ACCP Staff
Consumers, employees, and other stakeholder groups continue to hold business to a high standard as a force for social good. 53% of consumers believe companies who issue a statement of racial justice support must follow up with concrete action to avoid being seen as exploitative/opportunistic.1 43% of employees are reconsidering their current job because their company is not doing enough to address social justice issues externally.2 Racial justice continues to be at the forefront of our social conscience and dialogue. While 64% of companies report racial justice as a new long-term priority,3 we know that even more work is needed to create a socially just society for our companies and communities. You can find more relevant statistics in ACCP’s Making the Case for Socially Responsible Business.
Black History Month is an excellent opportunity for companies to celebrate the significant contributions Black citizens have made to community – including employees, nonprofit partners, and community leaders. Black History Month is also a time to challenge ourselves to eliminate the structures in place that have permitted the continued presence of systemic racism.
Here are some examples of ACCP member initiatives that we are excited to share:
- Comcast NBCUniversal is focusing on the Black storytellers they partner with throughout the year and the power of their creations.
- In honor of this year’s theme of Black Health and Wellness, Blackbaud+YourCause is hosting speakers and providing a unique volunteer opportunity with Goodera to record children’s audiobooks featuring black protagonists.
- Pacific Gas & Electric is highlighting the members of its Black ERG and employees who have graduated from HBCUs.
- The STEM Careers Coalition™ – the first-of-its-kind national STEM initiative powered by corporate leaders and anchored in schools by Discovery Education – is connecting students to a curated collection of dynamic career content celebrating Black leaders in STEM.
- At Target, Black History Month is all about the Black team members, designers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs behind their exclusive product assortment and the latest in their Black Beyond Measure marketing campaign. The company will also feature products from its three HBCU Design Challenge winners in its stores.
- Benevity has provided an extensive overview and suggestions on ways companies and their people can support Black History Month, including links to their race conversations guide and Black History Month toolkit.
For more information and resources related to Black History Month, we invite you to visit the following websites:
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- NAACP
- National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Resources to Fight Racism and Unconscious Bias
- Solidarity with Black Communities and Systems Change: How to Respond Now and Later
- Southern Poverty Law Center
In what ways are you or your company celebrating and recognizing Black History – not just this month, but all year long? Please share and let us know.
1 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Business and Racial Justice in America, 2021
2 Porter Novelli Focus: All Gender, 2021
3 ACCP Making the Case for Socially Responsible Business, Winter 2021
