Major corporations sponsor "anti-woke" conference headlined by far-right activist

Major corporations, including Mastercard, Meta, and Coca-Cola, are quietly sponsoring a Canadian conference headlined by Christopher Rufo, a far-right activist and crusader against diversity initiatives. Many of these same companies, however, champion diversity in their public communications. 

Rufo is listed as a featured speaker for the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2024, which will be held in Alberta, Canada on September 21. The event, which was first highlighted by DeSmog, is billed as an “enriching exploration of conservatism in Canada.” On X, the organization promoted the event using a photo of Rufo with the text, “Fighting the left and wokism.” 

Rufo has been credited with creating the hysteria around Critical Race Theory (CRT) in educational settings. In 2020, Rufo appeared on Tucker Carlson’s former show on Fox News and called on Trump to end CRT training. Within days, the Trump administration released a memo outlining a ban on diversity training in the government, and Trump issued the executive order shortly after.

When it became clear that CRT is a complex legal theory that is not taught in K-12 schools, Rufo shifted his attention to lambasting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Rufo appeared with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) as DeSantis signed the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, which limits workplace conversations about diversity and race. (That aspect of the law has been enjoined by a federal court as unconstitutional.)

Rufo has also been a leader in the crusade to ban discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools. On X, Rufo insinuated that people were attempting to indoctrinate pre-kindergarten students with information about “gender transitioning, exotic pronouns, and simplified Queer Theory.” Rufo has also said that “parents have good reason” to be concerned about “‘grooming’ in public schools.” 

In 2023, Rufo was appointed by DeSantis to the board of trustees at the New College of Florida as part of a right-wing takeover of the liberal arts college. In his newsletter, Rufo bragged that New College was “the first public university in America to begin rolling back the encroachment of gender ideology and queer theory on its academic offerings.” In an interview with the New York Times, Rufo said that New College previously enrolled too many women, which turned it into “a social justice ghetto.” On X, in response to pictures of dozens of books at the college being thrown away, Rufo said, “We abolished the gender studies program. Now we’re throwing out the trash.” 

Companies who claim to support diversity are sponsoring the upcoming event promoting Rufo and his ideological agenda. Mastercard, for example, prides itself on being one of the leaders for DEI initiatives among major corporations. Mastercard’s website states that “[d]iversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are what set Mastercard apart by making us more adaptable, more innovative and more creative.” Mastercard says that DEI “makes us better” and is “part of our core values and underpins everything we do.” 

In 2020, a statement on the company website committed to a goal of “[g]rowing our Black leadership at the VP-level and above by 50% by 2025.” The company website also boasts its inclusion initiatives, including leadership programs to support underrepresented employees, pay equity measures, and inclusion training. 

Mastercard is listed as a “gold” sponsor to the Canada Strong and Free event featuring Rufo. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Other major companies that publicly champion their diversity initiatives are also sponsoring the event.

DoorDash

DoorDash claims that “DEI is a tenet of our company because it is the right thing to do, and it makes us better in all we do.” The company asserts that it “believe[s] an inclusive environment is a competitive advantage,” and therefore “integrate[s] Diversity and Inclusion values into the way we hire, promote, and behave.” 

DoorDash touts its “company-wide strategies” and “holistic action plan” to increase diversity. In 2021, the company released goals to “address the specific areas in which we need to increase our DEI investments.” The company pledged to have “50% women, nonbinary people, and underrepresented people of color in new appointees” at the CEO staff and board of directors level, 50% women and nonbinary people in the global workforce, and 40% underrepresented people of color in the United States workforce by 2025.

The company website acknowledges the “unique, systemic barriers” that people of color face “within their careers and organizations,” and promises to “develop stronger support systems, increase visibility, and create opportunities for underrepresented people of color across the DoorDash Team.” 

DoorDash is listed as a “silver” sponsor to the Canada Strong and Free event. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Coca-Cola 

“Throughout our history, Coca‑Cola has stood up for – and celebrated – diversity, equity and inclusion around the world​,” the company says on its corporate website. Coca-Cola further claims that “[d]iversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our values and our growth strategy and play an important part in our company's success.”

Coca-Cola's website also features a section entitled “Black Representation Goals.” According to the website, the company wants to “reflect the diversity of all people of color” in the country, with goals for its workforce to be 13% Black, 18% Hispanic, and 6% Asian by 2030. The company also promises to “hire a full-time position focused on diversity, equity and inclusion education, awareness and leadership development,” and aims to be “50% led by women globally” by 2030. 

Coca-Cola is listed as a “silver” sponsor to the Canada Strong and Free event. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Meta

Meta claims it believes that “diversity is a must-have.” In a statement on the company’s website, Meta CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg said, “It’s important that we do better on diversity, not only because it’s the right thing to do for the country and for the people, but because that’s the only way we’re going to serve our community the best.”

In 2019, the company promised to double “the number of Black and Hispanic employees in the US and the number of women” globally by 2024. According to a 2022 statement, it “met and exceeded that goal,” and is working towards a goal of having 50% of its global workforce be made up of underrepresented people. The company also says it puts “diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront of our work toward the metaverse,” Meta's virtual reality software. In 2023, however, Meta quietly cut its DEI team “by 50 percent or more,” reported the Washington Post.

Meta is listed as a “gold” sponsor to the Canada Strong and Free event. According to Meta, the company sponsors organizations on both sides of the political spectrum and has been supporting the Canada Strong and Free Network for at least 10 years. The company says it did not have a role in choosing the speakers at the event.

Sun Life

Sun Life, a financial services company, claims on its U.S. website that it is “committed to embracing diversity, equity and inclusion in our workforce reflecting the communities where we live, work and do business.” The company boasts that it is “routinely recognized as a top employer for our inclusive culture.” In a statement on the company website, Dan Fishbein, the President of Sun Life U.S., says that the company wants to “support the dismantling of racial injustice, systemic racism, and institutionalized inequality.” 

On X, Sun Life U.S. has advertised the company’s DEI strategy multiple times. The company pledged to reach representation goals by 2025, including 25% percent underrepresented groups in roles as Vice President or higher across North America and 13% percent Black employees in the United States. The company also operates “Allies Acting for Change,” which it calls a “a diverse group of employees acting as an extension of our senior leadership to create a truly more diverse and inclusive organization.”

Sun Life is listed as a “silver” sponsor to the Canada Strong and Free event. The company declined to comment.