• by Tanya Gazdik , August 7, 2024

Harley-Davidson is the latest company to be caught in the crosshairs of conservative activist Robby Starbuck.

Starbuck, who posted a nine-minute video on X, “launched a boycott, calling out the iconic motorcycle maker for a range of “woke” offenses, from hosting an LGBTQ+ boot camp at its offices to supporting gay and transgender equality legislation,” according to USA Today. “In a nation riven by cultural issues around race, gender and family, Starbuck is part of a new wave of agitators pressuring corporate America to back off commitments to diversity and inclusion, policies on climate change and support for the gay and transgender community.”

The chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson, Jochen Zeitz, has long been an active advocate for sustainability. He previously worked at Puma and luxury goods company Kering.

“Zeitz currently serves as the chairman for LiveWire Inc., which is the electric vehicle division of Harley-Davidson,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He also founded his own organization, the Zeitz Foundation, to support sustainable solutions that balance conservation, community, and culture and commerce.”

Zeitz has set a goal to make all Harley-Davidson vehicles run on electricity by 2030, according to the New York Post. 

Starbuck, who previously targeted Tractor Supply Company and John Deere, is now rallying motorcycle enthusiasts to his cause at the largest bikers' event in the world, this week's 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, according to the Daily Mail. 

“Many Harley-Davidson owners in Sturgis on Saturday said they had heard about the controversy, but few seemed to care,” according to the Cowboy State Daily. “Riders faithful to the storied motorcycle brand said their loyalty extends deeper than current politics.”

A recent survey shows that DEI and LGBTQ+ initiatives help companies rather than hurt them.

“Nearly three-quarters of executives surveyed by Bridge Partners’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Barometer cited the benefits of DEI on recruiting, hiring and retention (94%) and the reputational boost with the public (74%),” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

Only 4% of executives surveyed say they will cut back or eliminate them.