US home improvement chain Lowe’s is the latest company to end a number of diversity policies By Reuters

(Reuters) – Home improvement retailer Lowe’s (NYSE: ) has scrapped some of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, becoming the latest U.S. company to change such policies aimed at increasing racial and ethnic representation.

Lowe’s will no longer participate in surveys for the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group that advocates for transgender rights, and will merge several corporate resource groups that represent diverse employees into one umbrella organization, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Monday.

According to the memo, which was confirmed by a company spokesperson, the company will not sponsor or participate in community events such as parades, festivals or carnivals, and the company may make additional changes to the policy over time.

In recent years, U.S. companies including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: ) have faced a growing conservative backlash over diversity initiatives. This backlash was exacerbated by widespread protests following the police killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans in 2020.

The protests exposed racial and gender inequality in corporate leadership.

Since 2021, some companies have received letters from shareholders alleging that their DEI programs constitute illegal discrimination and violate directors’ duties to investors.

Groups opposing diversity policies are also motivated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling that banned affirmative action in college admissions decisions.

The memo shows that around the same time, Lowe’s began evaluating its diversity and inclusion programs.