Words of Solidarity Aren’t Enough — These 18 Companies Are Taking Action to Support Black Lives

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

These words by Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist Desmond Tutu ring especially true in this moment. But of course, this isn’t just a moment. Today, we’re grappling with not only the recent killings of Black people in this country — George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Tony McDade. We’re also experiencing a deeper reckoning, one that’s vastly overdue, for the insidious racism and state-sanctioned violence that have terrorized BIPOC in the U.S. for centuries. And the solution, much like the problem itself, won’t be an immediate one.

To finally arrive at a fairer version of this country for BIPOC communities, it’ll require a lot of things, including a stepping-up from allies on both the individual and corporate level. And that goes beyond statements of solidarity. For companies, that means committing to allyship in sustained, transparent and ultimately action-centered ways. Below, here are 18 organizations that have already stepped up and made their actionable support of Black lives known.

1. PwC shared the six steps it’s taking to support Black team members and meaningfully contribute to the fight for racial justice, today and going forward.

In a statement posted to LinkedIn, PwC CEO Tim Ryan noted that although he’s not a member of the Black community himself, the ongoing prevalence of racism in this country “is still personal to me.” In 2018, two years after Ryan co-founded CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion in direct response to the killing of unarmed Black men, a member of PwC’s own community was lost. Botham Jean, a 26-year-old PwC accountant and Black man, was shot and killed in his own home by a Dallas police officer who had entered Jean’s apartment, claiming to have mistaken it for hers.

“I witnessed the pain his family had to — and still has to — endure over the loss of their son and brother,” Ryan wrote. “It is my responsibility as a leader to not only stand with them against racism to condemn these killings, but to use my privilege to be a part of the solution and take action — to help dismantle the racism and injustice that has become so pervasive in our society.”

To that end, six of the actions PwC is taking, which are explained further in Ryan’s post, include: 

• Creating a D&I Staff Advisory Council

• Transparently sharing the firm’s diversity strategy and results

• Donating to social justice organizations, including making donations of $250,000 apiece to The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Dream Corps., The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and The Center for Policing Equity and matching employee donations of up to $1,000 to those organizations

• Giving employees one week of paid time off each year to volunteer with nonprofits

• Empowering each of its 80 offices around the country to engage and partner with local, community-centered nonprofits 

• Creating a two-year fellowship program for PwC associates, with an anticipated starting class of 30 employees, to dedicate their skills to advancing public policy that combats racial injustice and discrimination 

2. American Family Insurance is highlighting COVID’s impact on the Black & Brown members of its Wisconsin community.

“People of color struggle disproportionately during this pandemic because many of our structures are under heavy pressure. In Wisconsin, where our company is based, the U.S. Census Bureau reports African Americans make up 6.7% of our population, but account for 21% of the COVID-19 cases and 29% of deaths statewide. That’s higher than the national number of 21.9%,” wrote CEO and Chair Jack Salzwedel. 

At American Family Insurance, Salzwedel said he sees it as their “job to help fix the cracks in these structures that have been deepening — and are even more exposed because of this pandemic and ongoing racial injustices.” The company will build on its existing D&I efforts, he added, which include “creating the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, signing the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge, committing to inclusive excellence, hiring diverse talent and impacting our communities. We can and will do more.”

3. Accenture is setting new hiring targets to increase the diversity of its workforce.

In a letter posted to LinkedIn, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet made clear that the firm remains committed to extending its allyship well beyond words of solidarity. To date, for instance, Accenture has carried the distinction of being the only U.S. professional services firm to transparently publish its racial demographics data each year. Some of the new actions Accenture has committed to taking include: 

• By September 1st, the firm will announce specific goals to increase its percentage of Black and Latinx employees overall and also its number of Black and Latinx managing directors in the U.S. by 2025, similar to its global goal to reach 50/50 gender parity by 2025 and have 25% female managing directors by the end of this year.

• Also by September 1st, the firm is adding new training to help employees identify, speak up against and report racism, building upon its existing (and mandatory) unconscious bias training. 

• On the local and national level, Accenture is working to build a portfolio of specific opportunities to collaborate with its communities and partners in anti-racism work. As Sweet put it: “We want to be part of building a better future together with other companies, with our federal, state and local government leaders, not-for-profits and the people of our communities.”

4. Equinix’s CEO joined a D&I task force.

“I am reminded that silence is our enemy in the journey to foster a culture where everybody can truly say ‘I’m Safe, I Belong and I Matter,” Charles Meyers, President & CEO of Equinix, wrote in a statement. “As part of my work with the CEO Action Initiative, I have volunteered to join a Task Force aimed at continuing to drive positive change in both our workplaces and our communities.” 

5. Cummins is supporting minority-owned businesses in its communities.

In an op-ed co-written by Cummins CEO Tom Linebarger and Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks, the emphasis centers squarely on taking action in the following ways: 

• Engaging with BIPOC-led groups and civil liberties organizations to understand how best to support these groups financially, as well as with the resources and skills that Cummins can offer as a company.

• Supporting minority-owned businesses in the local communities that both companies operate within. 

• Supporting efforts locally in Indianapolis as well as across the country to improve engagement between law enforcement and members of the public. 

“We all have a role to play in calling for greater accountability from our government, from law enforcement, our neighbors and ourselves. What we have today is simply not enough. We need to work together to root out hate and replace it with a deep and abiding appreciation for diversity, equality, and inclusion. It must start with each of us, and it must start now,” the op-ed reads.

6. DICK'S Sporting Goods is looking to the leadership of its internal Inclusion & Diversity Council.

“We will continue to invest in and support the communities we serve, and will continue to seek new opportunities to make a difference – especially for those communities that have been impacted the most,” the company said in a statement. “Here at DICK’S, we want to make sure all our teammates feel valued, heard and respected. Last year, we started more deliberate work on this front by creating an Inclusion & Diversity Council. We are committed to the work this group is doing, and they will play an active role in creating safe spaces for hard conversations, and appreciating and celebrating our differences.”

7. DTCC is planning a series of workshops and facilitated conversations for its employees.

“We must acknowledge that for a portion of our employee population, everyday acts of living, like going for an evening run, mowing the lawn, or bird-watching at the local park, are fraught with danger,” Keisha Bell, Head of Diverse Talent Management & Advancement at DTCC, said in a statement posted to LinkedIn. “It’s more important than ever for us to commit to being a community of colleagues who can conduct honest conversations about race.”

To support and hold space for those honest conversations, Bell said the company’s Diverse Talent Management & Advancement (DTMA) group is planning a series of facilitated conversations on race and inclusion topics in the coming weeks. 

“This initiative was already in the works prior to the turmoil of the past week, and it’s needed more now than ever,” she said. “Real change starts with honest intentional dialogue about everyday minority experiences.”

8. Pariveda Solutions contributed to George Floyd’s memorial fund.

“It is not an option to remain silent or look away as our communities experience loss, injustice and systemic racism,” the company wrote in a statement posted to LinkedIn. “We know that our words of support are empty without action. Pariveda has contributed to George Floyd's Memorial Fund to support his family during this time, and we encourage those in a position to do so, to do the same. We will continue to stay true to our mission of growing all individuals towards their highest potential – and that means being inclusive of all people.”

9. The Hartford referenced the work it’s doing through its internal Courageous Conversations series.

10. Goldman Sachs announced a new fund for Racial Equity – and has already committed $10 million to it. 

At the beginning of June, Goldman Sachs announced it had created a Goldman Sachs Fund for Racial Equality, and that the fund is being launched with $10 million from Goldman Sachs Gives. 

“We must stand up and support organizations dedicated to the fight for a more just and equitable society,” said David M. Solomon, Chairman and CEO. “To honor the legacies of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, we must all commit to help address the damage of generations of racism.”

This fund comes in addition to the firm’s recent COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts, which include a $30 million COVID-19 Relief Fund and an additional $525 million dedicated to small businesses.

11. At Baker Hughes, the focus is on the company’s employee resource groups as a means of fostering diversity.

In addition to creating and participating in “open and honest forums to discuss and listen to one another,” Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO & Chair at Baker Hughes, said that the “first step starts within.”

“This week, we launched our previously planned Employee Resource Groups (ERG) membership drive,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “With thousands of employees already participating, our ERGs help create a sense of belonging and build a stronger, more diverse work environment. They also provide community and connection, even in times of uncertainty like today… It is important, now more than ever, we continue these forums to listen, discuss, and act together.”

12. The CFO of Citigroup shared that he’s made donations to multiple BIPOC orgs. 

In a public statement posted to Citigroup’s blog, CFO Mark Mason began with the words “I can’t breathe” in tribute to George Floyd.

“I have debated whether I should speak out. But after some emotional conversations with my family earlier this week, I realized I had to. In fact, we all need to,” Mason wrote. “In addition to speaking out and in an effort to aid in the fight to address these issues, my wife and I have decided to make donations to three organizations fighting injustice and inequality — NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Advancement Project, and Color of Change. I hope you will join us.”

13. The Coca-Cola Company is acknowledging what it could have done differently in the past and committing to doing better today, including by donating $2.5 million in grants to anti-racism orgs.

A key part of better allyship lies in interrogating and owning up to moments of complacency — then, resolving through action to take a different approach today. In a statement released by The Coca-Cola Company CEO James Quincey, the company did both. 

“The company is not perfect,” Quincey wrote, adding that it’s done both great things, including supporting civil rights and desegregation work in the past, as well as made mistakes. In 2000, Coca-Cola paid the largest settlement ever in a corporate racial discrimination case.

“We don’t have all the answers,” he said. “But I believe that we, together with civic and community advocates, government officials, fellow business leaders, our partners – and with the views and voices of those who challenge injustice – we can find solutions.” 

Some of the ways The Coca-Cola Company is currently working toward solutions include: 

• Renewing mandatory D&I training

• Providing $2.5 million in grants to the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization dedicated to criminal justice reform; the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. 

• Matching employee donations to the above orgs, as well as contributions made to the 100 Black Men of America and the National CARES Mentoring Movement

• Publicly supporting legislation to advance a hate-crimes law in Georgia

14. Peloton made a $500,000 donation to the NAACP.

“The Black community is hurting. Our Black Members, instructors, music partners and employees are hurting,” the company said in a statement posted to Instagram. 

15. Apple committed $100 million to a new racial justice initiative.

The Apple Racial Equity and Justice initiative will focus on issues surrounding education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced. Some of the work the initiative will do includes partnering with historically Black universities and community colleges, as well as funding science & technology programs for underserved students. Apple will also partner with groups like the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization centered on ending mass incarceration, and increase its spending with Black-owned suppliers. In addition, the company has committed to hiring more Black and underrepresented employees.  

“We’re taking significant new steps on diversity and inclusion within Apple, because there is more we can and must do to hire, develop, and support those from underrepresented groups, especially our Black and brown colleagues,” Cook said. 

16. Salesforce made a $1 million donation to the NAACP and assembled an internal Racial Equality and Justice task force.

This support of the NAACP comes after a $500,000 donation made last month to BET and United Way’s relief fund, which was set up to address the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Black families. In its ongoing commitment to fighting racial injustice, Salesforce has also assembled a new Racial Equality and Justice task force, comprised of an advisory panel of internal and external leaders to inform the company’s efforts on driving racial equality in its workplace and in its communities. To support its Black community and allies, Salesforce also created Equality Circles with the help of BOLDforce, its employee resource group for Black employees and allies, and its Office of Equality. These circles, which will serve as spaces where leaders and employees alike can have candid and safe conversations around race, come in addition to existing D&I initiatives, like Salesforce's Equality Mentorship program and its in-house development program focused on underrepresented minorities. The task force has also made public policy advocacy — around topics like policing, hate crimes and criminal justice — one of its key pillars. 

17. Ultimate Software and Kronos are raising money for racial justice and creating anti-racism learning opportunities.

• Expanding internal support and growth opportunities for Black employees. Recently, Ultimate Software and Kronos introduced a new employee resource group, BUILD (Black Upcoming Individuals in Leadership and Development), which is dedicated to fostering more Black leaders within the company and ultimately transforming the diversity of the tech industry as a whole.
• Providing anti-racism learning opportunities. An internal website was launched with articles, videos, webinars, self-paced learning and group learning opportunities to address racism, discrimination and unconscious bias. 
• Investing in researching and promoting diversity, equity and belonging (DEB) strategies. Last year, the company formed its Equity at Work Council to develop and cultivate these strategies. 

18. SAP pledged to double its representation of Black employees in the U.S.