Hello, everyone! Time to delve into a trending topic that has been making headlines recently. Harley-Davidson, the legendary motorcycle manufacturer, has made a statement that has created quite a buzz.
The company has decided to take a step back from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and similar internal initiatives. This decision follows substantial public criticism on social media and a wave of backlash from their dedicated biker community.
The statement read “It is critical to our business that we hire and retain the best talent and that all employees feel welcome,” the statement reads.
“That said, we have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not have a DEI function today. We do not have hiring quotas, and we no longer have supplier diversity spend goals.”
“As a consumer brand, we will focus exclusively on growing the sport of motorcycling and retaining our loyal riding community, in addition to the support we already provide to first responders, active military members, and veterans.”
However, that seems to be in stark contrast to what the current CEO has said of himself and his goals for Harley Davidson. In an effort to reimagine the brand, the CEO of Harley-Davidson even compared himself to the ‘Taliban.’
Hey @harleydavidson are you sure you want a “leader” who aligns his views with the freakin’ Taliban, a terrorist organization that’s murdered the military family members of your current prospective customer pool for over 20 years?#BoycottHarley https://t.co/Yh8pEyg51U
— Reeve Swainston, Esq. (@ReeveSwainston) August 15, 2024
Every @harleydavidson rider is going to want to see this. It sure sounds like CEO Jochen Zeitz admits that he took the Harley job because it was an opportunity to transform an American icon into embracing wokeness and DEI.
Read the quotes below carefully. He said this at a… pic.twitter.com/LborUMTGaR
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 13, 2024
The reaction to this news has been a mixed bag. Jesse Clay, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and longtime Harley-Davidson enthusiast, believes that while this is a step in the right direction, the brand should never have deviated from its original path. He’s adopting a wait-and-watch approach to see what unfolds.
For years, Harley-Davidson has faced criticism from its faithful customers who felt that the company leveraged their image to grow its brand, only to later forsake them. The situation heated up just a few months ago when social media influencer Robby Starbuck highlighted some controversial internal policies of the company.
Starbuck, who has a following of more than 528,000, stated that Harley-Davidson, previously a much-loved American brand, had succumbed to ‘woke’ culture under CEO Jochen Zeitz. Starbuck is now on a crusade to overthrow DEI and wokeism in the corporate world.
His campaign has already instigated policy alterations at companies such as John Deere and Tractor Supply Co., marking Starbuck’s movement ‘three for three.’ Starbuck posits that companies can no longer overlook his movement as it’s evidently impacting their customer base, as exemplified by Harley-Davidson’s recent statement.
Despite Harley-Davidson voicing their dismay over the negative feedback on social media, Starbuck stands firm. He has accomplished the changes he sought but aims to accomplish more. He seeks to oust CEO Jochen Zeitz, alleging that Zeitz is a ‘true believer’ and that his social circles might not approve of this transition.
My full breakdown of @harleydavidson’s new response to our boycott where they announce an end to woke trainings, no more participating in HRC’s far left social credit CEI scoring, a return to sane donations and no more DEI. It’s time for a victory lap and what comes next. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/dVA5KoYfjo
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 19, 2024
In response to requests for comment, Harley-Davidson announced it had no further comments at this time.
