Responsibilities of Business for Racial Justice

Discrimination based on race is a fundamental human rights issue. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction of any kind as to race, color or national origin. Unfortunately, despite all the proclamations by the UN and other intergovernmental bodies, as well as specific laws such as the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, racism remains one of the paramount human rights problems and threatens the livelihood and rights of millions of people in the US and around the world. The death of George Floyd, a black man, while he was in the custody of the Minneapolis police department on May 25, 2020, set off days of large public demonstrations against racial injustice all around the world, often accompanied by vandalism and looting as well as disproportionate police responses that escalated the tensions. At the same time, the US was in the grip of a health pandemic that was difficult for every American, but which created adverse impacts that had fallen disproportionately on blacks and other people of color. Businesses, as they have done in the past in times of crisis, responded with statements of support and philanthropic contributions; however, many believe that more is required and that companies must commit to purging racism from the workplace and committing resources to help communities recover from the unrest and establish the social, economic, and political conditions necessary for a just society. Almost four years have passed since the events of the first half of 2020 and many despair that little has changed in the long fight for racial justice and business leaders must do more to seize the challenges and opportunities of eliminating racial inequality by taking a stand and making and fulfilling commitments to action across a broad spectrum of issues and contexts that includes embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in the boardroom, the workforce and all aspects of organizational culture; financial equity and security; community engagement; involvement in the public square through advocacy for racial justice, and re-imaging products and services.