Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, released a statement this week, apologizing for the national food chain’s ‘English-only’ policy. 

The apology comes only days after an online petition, calling on the company to end its ‘English-only’ policy, garnered more than 15,000 signatures within a week. The signatures came from people who threatened to boycott Whole Foods Market over the policy. 

Activists from the group MoveOn.org delivered the petition, which was initiated by ProgressNow New Mexico, to Whole Foods Headquarters in Austin, expressing concern about the policy. 

In a blog, Robb writes, “On behalf of our senior leadership team, I apologize that a section in our employee handbook regarding team member interactions in the workplace was not clearly written, and for any misunderstanding, or offense it has created.” He says that its intention was to foster inclusion, not exclusion, and that the company has changed the wording of the section and will ensure the new wording, and more importantly, the intention behind it, is reviewed and discussed at all store and facility meetings within 45 days time.