How USA Retailers Are Responding to the Rise of Social Justice Movements

For more than two weeks, rallies against police brutality and systematic racism, as well as for equal justice, have dominated the streets and the world's media. Protests erupted following the murder of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Two autopsy results determined it was a homicide, and four cops have been accused. Last week, as his burial was televised on various networks, the protests, which had previously appeared to be spontaneous, morphed into a more concerted demand for change. The inevitable question, "What comes next?" has already been answered in several countries. Some communities, notably Minneapolis, where Floyd died, have decided to partially defund their police agencies and work on reforming law enforcement techniques. It appears that a racial equality movement is emerging beyond policing.

Support for the Black Lives Matter movement increased in two weeks nearly as much as it had in two years, according to Civiqs, an internet polling and analytics business.

Expectations for change have spread to merchants, brands, and other businesses, who have hurried to send out messages and, in some cases, money in support of racial equality. However, consumers are unlikely to be satisfied with a "message from the CEO" or even donations to Black Lives Matter and other community organizations, according to Michael Nguyen, an educational psychologist at the University of Southern California's online Master of Science in Applied Psychology program who has worked with companies on issues such as diversity and race communication. "We've had a shared pandemic and now you have definitely one of the strongest protests in recent history," Nguyen told me on Zoom. However, many individuals, including corporations, understand that you know what to say. "They want to know what you're doing about it." Keep up with the story. Subscribe to Retail Dive's free daily email. stores doing about it? Experts suggest that in this moment, when big societal problems are at stake, people seek authenticity. Slogans, social media posts, and even donations are simple. Authenticity stems from particular, much as transparency is emerging around sustainability issues, according to DeAnna McIntosh, founder of retail and e-commerce consultancy The Affinity Group International.

"Almost definitely, brands can get away with some smooth marketing strategies.

"Putting money up or donating is a great step in the right direction, but the authentic part is what are you doing in your own organization?" she asked during a phone interview. "People are expecting both." Our experts noticed that brands set these expectations through their own storytelling. "For consumers, since social media is already in their face, the brands that they follow, they know what they stand for," McIntosh said me. Retailers who haven't done some soul-searching should resist the urge to issue a hasty response, she said. According to Robert Foehl, professor of business ethics at Ohio University's College of Business, this includes meeting with stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and "the communities they affect and that affect them" to assess where you are and what actions are required. "Putting money up or donating is a great step in the right direction, but the authentic part is — what are you doing in your own organization?" DeAnna McIntosh Founder of The Affinity Group International. According to a Washington Post-Schar School study, 74% of Americans support the protests, and 81% believe the police must make reforms. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that many independents and even Republicans disagree with the president's response to the rallies, which included using tear gas to disperse protestors in front of the White House.

"Then, of course, the net results should be a tangible action plan," he said, stressing that merchants already know how to do this, at least in business.

"Resource it with time, money, and skill. Monitor it, put the plan into action, and collaborate with stakeholders. Even the best set plans do not always work out, so stay on track. And if it goes well, ask, 'How can we raise the bar?'" Read more about financial news. Consistent authenticity Experts agree that authenticity must extend to the back room. Any corporation that publicly declares "Black Lives Matter" should take diversity seriously within its own organization, for example. However, as a buyer and in other leadership capacities at various retail organizations, McIntosh stated that she was frequently the only African-American on her team, or one of two out of 30 or so. "There are not many of us in these corporate environments who can pass on this knowledge to our communities," she told me. "A lot of us who were in those environments just got tired I've got stories for days about how I was treated and that means the training, the financial knowledge, the strategy is missing." This deprives merchants of talent and undermines efforts to diversify their workforces. McIntosh mentioned Target's robust diversity team, which helps the corporation focus internally. "When you have a team like that, you need a diverse group of people. "They are your ticket," she explained. "People are calling for this, so make sure your office is diverse. And then our role as a community is to ensure that we have access to the resources and education that everyone else has.