It reveals that even companies that have spoken out against racism often have a poor record in terms of diversity and inclusion. There are only four Black CEOs out of the Fortune 500 companies, the C-suites are still behind when it comes to Black executives, and corporations often fail when it comes to advertising with Black-owned media and entry-level hiring.
Nathan Young of Periscope and Bennett D. Bennett of Aerialist recently wrote an open letter to U.S. agencies outlining a list of actions that can be taken to achieve true equity for people of color in the advertising and media industry.
Items include “making a commitment to improving Black representation at all levels of the agency that is specific, measurable, and public; regular and consistent tracking of diversity data at agencies in order to provide a baseline for accountability; regular policy and culture audits to ensure an equitable work environment for employees of all backgrounds; broader outreach for talent to a diverse representation of schools; expansion of internships and training programs to candidates with transferable skills, as well as leadership training for existing staff; a wage-equity plan to ensure fair compensation for women and people of color as well as a number of diversity and inclusion mandates spanning leadership and internal programs.”
The Black Lives Matter movement has gone global, but corporations will need to do more than give a tweet to help implement change.
