“Today, Ford Motor Company abandoned its commitment to hundreds of thousands of employees by cowering to internet troll Robby Starbuck, and signaling that inclusion and other core values are no longer a priority in the workplace.

After decades of commitment to inclusion and top ratings on the HRC Foundation Corporate Equality Index, the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Disability:IN’s Disability Equality Index as well as their longstanding philanthropic record funding scholarships for Hispanic students, the Human Rights Campaign could not be more disappointed to see Ford Motor Company shirking its responsibility to its employees, consumers, and shareholders. By failing to support women leaders, employees of color, and LGBTQ+ employees, Ford Motor Company is abandoning its financial duty to recruit and keep top talent from across the full talent pool. In making their purchasing decisions, consumers should take note that Ford Motor Company has abandoned its commitment to our communities.

Ford cowered to MAGA bully and Republican-reject Robby Starbuck. Robby Starbuck is so extreme that the Tennessee Republican Party sought to distance itself from him. Starbuck’s only business experience is hawking vitamins marketed by people profiting off of COVID disinformation.

Ford Motor Company’s shortsighted decisions will have long-term consequences. Hastily abandoning efforts that ensure fair, safe, and inclusive work environments is bad for business and leaves Ford’s employees and millions of LGBTQ+-allied consumers behind. With nearly 30% of Gen Z identifying as LGBTQ+ and the community wielding $1.4 trillion in spending power, retreating from these principles undermines both consumer trust and employee success.”

Starbuck immediately celebrated Ford Motor Company’s announcement, claiming Ford took this step because it “fear[s]” him. He has falsely urged companies to “remove” themselves from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index. However, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) evaluates every Fortune 500 company on issues of equality, whether or not that company submits additional information to HRC about its priorities and progress.

HRC Foundation's Corporate Equality Index has more participating businesses now than ever before. In its first year there were only 319 participating businesses; this year’s CEI engaged with more than 1,300 businesses, indicating an increase in the successful implementation of inclusion best practices across U.S. businesses. For more than 20 years, HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality program has been at the forefront of meeting businesses where they are at and helping them expand benefits and opportunities for LGBTQ+ employees.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.