brought to you by: crisis · 2020. 9. 17. · adidas 8 starbucks9 amazon 10 facebook 11 crossfit 13...
TRANSCRIPT
Organizational Responses to
10 corporate responses from exemplary to abysmal.
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SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
Table of Contents:Introduction 1
Ben & Jerry’s 2
IBM 4
Google 5
Sephora 6
Quaker Oats/PepsiCo 7
Adidas 8
Starbucks 9
Amazon 10
Facebook 11
Crossfit 13
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Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
1 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
For activists and advocates on diversity, equity and inclusion, words are no longer enough.
With a renewed conversation around race and structural inequality in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, many organizations have tried to add their voice to the chorus of voices calling for change. Speaking up has been touted as the only option for businesses in a media environment where silence is seen as a failure to act.
Many organizations have found their voice, on their social media channels, with messages in media outlets and statements in online newsrooms. However, audiences are well within their rights to be skeptical.
The topic of diversity, equity and inclusion isn’t new, and it was only a few months ago that some organizations were downplaying its importance in the face of concerns about COVID-19. Before that, some human resource officers said that talk of racism in the workplace was “noise.”
So, what messages are standing out? Here are 10 noteworthy responses ranked from best to worst:
Introduction
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
2 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
The ice cream company has always been outspoken around political and cultural issues and its strong statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement stands out.
The statement, released on June 2, used the words “white supremacy” and voices support for legislative action.
It wrote in a post on its website:
All of us at Ben & Jerry’s are outraged about the murder of another Black person by Minneapolis police officers last week and the continued violent response by police against protestors. We have to speak out. We have to stand together with the victims of murder, marginalization, and repres-sion because of their skin color, and with those who seek justice through protests across our country. We have to say his name: George Floyd.
Ben & Jerry’s history of speaking up was part of what allowed the company to have a strong and noteworthy stance here.
Delish wrote:
This recent post was different from the posts of other brands in many ways, largely because it was not even close to their first foray into political issues. The company had affirmed its support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2016 and has posted many other articles including one detailing its support of reparations for Black Americans, one explaining systemic racism, and another supporting front end criminal justice reform. They also released a Justice Remix’d flavor last year to bring awareness to criminal justice reform and structural racism. This history and the power of the most recent statement proved to many that Ben & Jerry’s words were genuine.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
01
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The stance won kudos on social media as well:
Takeaway: Stand up for your beliefs, even when it isn’t popular to do so, and audiences will be more receptive when taking a stand is paramount.
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
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When thinking through your product offering and the impact it might have, it’s important to think beyond branding. That’s what led IBM, followed by other tech companies, to announce it would stop offering facial recognition technology, which could be used to target minorities.
However, unlike some companies that announced a moratorium on facial recognition tech, IBM made a forceful statement and called on lawmakers to introduce regulations on the technology to prevent it being abused by law enforcement.
The statement came in a June 8 letter to Congress that the company published on its website.
The Verge wrote:
IBM will no longer offer general purpose facial recognition or analysis software, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to Congress today. The company will also no longer develop or research the technology, IBM tells The Verge. Krishna addressed the letter to Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).
“IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any [facial recognition] technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency,” Krishna said in the letter. “We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies.”
Takeaway: Think about more than the optics of your brand and products. The impact your prod-ucts have on the world are just as important and deserve scrutiny.
02IBM
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5 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
The tech company said it would make big investments in DE&I with a commitment to improve leadership representation for unrepresented groups to 30% by 2025. They also promised to work on hiring and retaining diverse employees with other initiatives.
One significant difference was how Google was thoughtful about creating a more inclusive en-vironment, ending practices like “badge-checking” coworkers and other interactions that could lead to microaggressions or racial profiling.
CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a note:
As one example, we’ve had a security practice of Googlers watching for “tailgaters” in order to reduce instances of unauthorized visitors in offices. We have realized this process is suscep-tible to bias. So, over the past year, our Global Security and Resilience team partnering with a cross-functional working group, conducted extensive research, listened to Black Googlers’ experiences, and developed and tested new security procedures to ensure we could maintain the safety and security of the Google community without relying on this type of enforcement. Now, as we prepare to return to the office, we will end the practice of Googlers badge-checking each other and rely on our already robust security infrastructure.
The move is a great example of how listening to your employees and examining all aspects of your culture that might unintentionally do more harm than good can lead to a more welcoming workplace.
Takeaway: Listen to your employees to guide important culture change and create a more welcoming workplace.
03
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6 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
The beauty products retailer was the first to sign the “15 Percent Pledge,” an initiative where stores promise to stock their shelves with products from black-owned businesses. The move is an example of what active listening and joining initiatives already in motion can look like.
Glamour reported:
“We were inspired to make the 15 Percent Pledge because we believe it’s the right thing to do, for our clients, our industry, and for our community,” said Artemis Patrick, Sephora’s chief merchandising officer, in a statement. “Ultimately, this commitment is about more than the prestige products on our shelves; it starts with a long-term plan diversifying our supply chain and building a system that creates a better platform for Black-owned brands to grow, while ensuring Black voices help shape our industry.”
Others can join the 15 Percent Pledge and promise to offer at least 15% of their products from black-owned businesses.
Takeaway: Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Find initiatives that are already in progress and lend your brand power to help amplify those messages.
Sephora
04
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7 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
It’s been important for companies to also take a look at the product lines they offer when trying to understand their impact on culture and systemic racism. Upon reflection, Quaker Oats, which is owned by PepsiCo, decided it had to rebrand its Aunt Jemima syrup and pancake products.
NBC News reported:
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said in a news release. “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations.”
However, the company did not address the slow pace of change when it came to addressing the racist branding—a problem the company had identified before George Floyd’s death.
The New York Times reported:
PepsiCo said in a statement Wednesday that there were “several workstreams” reviewing the brand in 2016 and that “due to personnel changes and shifting priorities, the workstream was eventually put on hold.”
Since then, Quaker Oats has not given Aunt Jemima significant promotion. Last year, Quaker Oats spent $245,000 marketing the brand, compared with $6.2 million it spent on Life Cereal, excluding social media, according to the research firm Kantar.
A stronger statement would have offered transparency around previous inaction—complicated though it might be—and then look to the future.
Takeaway: Be honest about how your organization has fallen short in the past. Don’t provide excuses for why change hasn’t happened sooner, but own it as a mistake and promise a brighter future.
Quaker Oats/PepsiCo
05
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8 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
The Germany-headquartered sportswear apparel brand had a bumpy start with its messaging as it tried to embrace calls for change and acknowledge its failure to address DE&I concerns in the past.
In a series of tweets, the brand admitted it hadn’t done enough in the past to support minorities in the workplace and beyond:
However, when employees wrote an open letter to the company’s leaders with specific requests, they were initially rebuffed. The internal debate led to a leadership change with the former head of Human Resources, who once dismissed the topic of racism as “noise,” to depart.
The series of events embodies the imperative, which some have called “getting your house in order,” a requirement for brands that are going to be outspoken about issues like DE&I to do more than talk big game.
Takeaway: You must address statements or actions that go against your promises around DE&I. If the numbers—and your past statements—show your culture isn’t a welcoming place for diverse employees, think about how you can make systemic and structural changes.
Adidas
06
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
9 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
Starbucks was one of the brands that was outspoken about supporting the BLM movement, but then stumbled when it came time to take real action. The company prohibited employees from wearing pro-BLM apparel while at work, a decision it later reversed.
CNN reported:
Although the company publicly supports “Black Lives Matter” on its social media channels and in a press release, an internal memo to employees obtained by BuzzFeed News earlier this week explains that Starbucks wouldn›t let baristas do the same. But on Friday, Starbucks reversed its stance, saying they can wear a «Black Lives Matter» T-shirt or pin until new branded shirts are delivered to 200,000 employees that includes the phrase.
“This movement is a catalyst for change, and right now, it’s telling us a lot of things need to be addressed so we can make space to heal,” Starbucks said in a publicly shared letter to employees announcing the new T-shirt design.
The company has struggled with its record on race and the police an employee called the cops on a couple of Black patrons in 2018. The chain closed all of its U.S. stores for a day of racial bias training.
Takeaway: Beware of old habits around DE&I messaging. Organizations that try to hide behind policies from past years to avoid addressing racial equality in their communities won’t be able to meet the cultural moment.
07Starbucks
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
10 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
Jeff Bezos has signaled on his social media channels about the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.
On his Instagram he shared a message from an irate customer about Amazon’s pro-BLM stance, quipping that this was a kind of customers he was “happy to lose.” Amazon also encouraged employees to use their day in the office for Juneteenth for self-reflection and education around race.
However, some have argued that Amazon doesn’t back up its bold statements particularly when it comes to how it treats its employees.
Vox wrote:
Many have called out the discrepancy between a company’s policies and treatment of workers compared to the public statements delivered during a time of crisis. For example, customers found it hypocritical how Amazon has a reported history of underpaying and overworking warehouse employees in grueling conditions, especially during the coronavirus. (Eighty-five percent of Amazon’s black workforce hold unskilled jobs, which includes warehouse workers, and the company has only one black senior-level employee.) Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos did not disclose whether he would be making any donations.
Takeaway: How you treat and engage employees is a huge part of your corporate reputation, and storytelling and PR spin won’t make up for policies that fail to address employee safety.
Amazon
08
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
11 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
Facebook’s top chief Mark Zukerberg took to his platform to share a message in support of Black Lives Matter, and tried to address some of the criticism that has been pointed at the company and how it has handled accusations of hate speech, harassment and more.
He wrote:
As we continue to process this difficult moment, I want to acknowledge the real pain expressed by members of our community. I also want to acknowledge that the decision I made last week has left many of you angry, disappointed and hurt. So I am especially grateful that, despite your heartfelt disagreement, you remain focused on taking positive steps to move forward. That can’t be easy, so I just want to say I hear you and I’m grateful.
I believe our platforms can play a positive role in helping to heal the divisions in our society, and I’m committed to making sure our work pulls in this direction. To all of you who have already worked tirelessly on ideas to improve, I thank you. You’re making a difference, and together we’ll make a difference. And while we will continue to stand for giving everyone a voice and erring on the side of free expression in these difficult decisions -- even when it’s speech we strongly and viscerally disagree with -- I’m committed to making sure we also fight for voter engagement and racial justice too.
However, some say that Facebook’s actions as a company have actively undermined the cause, particularly when it comes to its inaction to combat misinformation.
The New York Times wrote:
On Facebook, for example, the most popular post on the day of Mr. Zuckerberg’s Black Lives Matter pronouncement was an 18-minute video posted by the right-wing activist Candace Owens. In the video, Ms. Owens, who is black, railed against the protests, calling the idea of racially biased policing a “fake narrative” and deriding Mr. Floyd as a “horrible human being.” Her monologue, which was shared by right-wing media outlets — and which several people told me they had seen because Facebook’s algorithm recommended it to them — racked up nearly 100 million views.
Ms. Owens is a serial offender, known for spreading misinformation and stirring up partisan ran-cor. (Her Twitter account was suspended this year after she encouraged her followers to violate stay-at-home orders, and Facebook has applied fact-checking labels to several of her posts.) But
09Facebook
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
12 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
she can still insult the victims of police killings with impunity to her nearly four million followers on Facebook.
Facebook has also been criticized for its inability to keep and promote Black workers. The com-pany made very little progress in improving D&I numbers for its last report in 2019.
Takeaway: Facebook is an example of good intentions without a lot of success to show for it. For companies looking to address DE&I, outcomes must be prioritized and efforts that make a lot of noise without changing that status quo should not be touted as meaningful investments.
SPECIAL REPORT: Organizational Responses to Black Lives Matter
13 Copyright 2020 Ragan Communications
The owner of the gyms made one of the worst statements in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and after significant backlash he stepped down from his leadership role.
The New York Times reported:
Mr. Glassman posted a tweet that made light of both the coronavirus pandemic and the killing of George Floyd in police custody, and last weekend spoke belligerently to CrossFit gym owners about race and racism in a remarkable Zoom call that was leaked to reporters.
“We’re not mourning for George Floyd, I don’t think me or any of my staff are,” said Mr. Glassman on the Zoom call, according to a recording of the call provided to The New York Times.
The tone-deaf, offensive approach was lambasted on social media and by members of the CrossFit community, gyms joined a list to stop using the CrossFit brand name, who were disappointed in Glassman’s statement.
10CrossFit
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The resulting chaos forced Glassman to step aside and shows that beyond the moral imperatives of a moment, leaders must consider the many stakeholders of their organization who could be affected by their words.
Takeaway: In our diverse, global and increasingly more transparent society, a lack of empathy will quickly ruin reputational goodwill you might have built up.
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