Costco Shareholders Overwhelmingly Reject Anti-DEI Push

Costco shareholders resoundingly rejected a proposal to assess the risks of maintaining its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the company announced.

The opposition of Costco investors to anti-DEI resolutions remains consistent. I Photo: Costco Facebook

The vote sends a strong signal of support for corporate DEI policies despite political headwinds, Reuters reported. Over 98% of shareholders voted against the anti-DEI resolution during Costco’s annual meeting.

The vote comes as President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies and contractors to dismantle DEI policies. CNN reported the outcome as a symbolic rebuke to Trump's directive.

Last year, shareholder resolutions targeting DEI policies across U.S. corporations garnered less than 2% support on average.

Lindsey Stewart, director of stewardship research and policy at Morningstar Sustainalytics, noted, “This result at Costco suggests that while the political environment around workplace inclusion may be shifting, investor opposition to anti-DEI resolutions remains consistent.”