After a social media campaign lasting several weeks with the aim Harley-Davidson Corporate policy and leadership, the company has responded to claims that it has “woken up”. Late last month Robby Starbucka conservative activist with more than half a million followers on X (formerly Twitter), launched a campaign to “debunk” Harley-Davidson. Starbuck has targeted other companies, including Tractor Supply and John Deere. Starbuck listed nearly 20 of his “concerns” with Harley, ranging from its involvement in Pride events and trainings in support of the LGBTQ+ community to its commitment to DEI policies and laws. “I don’t think the values in corporate leadership reflect the values of almost all Harley-Davidson bikers,” Starbuck said. “Do Harley riders want the money they spend at Harley to later be used by corporate leadership to advance an ideology that is diametrically opposed to their own values?” Starbuck repeatedly shared an interview with Jochen ZeitzCEO of Harley-Davidson, where Zeitz said a colleague called him “the sustainable Taliban.” Starbuck says the video shows Zeitz is an “extreme left-wing activist.” Starbuck called on the company to “fire its CEO” and abolish its policies. His call to action caught the attention of national news outlets, including Fox News and the New York PostIn response to Starbucks’ campaign, several videos began circulating on the Internet showing Harley-Davidson riders removing the Harley sign from their motorcycles. On Monday, Harley-Davidson made a statement Company leadership is “saddened” by the negativity being shared on social media. “For over 120 years, Harley-Davidson has brought the joy of motorcycling to motorcyclists around the world, no matter who they are, where they come from or what they believe in,” the statement said. “We have one guiding principle: United We Ride. It defines how we conduct our business, treat our employees and underscores our commitment to welcoming all.” Following an internal stakeholder review initiated earlier this year, Harley-Davidson is making some changes to its employee training as well as its sponsorships and partnerships. The company says it has not operated a “DEI function” since April and that it has no hiring quotas or spending targets for supplier diversity. Going forward, all of the company’s employee resource groups will have senior leadership to ensure that each group focuses exclusively on professional development, networking and mentoring. As for the company’s sponsorships and partnerships, all sponsorship activities must now be approved by the company itself or by the Harley-Davidson Foundation. “As a consumer brand, we will focus solely on growing the sport of motorcycling and maintaining our loyal motorcycling community, in addition to the support we already provide to first responders, active military members and veterans,” the statement said Monday. Finally, all employee training will be tailored to the needs of the company and will be “devoid of socially motivated content” going forward. The company said that only legally required training has ever been mandatory at Harley-Davidson. The company will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s assessment. The HRC’s Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool for corporate policies, practices and benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. “We believe that having both a diverse employee and customer base is good for business and that ultimately everyone should experience the joy of riding a Harley-Davidson,” the company’s statement said. “We remain committed to listening to all members of our community as we continue our shared journey as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world.”
