Black Lives Matter
Following the recent protests in support of BLM, catalyzed by the terrible deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others, as well as the unequal impacts of COVID-19 on Black communities in the US, a growing number of companies are taking steps to respond to these calls...
Some companies have been rightly criticized for taking only superficial action; others are assessing their own performance on diversity and looking at further ways in which their operations may be connected to systemic racism. Yet much of the discussion is still framed as if these responses are voluntary commitments, which business can choose to make or not. That needs to change...
We recognize that many of the same harms apply to other communities and groups that have been subject to structural discrimination as a result of white privilege and power, in the US and beyond...
1. CONNECTIONS TO SHORT-TERM RISKS TO PROTESTORS’ SAFETY AND FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
MAKE IT CLEAR TO YOUR WORKFORCE: IT IS OK TO PROTEST ...
BE READY TO SUPPORT WORKERS WHO JOIN PROTESTS ...
SPEAK UP FOR PROTESTORS’ RIGHTS ...
2. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN A COMPANY’S OWN OPERATIONS AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION OVER THE LONGER-TERM
LOOK WITHIN: HOW ARE MY COMPANY’S PRODUCTS OR SERVICES CONNECTED TO DISCRIMINATION? ...
CONCRETE ACTIONS SPEAK MORE THAN VAGUE STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT ...
USE YOUR LEVERAGE TO MAKE LONG- TERM STRUCTURAL CHANGE HAPPEN ...
3. COMPANY INVOLVEMENT IN BROADER ADVOCACY POLICY GOALS
ENGAGE WITH AFFECTED STAKEHOLDERS ...