Are woke business decisions hurting companies like Harley Davidson?
Recently, it was revealed that American motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson made a questionable business move by going woke. This decision raised eyebrows, as Harley Davidson is typically associated with conservative values and masculinity. The company appointed CEO Jochen Zeitz, who represents ideologies that clash with the brand’s traditional core base – including climate change advocacy, trans care for kids, DEI efforts, and other woke policies.
What’s interesting to note is that Blackrock, a major investment firm, owned an 8% share in Harley Davidson at the time of this decision. Blackrock is known for pressuring businesses to comply with “woke social scores” in order to secure funding. It was no coincidence that after Zeitz took the helm, Harley Davidson suddenly partnered with United Way and the Human Rights Campaign. The CEI (Corporate Equality Index) was introduced as a measure of a company’s woke rating, an initiative by the Human Rights Campaign – a group that aggressively promotes woke agendas and is supported by Soros. The CEI is just one part of a larger framework known as ESG, which evaluates a company’s environmental, social, and governance practices.
These companies aren’t necessarily trying to support LGBTQ+ rights out of genuine concern; they’re trying to please Blackrock in order to maintain high social credit scores and secure funding. And who is Blackrock trying to please? The World Economic Forum, where CEO Jochen Zeitz previously worked. Zeitz is a key figure in funding “The B Team,” a group that pushes for businesses to adopt certain social policies.
Although shareholders typically prioritize profits above all else, we’re seeing a shift towards businesses aligning with social causes to appease certain entities behind the scenes. The B Team’s agenda aligns with the global goals of Agenda 2030, which might seem paradoxical for a company like Harley Davidson that relies heavily on fossil fuels.
The pressure to conform to woke ideologies has not been without consequences for companies like Harley Davidson. Customers are expressing their discontent by selling their bikes and vowing never to support the brand again. Meanwhile, employees are being compelled to undergo DEI training and become LGBTQ allies. Despite the backlash, Harley Davidson now boasts a Human Rights Campaign social CEI score of 90, maintaining its alignment with the expectations set by Blackrock and the World Economic Forum.
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