Adidas
Reuters Connect

In response to the growing clamor against racism after the death of George Floyd, Adidas promises that its new hires will be including minorities such as Blacks and Latinos from now on.

Several Adidas Employees Criticized the Company

The death of George Floyd was an eye-opener particularly to the minorities who have remained and chosen to be silent in the past few decades despite many reported instances of racism and inequality across different states and different sectors in the country.

However, Latinos and Blacks can no longer take this silence and they chose demand for justice and equality. The protests held across the country call everyone including the business industries to end the decades of slavery and racism.

In a recently published article, several Adidas employees have walked out and asked the company to support the black employees. It was also reported that the company was criticized for its slow response to combat racial discrimination.

Adidas' Response to Guard Against Racism within the Company

In its genuine fight against racism, Adidas pledges that its new hires in the United States which comprise 30 percent of new positions will be offered for Blacks and Latinos who have long been encountering problems in job opportunities.

In the official statement released by the Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted, he said that the different peaceful and violent protests that happened over the past two weeks have caused the world to reflect on what can be done to confront cultural racism.

He also added that everyone must create an environment in which all employees from different colors will feel safe, heard, and are given equal opportunities to advance in their careers. According to the Pew Research Centre, Hispanics and Blacks are underrepresented and discriminated in their workplace.

More Actions and Responses from Adidas

Aside from offering its all-new positions to Blacks and Latinos, Adidas also announced that it will donate an amount of $20 million for the next four years for its program that supports the African-American in the country which has a growing population of more than 30 million.

These programs include Adidas Legacy, the company's grassroots basketball platform for underserved communities, the Adidas School for Experiential Education in Design and Honoring Black Excellence, which is an initiative honoring and supporting the Black community through sport.

In addition to that, Adidas also pledges that they will have 50 scholarships to be given for their black employees for the next five years in their partner universities. Adidas said in its official statement that they understand the importance of the fight against racism and this must be fought continually and actively.

Moreover, the company also promised that they will have a better and improved working environment where they will ensure equity, diversity, and opportunity. These actions from Adidas is also a call to other business industries to hire more minorities and give them a chance to grow.

Opening new doors of opportunities where minorities feel that they truly accepted and supported can make the nation great again. A shoulder to shoulder action in helping one another is one of the keys to have if not the best, but a better nation.

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