Conservative group Family Voice Australia has publicly thanked Toyota for “distancing itself from LGBT events.”
The group has called on their supporters to contact the car manufacturer and thank them for ceasing all sponsorship of LGBT parades and shifting away from “woke DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) ideology.”
Nation Director Peter Downie said Toyota has listened to consumers and heard how they wanted a “focus on quality and family-friendly policies.”
However, a spokesperson for the company has told OUTinPerth that they remain committed to supporting the values of equality, and “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging” remains an essential part of their approach to business.
“It’s essential we thank Toyota for standing against pressure to endorse radical ideologies that undermine traditional values and the family unit.” Downie said.
The claim that Toyota was moving away from any public support of LGBTIQA+ events followed news reports from the USA that the company sent a memo to its 50,000 US employees across 1,500 dealerships.
““We will no longer sponsor cultural events such as festivals and parades that are not related to STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] education and workforce readiness,” the memo reportedly read.
The message to employees came after a campaign from a conservative pundit named Robbie Starbuck who calls on companies to drop any initiatives that have around diversity and inclusion.
Several major companies in the USA have recently made similar announcements including Harley-Davidson, Ford, and Black and Decker.
While Family Voice Australia are thanking the company for their stance against the LGBTIQA+ communities, whether or not it’s true might be another thing.
The company’s Australian website still lists its commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, and its membership of ‘Welcome Here’, an initiative that allows LGBTIQA+ people know it’s a business that is welcoming and inclusive. They also list Pride@Toyota on their website as a company initiative.
A spokesperson for Toyota Australia also poured cold water on the suggestion that the company was changing their approach to inclusion and community support.
“Toyota Australia aims to create an environment where everyone feels respected and supported irrespective of their gender, orientation, or background.” they said.
“This is our commitment to Toyota Australia employees and the wider community, and we will work to ensure meaningful actions are introduced to create long-term progress in this area.
“Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging needs to become an everyday part of our business, and by doing this we hope to further support and empower Australians.” the spokesperson told OUTinPerth.
Toyota USA’s stance may give other brands an advantage
Writing in PR Week marketing expert Robert Connor noted that a decision to move away from support for LGBTIQA+ communities would most likely just give an advantage to the car manufacturers competitors.
Connor noted that by walking away from LGBTIQA+ communities the company was washing away a lot of work they’d done in years gone by, and the timing of making the announcement during the USA’s national Gay History Month was ill advised.
The marketing expert notes that the move would likely have a negative effect on customer’s perception of the company, but also affect its current employees.
“Toyota’s decisions could make its top-performing LGBTQ staff uncomfortable, hurting the productivity and stability of its talent pool.” Connor said.
Research shows LGBTIQA+ community will also boycott brands who walk away from inclusion initiatives
Research released by the USA based Human Rights Campaign in September showed that company’s values were incredibly important to LGBTIQA+ workers and consumers.
“With close to 30% of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ+ and the community holding $1.4 trillion in spending power, retreating hastily from diversity, equity and inclusion is detrimental to any company’s bottom line and employee retention.” the organsiation said when the report was made public.
Orlando Gonzales, Senior Vice President, Programs, Research, and Training at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation said attacks on DEI policies were short-sighted.
“The LGBTQ+ community is an economic powerhouse, and we want to work for and support companies who support us. Attacks on DEI initiatives are shortsighted and make our workplaces less safe and less inclusive for hard-working Americans of all demographics and backgrounds.
“This new data confirms that companies like Molson Coors, Ford, and others that abandon their values and backtrack from commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion risk losing both top employee talent and consumer dollars.”
The research showed that 80.1% of LGBTQ+ adults would boycott a company that rolled back DEI initiatives, including stopping shopping at, utilizing, or purchasing its services.
More than three-quarters (75.7%) of LGBTQ+ adults stated that if a company rolled back DEI initiatives, they would have a less favorable opinion of that company.
Over half (52.5%) would urge others to boycott the company, including posting negative company reviews and sharing their concerns on social media.
