Recent corporate decisions to scale back DEI initiatives have sparked intense debate among Americans, revealing significant partisan divides. FGS Global’s Insights team canvassed our community of news-attentive Americans—TrendSpotters—for their perspectives on the issue.
Here are the key findings:
Coverage of major brands scaling back DEI commitments has broken through. 64% of respondents are aware of changes to DEI initiatives, with awareness consistent across party lines.
Starkly divided views of DEI in the workplace underscore the difficulty consumer-facing companies have in satisfying a bipartisan majority. 80% of Republicans support scaling back DEI efforts, viewing it as a brave move, while 59% of Democrats see it as evidence of disingenuous commitments.
Both Democrats and Republicans support their opinions on DEI with uncorroborated assumptions about business impacts – indicating more robust business metrics might help foster common ground in companies’ communications on this issue. Republicans argue DEI programs are divisive and harmful to profitability, raising concerns about “reverse racism” in hiring. In contrast, Democrats believe diverse workplaces enhance company success and fairness.
Activist Polarization: Robby Starbuck, known for opposing “woke” agendas, remains a divisive figure. Younger participants are more familiar with him, and views on his activism vary significantly by party.
Demonstrating integrity and consistency in their stated values is the best way for companies to earn a degree of reputational credit when talking about DEI issues. Both parties agree that companies should consistently stand by their principles and avoid yielding to pressures just so consumers will support their brand.
For more information, please reach out to insights@fgsglobal.com.