Across boardrooms and ballots, a quiet but definitive statement is being made. At Levi Strauss & Co., Goldman Sachs, and several other major corporations, shareholders have overwhelmingly rejected proposals aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives.

These votes aren't just procedural. They're a pulse check on where corporate America stands in a time of political pressure and public scrutiny.

The message is clear: DEI isn't going anywhere.

Quick Take: What Just Happened

• Levi Strauss & Co.: Less than 1% of shareholders supported a proposal to end DEI programs. 99% voted to stay the course (The Queen Zone, 2025).

• Goldman Sachs: Two anti-DEI proposals were rejected by a 98-2 margin. The board reaffirmed its commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and DEI (Marketing Brew, 2025).

• Other corporations including Apple, Costco, John Deere, and Disney also rejected similar proposals in 2025 (WGBH, 2025; ESG Dive, 2025; Business Insider, 2025).

• All proposals originated from the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), a conservative think tank known for targeting ESG and DEI policies.

Why This Isn’t Just a Win for Corporations

This moment is bigger than a shareholder vote. It reflects growing recognition that DEI is not a liability or political tool, but a business imperative.

These votes weren’t close calls. They were landslides.

Each company emphasized the same thing: diversity and inclusion are good for performance, culture, innovation, and employee retention.

The data supports this, and so does the market.

Here’s what Goldman Sachs wrote in its board recommendation:

"We believe that diversity, including diversity of thought, experience, and perspectives, is important to our commercial success" (Marketing Brew, 2025).

Levi's echoed a similar stance:

"We believe in the strong business case for a diverse and inclusive workforce... and the well-being of those who make our company thrive" (The Queen Zone, 2025).

Context: Why These Proposals Are Piling Up

The push to eliminate DEI is part of a larger political strategy.

Conservative groups like NCPPR have introduced dozens of proposals across the Fortune 500, attempting to roll back inclusive hiring, supplier diversity, and corporate participation in LGBTQ+ equality initiatives (WGBH, 2025).

What’s changed is that boards are no longer entertaining these attacks as legitimate shareholder concerns. They’re calling them what they are: ideological distractions.

What This Means for Employers

If you lead DEI at a university, nonprofit, agency, or company, take heart. Despite headlines about backlash and budget cuts, corporate leaders are standing firm. They're not just defending DEI. They're building on it.

Your role is not performative. It's essential. These shareholder decisions are a reminder that inclusive hiring, leadership development, and equitable practices are being watched, valued, and voted for.

Leadership Takeaways

• Stay the course. The business world isn’t abandoning DEI. Don’t let fear guide your internal decisions.

• Educate your board. These companies succeeded because their boards were aligned and vocal in their support.

• Be proactive. Don’t wait to be reactive to political shifts. Build transparency into your DEI strategies now.

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Related Articles

• Goldman Sachs Reaffirms DEI Commitment in 2025: Why It’s Staying the Course

• JPMorgan Chase Doubles Down on DEI in 2025: Why Inclusion Still Drives Success

• Google’s DEI Shift: Compliance Necessity or Strategic Reevaluation?

• Meta’s DEI Rollback: The Aftermath and What’s Changed Since the Policy Shift

• Amazon’s DEI Rollback: The Impact, Employee Reactions, and What’s Next

• Accenture Scales Back DEI Commitments: Industry Reactions and Next Steps

• Disney Scales Back DEI Efforts: What Happened to "Reimagine Tomorrow"?

• The NFL’s Ongoing Commitment to DEI: How It’s Leading the Way in 2025

• Months After Target’s DEI Rollback: What’s Happened So Far

Sources & References:

• ESG Dive. (2025). Apple shareholders reject anti-DEI proposal. Retrieved from https://www.esgdive.com

• The Queen Zone. (2025). Levi’s shareholders to vote on anti-DEI proposal. Retrieved from https://www.thequeenzone.com

• Business Insider. (2025). Disney shareholders reject anti-DEI proposals. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com

• WGBH. (2025). Costco’s shareholders overwhelmingly reject anti-DEI proposal. Retrieved from https://www.wgbh.org

• Marketing Brew. (2025). Apple and John Deere reject anti-DEI proposals. Retrieved from https://www.marketingbrew.com