggest Toyota is the latest major corporation to seemingly pull back on its public support for LGBTQ+ causes, Pride Month, and broader Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This shift appears to be in response to growing “anti-woke” sentiments from conservative groups, mirroring a trend seen across various industries.
Over the past few years, numerous prominent brands have started yielding to conservative backlash. From controversies surrounding beer brands to the removal of Pride merchandise from retail shelves, the LGBTQ+ community has witnessed what many feared: for some companies, displays of allyship were perhaps more about marketing than genuine support, and could be easily retracted under pressure. The question now arises: is Toyota, a globally recognized automotive giant, also succumbing to this trend regarding Toyota Lgbtq initiatives?
Is Toyota Halting Sponsorship of LGBTQ+ Events?
Yes, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg, Toyota Motor Corporation is reportedly planning to discontinue its sponsorship of LGBTQ+ events. Furthermore, the memo indicates Toyota will no longer participate in rankings conducted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and other corporate culture surveys that assess DEI efforts.
The Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, had previously awarded Toyota a perfect score of 100 in its 2023 Corporate Equality Index. This new memo suggests a significant change in direction, signaling Toyota’s potential withdrawal from these evaluations and collaborations with organizations like the HRC. The Bloomberg report further details that the internal communication, disseminated to 50,000 U.S.-based employees on Thursday, October 3rd, states that Toyota aims to “narrow its community activities to align with STEM education and workforce readiness.” This pivot suggests a strategic refocusing of corporate social responsibility efforts away from Toyota LGBTQ initiatives and DEI programs towards STEM fields.
Toyota’s Past Engagement with LGBTQ+ Issues
While this recent internal memo might surprise some, Toyota’s relationship with the LGBTQ+ community has not always been straightforward. In 2022, The 19th News published a report highlighting corporate donations to politicians supporting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Toyota was ranked at the top of this list, reportedly donating $601,500 between 2020 and 2022 to politicians backing anti-LGBTQ+ bills in states such as Alabama, Arizona, Florida, and Idaho.
The report also pointed out that Toyota, despite being a Pride sponsor in Los Angeles in 2022, contributed $150,000 to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s reelection campaign. Abbott has a well-documented anti-LGBTQ+ record. This history of seemingly contradictory actions raises questions about the consistency and depth of Toyota LGBTQ support over time.
Scaling Back DEI Initiatives at Toyota
Adding to the concerns, the Bloomberg memo indicates that Toyota is also reassessing its DEI programs. While DEI initiatives are broader than Toyota LGBTQ specific programs, encompassing various underrepresented groups, the memo seemingly groups them together with LGBTQ+ events as areas for reduced focus. Toyota’s stated intention to “refocus” on STEM programs while scaling back DEI funding suggests a significant strategic shift in their corporate responsibility priorities.
Robby Starbuck and the Anti-DEI Pressure Campaign
A key figure in this development is Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist who has been vocal in his opposition to corporate DEI practices. Starbuck, a former political candidate, has gained prominence within the conservative movement for campaigning against companies perceived as embracing “woke” agendas.
Bloomberg reports that Toyota’s decision to halt Toyota LGBTQ event sponsorships came just a week after Starbuck launched a social media campaign against the company. Starbuck called for customer boycotts due to Toyota’s support for LGBTQ+ events and DEI initiatives.
Initially, Toyota attempted to downplay Starbuck’s campaign, stating that the LGBTQ+ programs in question were employee-led and not directly company-sponsored. However, this stance shifted rapidly, culminating in the internal memo announcing the curtailment of these initiatives. While a Toyota spokesperson told Bloomberg that Starbuck’s campaign generated only “a few hundred queries from employees,” “questions from a ‘small population’ of dealers,” and approximately 30 customer calls, the swift policy change suggests the pressure, however “negligible” in volume according to Toyota, did have an impact.
Wider Impact of Anti-DEI Campaigns on Corporations
Toyota is not alone in facing pressure from anti-DEI activists. Jeff Green’s report in Bloomberg highlights other companies that have been targeted by Robby Starbuck’s campaigns and subsequently altered their DEI approaches:
- Tractor Supply: Following Starbuck’s campaign starting June 6th, Tractor Supply reportedly eliminated DEI roles, withdrew from HRC rankings, and redirected funds away from DEI groups by June 27th.
- Deere & Co.: After being targeted from July 9th, Deere & Co. allegedly ceased participation in “social or cultural awareness” events, reduced funding for DEI causes, and restructured employee groups by July 16th.
- Harley-Davidson: Facing an anti-DEI campaign from July 23rd, Harley-Davidson confirmed the end of DEI roles, opted out of HRC rankings, discontinued socially-motivated training, and adjusted minority supplier program goals by August 19th.
These examples, alongside the situation at Toyota, indicate a growing trend of corporations reacting to conservative backlash by scaling back or eliminating DEI initiatives, including Toyota LGBTQ programs and sponsorships. This raises important questions about the future of corporate allyship and the genuine commitment of companies to diversity and inclusion in the face of external pressure.
