At a time when corporate boardrooms are folding faster than a bad poker hand under political pressure, Levi Strauss decided to keep its pants up. In a shareholder vote that wasn’t even close, roughly 2.7 billion votes were cast against a proposal to dismantle the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program—compared to just 5.67 million in favor. The move came amid mounting pressure from conservative groups and political leaders, most notably former President Donald Trump, who issued a January executive order aiming to curb DEI policies across both the public and private sectors.
While major brands like Walmart, Meta, Amazon, and McDonald’s have quietly scaled back their DEI commitments in recent months, Levi Strauss took a different approach, standing firm in its belief that diverse voices lead to better results. Costco Wholesale also joined the small but growing list of companies that have refused to back down, with shareholders recently voting to uphold the company’s existing DEI policies, rejecting a proposal for an external audit on its potential legal and financial risks.
In addition to its DEI victory, Levi Strauss reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, posting adjusted earnings of $0.38 per share, beating the analyst estimate of $0.28. The company also noted that the newly announced tariffs have not impacted operations so far. While the political winds may shift, Levi’s seems intent on staying stitched to its core values—diversity, inclusion, and a good pair of jeans that fits everyone.