Story at a glance
- Ridesharing app Uber wrote that it will adopt more inclusive policies within the company, including hiring more diverse talent and providing racial sensitivity training.
- This comes as the Black Lives Matter movement demands better civil rights in a legal setting as well as a corporate setting.
Ridesharing company Uber has launched a new $11 million initiative to become an “anti-racist” company and support Black American businesses as well as criminal justice reform.
Announced in a blog post, the company outlines multiple new policies and programs aimed at helping dismantling institutional racism in its corporate space. Siphoned into four pillars, Uber’s new long-term commitments will work to rid the platform of racism, fighting racism with technology and promoting equality in the company and the larger community.
This includes donating $10 million to supporting Black-owned small businesses over two years through promotions, and another $1 million towards criminal justice reform organization the Equal Justice Initiative and Center for Policing Inequality.
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On its rideshare platform, Uber said it plans on implementing anti-racism education for both riders and drivers. These resources will be available through the app. Customer Support will also receive racial sensitivity training on unconscious biases and discrimination.
“We must use our global reach, our technology, and our data to help create a safer, more inclusive company, and be a faithful ally to all the communities we serve,” the statement reads.
Inside the company, Black leadership is expected to double by 2025 within the top five senior levels, and a Diversity Report tracking Uber’s progress will be published annually. Pay equality is also a priority.
Multiple Silicon Valley hubs have heeded the calls of the Black Lives Matter movement to create a more equitable workplace for Black and minority workers. Most recently, Asian American drivers have reported being harassed or discriminated against at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.
One of the most recent developments for the company was recognizing Juneteenth, the official day slavery was abolished in the U.S., as a paid company holiday.
“This is just the beginning. It won’t be enough until we see true racial justice. But we plan to work day in and day out to improve, learn, and grow as a company,” the post concludes.
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