Tractor Supply makes big mistake

To the editor:

Congratulations to the Enterprise on its excellent coverage of Tractor Supply’s abandonment of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental programs. In their statement, the company infers that these programs do not relate directly to Tractor Supply’s business. Its competitors beg to differ. More on that, later.

TS’s CEO, Hal Lawton, should know better. As the former president of Macy’s, he no doubt cut his teeth on their award-winning DEI program. It would seem so, since in 2021, Mr. Lawton wrote an op-ed in The Tennessean urging the rest of the business community to follow TS’s example of “prioritizing and accelerating our initiatives for DEI,” stating, “If we are to tackle important issues such as climate that put our children’s future at risk, and if we are to make real progress on a societal commitment to greater opportunities for all, the business community needs to lead by example.”

Mr. Lawton’s 42-word elevator pitch, above, is a good summary of DEI, which is part of a broad corporate effort called “Environmental, Social, Governance” (ESG), which evolved as major corporations recognized they play a leadership role in all three areas in their local communities and in the world.

As the global consulting company McKinsey noted: “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often grouped together because they are interconnected and it is only in combination that their true impact emerges.” McKinsey has studied how DEI programs positively impact business results. You can read their reports by searching for them online: Why diversity matters, Delivering through diversity, and Diversity wins: How inclusion matters.

TS promises to “retire our current DEI goals.” I know that, in performance-measured environments, employees do not put effort toward what’s not measured. For six years, I directed the supplier diversity program, (part of DEI), at a Fortune 50 company. When we adopted robust goals for our program, we grew our spending with women- and minority-owned businesses by 700% during those years, creating jobs, mirroring our consumer base and strengthening our local communities. That number has since increased to billions of dollars. We also supported and measured our spending with veteran-owned businesses.

Tractor Supply caved to the threat of a boycott by ultra-right wing operative Robby Starbuck, who, straight off his success with Tractor Supply, is now targeting the John Deere company.

TS could be shooting itself in the foot because, as Fortune magazine notes: “Tractor Supply repeatedly touted its roots in rural America in explaining why it was curtailing DEI and ESG efforts. Yet rural America is not where its business is likely to grow in the future. Indeed, Tractor Supply has long served the “exurban customer” — one who lives not in deeply rural, often politically conservative regions, but at the edge of more liberal metropolitan areas.”

Consumers have choices. Key competitors of TS — Lowe’s, Home Depot — have robust, respected DEI programs.

Even better, we can buy locally and purchase our pet supplies, hardware, lawn care and other needs at our excellent, local homegrown businesses.

Ann Mullen

Saranac Lake

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Sources:

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https://www.macysinc.com/purpose/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/default.aspx

https://corporate.homedepot.com/page/associate-engagement

https://corporate.walmart.com/purpose/belonging-diversity-equity-inclusion

https://talent.lowes.com/us/en/diversity-and-inclusion

https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2021/10/20/diversity-inclusion-and-climate-change-all-top-priorities-tractor-supply-company/8538842002/