This weekend we watched as protesters across the country came together to demand justice. We know that many of you are impacted personally by the events of not only what occurred over the past week, but years of frustration and pain that led to this moment in our history. To our AfricanAmerican GeoBluers, we understand you are hurt and angry about what has occurred. We recognize your pain and fatigue over these incidents which are often a daily part of your experience.
Acts of terrible injustice against African-Americans – recently highlighted by the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others – have shone a light on the very real issues of bias, inequity and systemic racism. Martin Luther King said: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” As we witness the heartbreaking events of the past few days, it’s clear we cannot remain silent. We must stand up, speak up and find ways to do our part to bring about the change we want to see in the world.
Yes, we are a business, but we are a business of people. We alone can’t fix this entrenched and difficult problem of racism but we can create a positive work environment that values every single person – for who they are and what they bring to our collective table. We are proud to be a culturallydiverse company that thrives because we bring together our own values, beliefs, and cultures and collaborate towards shared goals. It is our diversity and ability to come together that makes us strong.
There are no easy answers but any solution must start with constructive dialogue and mutual understanding. Today, we invite you to reach out and support each other. And as you do, remember our values. One of our values is excellence which is about doing the right thing and doing things right. And the right thing is to stand against racism and bias.
We are going to need honesty and courage to have the difficult conversations that are necessary to expose bias and understand each other’s experiences and perspectives. Honesty that is rooted in being truthful while still building trust; courage to challenge the status quo but also be willing to step outside of your comfort zone. Please keep our value of collaboration in mind as you listen to and learn from your colleagues whose life experience may be very different from yours and approach those discussions with compassion, respect and a willingness to understand.
We recognize “business as usual” may be a challenge as you grapple with the realities of this past week. Please don’t hesitate to rely on our EAP services if you need any help, including access to emotional and mental health support.
At the core of who we are as a company is a belief that diversity, in all its forms, strengthens us and the world. We are committed to continuing to build and improve on our company culture so that everyone of us can be and bring our whole and true selves to work and contribute in the unique ways that only each of us individually can.
While words may seem insufficient at such a difficult moment, we hope they provide some comfort and convey our unequivocal stance against racism. We strongly believe there is no “them;” there is only us and we all share the pain of the events of the last few days and hope desperately for better times. Thank you for being part of our community and for continuing to help us make our company better.
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