Lululemon

Lululemon fired an employee for what it deemed an offensive social media post on a personal account (1). Lululemon promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Vendor Code of Ethics requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (2).

Lululemon will not match employee donations to churches or religious organizations “Individuals, groups with religious or political affiliations, or third-party fundraising groups (1).

Lululemon offers anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and inclusive leadership training to its employees (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring, leadership composition and supply chain. From its 2022 Proxy Statement: “Hiring Transformation 2.0: Launched a standardized interview process in retail, a hiring playbook for SSC, diverse slates for all open positons, and a diverse sourcing process designed to increase representation” (2). From its 2024 Proxy Statement: “…we believe diversity on the board of directors promotes the inclusion of different perspec ves and ideas…” (3). From its 2022 Impact Report: “Will focus on developing diverse suppliers, spurring business growth, and deepening our relationships with communities. This will include training along with mentorship offerings” (4). Lululemon appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of racial targets for its leadership composition. The company is seeking 30% of its assistant managers, directors, and above to be racially diverse by 2023 (5). The company operates a supplier diversity program. “The intention of our Supplier Inclusion & Diversity program is to spur business growth, generate economic impact, and positively impact the health and wellbeing of communities” (6). Lululemon is a member of myGwork, a professional job and networking platform that connects employers with LGBTQ+ professionals and advances workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives. Corporate membership benefits vary by level and include LGBTQ+-focused services in areas such as talent recruitment, job postings, employer branding, employee engagement, DEI programming and training, and media exposure (7)(8)(9). The company has a history of having racial targets for its leadership composition. However, in 2024, the company removed racial targets from its Impact Report. To date, the company has not publicly addressed this change, leaving shareholders without clarity regarding the company’s reasoning or future direction (10). Lululemon does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (11).

Lululemon advocated for abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “Reproductive rights are human rights. We believe in the importance of wellbeing and the power of choice; the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade does not align with this belief. We recognize the impact of this ruling on people for years to come—including our valued employees. Our US benefits plan will continue to support our employees should they need to leave the state to access treatment related to their reproductive health and family planning.We’ve expanded our support for reproductive rights with a $500,000 contribution to @ReproRights and continue to support organizations such as @blkwomenshealth. We also stand united with #dontbanequality” (1). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (2). Lululemon is a member of the “Don’t Ban Equality” business coalition, which advocates against any abortion restrictions because they are “bad for business” (3). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (4)(5). Lululemon is a Ceres Network Member, committed to carbon neutrality by 2040 (6)(7)(8). The company is aspiring to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (9). Lululemon supports DEI and ESG within its business practices. From its Our Commitment page: “Our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) is a critical function that helps us create an environment that is equitable, inclusive, and fosters growth” (10). From its 2023 Proxy Statement: “We are engaged in ESG matters to create meaningful change on topics that matter to our stakeholders and business strategy” (11). The company has hosted events that encourage attendees to “resist capitalism” and “decolonize gender” (12)(13).

Lululemon provides a benefits package for employees that covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion (1)(2)(3). The company donated $4,000,000 to the Trevor Project from 2021 to 2024 (4)(5)(6). Lululemon sponsored the PRIDE <3 MUSIC concert in 2018 and the Atlanta Pride Run in 2023 (7)(8)(9). Lululemon is a Rainbow Tier corporate sponsor of the Trevor Project, an organization that advocates for controversial sex and gender ideology, including “gender transition” drugs and surgeries for minors, through legislation, litigation, advertising, and PR campaigns. The organization also hosts online chatrooms that allow adults to communicate with minors as young as 13 about sexually explicit topics. Adults in these chatrooms have encouraged minors to adopt transgender identities and withhold this information from their parents (10)(11)(12)(13)(14). The company donated $250,000 to Black Lives Matter, Reclaim the Block, NAACP, and Minnesota Freedom Fund (15)(16)(17)(18). Lululemon donated $500,000 to The Center for Reproductive Rights (19)(20). Lululemon is a partner of The OUT Foundation, a nonprofit working to “remove barriers” to LGBTQ+ participation in fitness and wellness, primarily through its OUTAthlete program. This program supports LGBTQ+ athletes, provides tailored DEI and LGBTQ+ training, and “fosters inclusive spaces,” which likely includes “gender-neutral” public restrooms (21)(22)(23). Lululemon is a partner of Minus18, an Australian LGBTQIA+ youth charity that offers companies “tailored corporate packages,” including campaign partnerships and program sponsorship. Minus18’s work includes school workshops, workplace training and eLearning, youth events such as its Queer Formal, digital campaigns, and online articles on sexuality and gender identity. Its strategic plan also prioritizes outreach to specific communities, including trans, gender diverse, and non-binary youth (24)(25)(26)(27). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (28).

Lululemon does not operate a PAC or engage in lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).