Toyota Motor Corp., will refocus DEI programs and halt sponsorship of LGBTQ events, citing “a highly politicized discussion” around corporate commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Japanese carmaker told employees it will also end participation in notable rankings by LGBTQ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign and other corporate culture surveys. The company will “narrow our community activities to align with STEM education and workforce readiness,” it said in a memo Thursday to its 50,000 US employees and 1,500 dealers.

The note comes a week after anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck started a social media campaign against the company, calling for customer boycotts because of its support for LGBTQ events and other initiatives. Toyota said at the time that the LGBTQ programs targeted were led by employee groups, not the company directly.

  • @Nightwingdragon
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    542 months ago

    Well, I know my next vehicle won’t be a Toyota

    • @EmpathicVagrant
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      262 months ago

      Oh the company that donated 3x as much as the second biggest donor to the insurrection folks? They’ve been on my ‘never buy’ list ever since.

        • Omega
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          2 months ago

          Can confirm. They’re dependable. According to the Goods Unite Us app, 55% of their political donations are to Republicans.

          Some others according to the app:

          GMC: 54% R
          Ford: 51% R
          Tesla: 51% D
          Hyundai: 75% D
          Nissan: 83% D
          Dodge: 86% D
          Jeep: 86% D
          Honda: 90% D

          Edit: I wonder how much of that is influencing primaries. Like, is Musk pumping money into getting the most moderate option in a blue area?

        • @EmpathicVagrant
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          62 months ago

          Eh i only ever buy used anyway so it’s not like I’m paying them but the brand makes my skin crawl these days.

    • @[email protected]
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      42 months ago

      They also lobbied against emissions standards in Australia and have been dragging their feet on EVs for years.

  • @[email protected]
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    502 months ago

    The fact that this “Robby Starbuck” shitbag has any type of power over anything is fucking disgusting.

    • @UnderpantsWeevilOP
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      312 months ago

      He’s a cat’s paw for conservative activists. Specifically, he’s close friends with Bill Ackman, a hedge fund manager with too much free time and a chip on his shoulder, who has made “anti-DEI” a focus of his investment strategy.

      Robby whines about DEI, Ackman starts moving money to put downward pressure on the stock, people get scared, and Ackman looks like an investment guru for effectively manipulating the price of securities.

  • @[email protected]
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    402 months ago

    One rando gets online for a week and they decide to fuck over millions.

    Fuck Toyota, will never buy one and will tell everyone I know not too.

    • @UnderpantsWeevilOP
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      52 months ago

      This is, unfortunately, much bigger than one guy one the internet in the last week. We’ve been hapless bystanders in the Culture War for… centuries.

  • Ricky Rigatoni
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    302 months ago

    Oh. I thought attacks meant bombing a dealership. Not whining like a little bitch on the internet. Shitass coward car company.

  • @Hobbes_Dent
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    302 months ago

    Customer boycotts you say? An anti-DEI activist calls for a boycott and you acquiesce?

    Guess who’s boycotting now.

    • @[email protected]
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      82 months ago

      Toyota were already in my shit list because of their anti electrification lobbying and awful EVs.

      This has killed any positive feelings I had left for the company.

  • Tiefling IRL
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    252 months ago

    Proof that rainbow capitalism has always and will forever be about money. They don’t actually give a fuck about human rights

    • Skeezix
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      52 months ago

      Yup, same as sustainability capitalism and environmental capitalism.

  • Optional
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    222 months ago

    Toyota does dumb things sometimes. This is one of those times.

  • @Myxomatosis
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    142 months ago

    Robby is just another right wing weirdo.

    • @UnderpantsWeevilOP
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      32 months ago

      Eh. They’ve been on the decline. Enshittification comes for us all.