June 2, 2020

Together We Stand

I am deeply troubled by the disturbing events in the U.S. over the past several weeks, including the senseless deaths in Minneapolis and Georgia and the Central Park incident.  These are but a few examples illustrating the inequality and unfair treatment impacting many in our communities, including our colleagues and clients.

As a Firm committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive environment, the continued unfair treatment of certain racial groups is disturbing and cannot be tolerated. We must come together and find ways – through actions and not just words – to be part of the solution. This includes facilitating difficult but necessary discussions surrounding issues such as institutional racism and bias.

On Friday, June 19, we will facilitate a dialogue with clients and friends of the Firm to address some of the ways prejudice and racism impact the workplace and our communities. Our panelists will include speakers from KPMG, Pizza Hut and Diversity Women Media. The event will be open to all in the Firm, and we strongly encourage you to participate so we can learn and grow from those who have experienced discrimination firsthand. Our Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Kathy Bowman-Williams, will follow up with more information soon.

This panel discussion is just one small step. We must celebrate our diversity and consistently demonstrate the responsibility we all have to uphold our cultural commitments, support our colleagues of color, and ensure that our diversity and inclusion efforts are meaningful.

We encourage you to check in on your colleagues during these challenging times. If additional support is needed for you or your family, please use the Firm’s EAP resources.

Now, more than ever, we are in this together, and we will support each other.

John