Investors Push Deere to Explain DEI Rollbacks With New Bid

A shareholder advocacy group is pressing tractor giant Deere & Co. to answer for its rolled-back diversity, equity, and inclusion measures via a new proxy proposal that seeks disclosures about employee recruitment and retention.

As You Sow, a nonprofit that represents investors interested in environmental and social issues, filed the proposal Thursday as a corporate ballot submission for votes at Deere’s next annual shareholder meeting.

The proposal comes after the farm machinery maker said in July that it would cease to participate in “cultural awareness parades” and refocus its employee resource groups on professional development.

Deere had bowed under pressure from conservative social media influencer Robby Starbuck, who led a campaign this summer to dismantle DEI initiatives across corporate America. Starbuck claimed credit for seven total companies so far that have withdrawn some of their commitments.

Supporters of corporate diversity programs like As You Sow have pledged to push back in different ways, including through shareholder proposals. The bid at Deere is meant to help start a conversation with the company’s board and management to get a better sense of what their intentions are, As You Sow CEO Andy Behar said.

“We don’t want to overreact to Robby Starbuck,” he said. “We have to look at exactly what the company is actually changing.”

As You Sow submitted the proposal on behalf of sustainability-focused Amalgamated Bank. It asks Deere to disclose data about recruitment, retention, and promotion of its employees that’s categorized by ethnicity, gender, and race.

With such data, investors could “assess and compare the effectiveness of companies’ efforts to ensure meritocratic workplaces through DEI efforts,” the proposal says.

Deere didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.