As brands continue to grapple with conservative criticisms of their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the widespread use of employee resource groups is drawing new scrutiny. Typically called ERGs, these employee-led groups provide resources and representation, often to marginalized communities, to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Some of the companies pulling back DEI programs in the face of pressure from conservative activists are rethinking their ERGs, which in some cases are called business resource groups (BRGs). Lowe’s, Ford, Harley-Davidson and John Deere have stated they would either consolidate or refocus their resource groups to tackle more generic goals like business development and mentoring for all employees.

Lowe’s, for instance, stated it would consolidate its BRGs into an umbrella organization. The retailer had previously run eight groups, including one called Lowe’s Pride, which it has previously said “proudly promotes the value of gender and sexual identity inclusiveness through advocacy,” according to a corporate slide still available on its website.

Ford declined a request for comment while Lowe’s, Harley-Davidson and John Deere did not respond to inquiries.

Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist who has led the charge against corporate DEI programs, last week posted that he suspects more brands will be willing to alter their initiatives after Donald Trump was elected president.

Also: 33 ad execs on what Trump’s election means for marketing

Nadja Bellan-White, CEO of SS+K, an agency whose services include corporate reputation, expects that brand ERGs will face increased scrutiny following the election. But she expects most brands won’t fold in the face of that pressure, so long as they’ve adequately tied their resource groups to business growth.

“Brands that are doing it for the right reasons are not going to be affected by Robby Starbuck,” Bellan-White said. “They’re simply going to stay true to what they need to do for their business and that’s it. If you’re giving into the rhetoric of Robby Starbuck, then you have a fair-weather plan.”

It’s unclear how brands generalizing their resource groups will impact their marketing. Inclusion experts say there’s value in having specialized groups that can help brands act on cultural insights.

“We can do a lot of research to uncover data about different communities, but when you have lived experience that pairs up with that data, that helps you put color and texture to the research,” said Jackeline Stewart-Hawkins, partner and head of the culture and society practice at communications firm LSG. “Raw data gives you an idea of how folks and communities are feeling, but you’re missing context … you’re missing language. You can risk, for example, being seen as pandering to communities.”

Graham Nolan, a PR consultant and co-chair of LGBTQ+ advertising advocacy group Do the WeRQ, said that as brands generalize their ERGs, they weaken their ability to identify and subsequently market around societal issues important to constituencies represented by the ERGs.

“There’s benefit in focusing because it allows them to make an impact based on their strengths,” he said.

Randi White, senior VP of culture and inclusion at Day One Agency, said there is value in bringing ERGs together to collaborate. The agency runs a DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) council where all six of its ERGs cooperate on different workflows.

“It’s always a challenge for people from underrepresented groups to feel like they are being lumped into one because there are so many unique things about our culture and heritage,” she said. “We want brands to speak to us and our needs.”

How brands have altered their ERGs

Other brands that have cut DEI efforts, including Toyota, Tractor Supply Company, Brown-Forman, Molson Coors and Stanley Black & Decker, declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests to discuss their resource groups. Molson Coors renamed its ERGs as BRGs in a move to “provide clarity” that they are centered around “business objectives,” according to an internal memo cited by Starbuck.

Toyota initially resisted pressure from activists calling for customer boycotts because it supported LGBTQ+ events, stating that the programs targeted were led by its ERGs, not the company itself. The brand later caved to pressure, stating it would refocus DEI programs and halt sponsorship of LGBTQ+ events, but it did not specifically announce changes to its LGBTQ+ group, Spectrum. Toyota declined an interview request.

Brown-Forman stated it would continue to offer ERGs “to all employees as a place for professional development, education, mentorship and networking,” but it’s unclear if they’ll continue to provide resources tailored to specific communities.

These brands in the past proudly promoted their ERGs—with some doing so very recently. Brown-Forman launched an ERG for “employees and their families who identify as having visible or invisible disabilities or act as caregivers” earlier this year. On Oct. 18, Toyota published a blog highlighting its newest resource group (and 14th overall) Supporting Adaptive Generational Experience, which leverages “the power of age diversity at Toyota.” And last year, the automaker plugged Spectrum being named ERG of the year by Out & Equal, which advocates for workplace equality.

United Airlines sticks by its employee groups 

Maggie Schmerin, chief advertising officer at United Airlines, defended the strength of BRGs as individual groups.

“When you add up the different BRGs we have, they represent a lot of employees within United, and they work together whenever and wherever that makes sense,” she said. “Individually, they are just as strong and we are continuing to invest in them as individual units.”

United taps its nine BRGs, which amplify the voices of Black, LGBTQ+ and young millennial talent, among others, for culturally specific insights that inform campaigns. It launched its latest group, Somos—which focuses on the needs of Hispanic and Latino employees—on May 7.

Schmerin most commonly reaches out to these groups for affinity month campaigns.

“We often sit down months in advance with the BRG to talk about the plan throughout the month and the content they’re going to see on United’s social channels,” she said. “We share the messages we’re going to share internally on our company intranet and in newsletters. We really make sure we’re hearing from them the vision they want to shape for that specific month and the message they’re trying to get across.”

United brings BRG board directors to meetings with its global creative agency of record 72andSunny and on production sets to see work come to life. Afterward, it debriefs with its BRGs to determine what did and didn’t work.

“The goal isn’t to hear that a campaign never should have been published,” Schmerin said. “It’s a continuous learning function where they say ‘this was really good, but I don’t think the way we stylize this customer interaction is representative of the group I’m representing.’”

Consulting BRGs allows United’s marketing department to hear from employees who directly interact with customers, Schmerin added.

United also loops its BRGs into year-round work. Gen Trend, the airline’s BRG focused on young employees and remote work policies, affirmed the marketing department’s idea to partner with creator Corporate Natalie on an ongoing series of social posts.

E.l.f.’s no-ERG approach

Some brands, such as e.l.f., have found it easier to tie internal diversity and marketing together without resource groups. Diverse voices that might otherwise be sequestered in an ERG exist throughout the company and its marketing department, said Laurie Lam, chief brand officer at e.l.f.

The cosmetics company’s executive team is 57% women and 43% diverse while its overall employee base is 74% women and over 40% diverse.

“I don’t know that we separate our marketing and what we do to serve our community,” she said. “I feel that everything we do is serving the diverse community that we have.”

In October, e.l.f. launched its “Dupe That” campaign, which encourages companies to emulate the sustainability and DEI policies it laid out in its third annual impact report. The effort was informed by a brainstorm session with various department heads. The campaign, featuring creative across dozens of displays in the World Trade Center retail complex and a two-page spread in The New York Times, highlighted e.l.f.’s board of directors being 78% female and 44% diverse.

Read more: E.l.f. calls on marketers to dupe its brand values

Agency ERGs seek more client input 

At ad agencies, more ERGs connected to LGBTQ+ causes have been formed in recent years—85% of them have been around for less than five years and 60% have only been active for two to four years, according to a new report from Do the WeRQ and the 4A’s called “State of the LGBTQ+ ERG.”

While the report credits the groups with “having a meaningful impact on company culture,” it details some shortcomings—including a desire of the ERG groups to be consulted more for client work. The report, which surveyed 15 LGBTQ+ ERG leaders across different-sized agencies, found that 53% of participants desired more involvement with agency leadership beyond key periods like Pride Month.

“I’m not sure if most of them have been given resources or the road map on how to make sure they can connect to profit,” Do the WeRQ’s Nolan said, adding that it’s especially challenging if ERGs are only asked to contribute to marketing efforts during affinity months.

Day One Agency grounds the success of its ERGs in how well they drive employee engagement and generate a sense of belonging, which it states brings more diverse cultural insights and innovation to its client work.

“We aren’t just planning events, we’re also talking about what’s happening amongst the people this group represents,” White said.

The agency analyzes sentiment towards ERGs through surveys, including one that found that 83% of employees feel a strong sense of belonging. It also boasts a 97% ERG participation rate across the agency, while 73% of employees belong to two or more. 

“Fostering a strong culture of belonging is one of our primary business goals, and our ERGs play a significant role in achieving that goal,” White said.