Feb. 12 (UPI) — Missouri’s Republican Attorney General sued Starbucks Tuesday, claiming the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion hiring policies discriminate on the basis of race and sex. Starbucks denies the allegations.
The lawsuit filed by Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey said “Starbucks’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is mere pretext for its actual commitment to unlawful discrimination.
The suit added, “No one, not even Starbucks, can lawfully desire some specified percentage of a particular group merely because of its race or ethnic origin.”
Starbucks said in a statement to CBS News, “We disagree with the attorney general, and these allegations are inaccurate. We are deeply committed to creating opportunity for every single one of our partners (employees). Our programs and benefits are open to everyone and lawful.”
The Missouri attorney general’s suit against Starbucks also claims that company programs to facilitate mentoring for women, LGBTQ and workers of color with mentors discriminate against White men.
The suit cites a commitment allegedly made by Starbucks to achieve at least 30% of hires at corporate levels and 40% in retail and manufacturing to be Black, Indigenous, and people of color by 2025.
The suit alleges Starbucks has “set quotas based on unlawful bases.”
DEI programs across business and government seek to increase diversity in hiring to end discrimination against Black, Latino, Indigenous and other ethnic minority groups in the United States.
DEI has experienced a backlash from some White plaintiffs who have joined forces with right-wing political organizations to use racial discrimination laws to end DEI efforts designed to end racial discrimination in hiring.
Efforts to end discrimination against people of color has prompted some White plaintiffs to go to court to attack what they see as discrimination against them.
The Trump administration is moving against DEI programs through executive orders, banning them and threats to freeze funding for companies that have DEI programs.
He has also moved to bar government messaging that promotes inclusion-based language.
Trump has directed the U.S. attorney general to pressure private businesses to end DEI programs.
Ford, Google, McDonald’s, Target, Walmart and Meta are among companies that already have responded to the MAGA political pressure to curb DEI programs.
