The NAACP is urging Black Americans and allies to be mindful about where they spend their hard-earned money.
The 116-year-old civil rights organization released Black Consumer Advisory, a spending guide for people who wish to support large companies that have maintained a commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, often known as “DEI.” Crucially, the guide also notes large companies that have pulled back from a commitment to the principles, and urges consumers to avoid them.
“We encourage you to spend your money where you’re respected,” the introduction to the guide reads.
The advisory praises companies such as Costco and Apple for maintaining their equity principles, and condemns others, such as Target and McDonald’s, for abandoning them.
It says Black shoppers should also be sure to support Black-owned businesses, advocate for change and stay informed.
Black consumers choosing to marshal their resources toward companies that are supportive of them and their aims could be significant. They spend more than $1.8 trillion annually, according to Nielsen IQ.
Diversity, equity and inclusion principles promote the fair treatment of all people. President Donald Trump has been vocal about his opposition, often dismissing it and using the term “DEI” pejoratively to refer to any programs, plans or ideas related to people of color, women, people with disabilities and LGBTQIA communities.
After returning to the White House last month, Trump issued an executive order banning equity principles from the federal government and encouraging the private sector to do so as well.
His executive order accelerated some corporations’ abandonment of those principles, which had been adopted in the wake of the 2020 death of George Floyd and resulting outcry.
“These actions are part of a broader effort to reverse gains made in civil rights and social justice,” the NAACP said in the Black Consumer Advisory.
