A group of more than 30 shareholders representing $266 billion in funds has asked Walmart Inc. to explain its business case for retreating on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, describing the decision as “disheartening.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined a coalition of 13 other attorneys general in a letter urging Walmart to reconsider its plans to back away from its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

A group of shareholder activists defending diversity initiatives as a business necessity is decrying Walmart’s decision to nix certain DEI programs.

Walmart isn’t alone in backtracking on its DEI programs. Other brands scaling down or dropping their DEI efforts include Meta, Amazon, Molson Coors, Tractor Supply, Caterpillar, John Deere, Lowe’s, Ford, Toyota and Harley-Davidson.

Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell is pushing back against Walmart’s plans to do away with its DEI practices, urging the world’s largest retailer to maintain the strategies which she says “benefit

Walmart is one of many companies backing off from diversity goals. California is among 13 states asking the company to reconsider.

Thirteen attorneys general asked Walmart CEO Doug McMillon in a letter made public this week to reconsider cutting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Walmart is following in the footsteps of major corporations like McDonald’s, Meta, Ford, Molson Coors who have dropped their diversity, equity and inclusion policies