The death of George Floyd has resonated around the world. From the streets to the corporate suites, there has been a call for an end to racial injustice.
On the corporate front, companies such as Nike, Citigroup and Papa Johns have aligned themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement. Nike released the statement, “NIKE, Inc. is announcing a $40 million commitment over the next four years to support the Black community in the U.S. on behalf of the NIKE, Jordan, and Converse brands collectively. This commitment will be focused on investing in and supporting organizations that put social justice, education, and addressing racial inequality in America at the center of their work.”
Netflix also shared its thoughts on social media, stating, “To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter. We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators, and talent to speak up.”
WarnerMedia brands — which include HBO, TBS and HBO Max — changed their Twitter names to #BlackLivesMatter and quoted Black author James Baldwin, posting on social media, “Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind.”
A multitude of companies has decided to post support for Black Lives Matter. However, are those same companies doing a self-evaluation?
Adidas caught flack for posting about racial injustices after several former Black employees spoke out about underlying racism that occurs within the company. According to Quartz, Julia Bond, a designer at Adidas, called Adidas’ response to racial injustice “shameful” in a letter sent to executives at the company on June 3.
Bond wrote that Adidas has a “consistent complacency in taking active steps against a racist work environment.”
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