I’ve been curating a list of publicly traded companies, typically within the global 100. These are the organisations with which most of us make purchasing decisions in both business and our personal lives, setting the tone for broader industry practices.
It is disappointing to see a company capitulate on DEI under pressure. The contrast with firms maintaining their programmes is stark. While some may operate DEI initiatives discreetly, public leadership is crucial at this time. The stakes are particularly high for marginalised groups, especially women, who represent the largest demographic globally, let alone those facing additional discrimination due to their intersectional identities. I understand that DEI implementation varies worldwide because of legal, cultural, and religious differences. Nevertheless, public visibility and leadership on these issues are vital.
I also recognise that some companies—especially those with US government contracts—may make public statements against DEI to maintain peace while quietly supporting DEI behind the scenes. In the end, investors and the public can only act on what is made publicly available.
I am happy to move some companies between lists, as the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) activist anti-DEI shareholder proposals have been defeated overwhelmingly in a number of companies.
Is there a firm you think should be on the list based on this criteria? Let me know!
Keeping (Sometimes Quietly)
AB InBev
Advanced Auto Parts
AMD
Amazon
American Airlines
American Express
Apple
Berkshire Hathaway
Boeing
Bristol Myers Squibb
Caterpillar
Cisco
Co-Op (UK)
Coca-Cola
Costco
Delta
Deutsche Bank
e.l.f. Beauty
EY
Gilead Sciences
Goldman Sachs
Google
IBM
JP Morgan Chase
John Deere
Levi Strauss & Co
Mars
Marriott Hotels
Marsh McLennan
McDonalds
McKinsey & Co
Merck
Microsoft
Motorola
NBA
NFL
NHL
Novartis
Paypal
Pfizer
Pinterest
Salesforce
Starbucks
Visa
Walt Disney Co
Walmart
* Starbucks has the same DEI Policies but removed 7.2% of executive compensation tied to DEI goals and targets. Motorola and AMD also removed executive compensation tied to DEO goals.
** Co-Op is member-owned, not shareholder-owned
***While Disney shareholders have voted overwhelmingly to continue supporting DEI initiatives, Disney has distanced itself from having LGBTQ+ characters in productions.
Stepping Back (or Cancelling)
Accenture
Barclays Bank (USA)
Deloitte (USA)
Ford Motor Company
GSK
Harley-Davidson
Jack Daniels
KPMG (USA)
Lowe’s Hardware
Meta
MLB
Molson Coors
PBS
PepsiCo
Stanley Black & Decker
Target
Tractor Supply Co
* Meta’s has changed language to “equitable access”, but considering their removal of fact-checking and other safety measures across their platforms
If you are disappointed and want to change your buying habits because of these companies' actions, here are some alternative considerations.
Useful website: https://european-alternatives.eu
🔍 Google Search → Qwant (🇫🇷 France)
🔍 Google Search → Ecosia (🇩🇪 Germany)
📧 Gmail → ProtonMail (🇨🇭 Switzerland)
📂 Dropbox → Nextcloud (🇩🇪 Germany)
📝 Microsoft Office → OnlyOffice (🇱🇻 Latvia) / LibreOffice (🇩🇪 Germany)
📹 Zoom → Whereby (🇳🇴 Norway)
💳 PayPal → Adyen (🇳🇱 Netherlands) / Klarna (🇸🇪 Sweden)
🛒 eBay → Vinted (🇱🇹 Lithuania)
🚖 Uber → Bolt (🇪🇪 Estonia)
🚗 Tesla → Volkswagen ID series (🇩🇪 Germany) / Renault EVs (🇫🇷 France) / Polestar (🇸🇪 Sweden)
🥤 Coca-Cola → Fritz-Kola (🇩🇪 Germany)
👟 Nike → Adidas (🇩🇪 Germany) / Puma (🇩🇪 Germany)
🧠 ChatGPT → Mistral AI (🇫🇷 France)
🧠 Google Gemini → Lila Assistant (🇬🇧 UK)
🌍 Google Translate → DeepL (🇩🇪 Germany)
Stripe -> Mollie (🇳🇱 Netherlands)
Alternatives to AWS: https://filen.io
If you have alternatives that are not listed, please message me so we can keep this list up to date for everyone.
Charlie, congratulations on the booking. I will add Motorola along with Apple, who has removed executive compensation related to achieving DEI goals and moving plans forward. While they still have plans, they removed any incentive for them to be prioritised, but at least they have them, which will get them on the keeping list.
Motorola (Texas) just booked me for a neurodiversity inclusion talk, and they have a DEI statement on their website, so I would definitely add them