It's why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a recent letter signed by 18 other Republican attorneys general, called on Costco to end its DEI policies. Just this month, Costco shareholders overwhelmingly voted down a proposal that would have examined the impact of DEI on company operations.

The former executive claims that Costco has always valued the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, even before the term "DEI" existed. Costco executives see the company’s culture as a key factor in its success and that, to his ears, DEI is synonymous with the way the company has always done business.