NLPC presented a shareholder proposal today at Deere and Company seeking accountability over its alleged elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The proposal asked for the board of directors to produce a “report on statistical differences in hiring across race and gender globally and/or by country.” NLPC was inspired to bring the proposal by a Bloomberg report that found that just 6% of new jobs in the S&P 100 went to white men in the year following George Floyd‘s death. The report would reveal whether this discrimination occurred at Deere over the last few years and would encourage the company to remain committed to its pledge to roll back DEI moving forward – or else the bait and switch would be obvious in the reporting.
The company’s board of directors opposed our proposal, as explained on page 95 of its 2025 proxy statement. NLPC’s response to the board’s opposition statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month.
Presenting the proposal at the meeting was Luke Perlot, associate director of NLPC’s Corporate Integrity Project. An audio recording of his presentation can be found here, and a transcript of his three-minute remarks follows:
Good morning.
John Deere has taken important steps in recent years to reassess its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, aligning with broader corporate trends and evolving legal standards. In light of recent Supreme Court rulings and increasing litigation risks, the Company has wisely committed to scaling back certain DEI initiatives.
However, words alone are not enough—shareholders deserve transparency and accountability. Deere must back up its promises with action. That is why we are urging shareholders to support Proposal 4, which calls on Deere to report on statistical differences in hiring across race and gender.
Hiring disparities—whether in favor of or against any demographic—pose both reputational and legal risks. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, thirteen state Attorneys General warned Fortune 100 companies that race-based hiring practices could violate the law. DEI policies have already led to costly litigation, such as the 2019 case in which Starbucks was sued for racial discrimination—resulting in a $25 million judgment in 2023. That Starbucks case was brought by just one employee, while systemic discrimination could carry a much higher price tag.
After the death of George Floyd, the S&P 100 added 300,000 jobs. Yet only 6% of those positions went to white applicants, even though white Americans make up 76% of the population. Deere has recently distanced itself from its former DEI policies, issuing public commitments that include ending participation in external social activism and eliminating any suggestion of diversity quotas. These steps are encouraging, but without transparency, they empty promises.
By producing a report on hiring trends across race and gender, Deere can prove to shareholders, customers, and regulators that it does not engage in discriminatory hiring practices—intentional or unintentional. The requested report is both backward and forward looking, so it will reveal the extent, if any, that Deere has discriminated under the auspices of its DEI programs in recent years, and it will also provide accountability against such discrimination moving forward. While Deere already provides overall workforce disclosure, it does not provide hiring data.
Other companies have found themselves in legal and public relations crises because they failed to substantiate their commitments with concrete data. Deere must not make the same mistake.
A simple hiring report is a minimal cost investment in risk management and corporate integrity. We urge shareholders to vote FOR Proposal 4.
Thank you.
Read NLPC’s shareholder proposal for the Deere annual meeting here.
Listen to Luke Perlot’s presentation of the proposal at the meeting here.
Read NLPC’s response, filed with the SEC, to the company’s opposition to our shareholder proposal, here.
