[33] The public announcement of the Racial Equity Audit and related diversity, equity and inclusion efforts appeared to not only rehabilitate Starbucks public image after the incident, but helped the company become the most popular restaurant stock on the S&P 500 with actively managed funds that are dedicated to ESG investing, according to RBC Capital Markets. [116] Comptroller DiNapoli expressed concern with Amazons alleged lack of transparency, stating that while the company has put policies in place to address this issue, it has not reported to investors the effectiveness or the process for completing its ongoing policy review. [117] In 2020, Amazon conducted its first human rights assessment, which it referenced to support its position that there was no need to conduct a Racial Equity Audit. Airbnb has consistently engaged in fighting bias and discrimination on its platform since 2016, after its first civil rights audit, authored by Laura Murphy, former Director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Washington Legislative Office and President of Laura Murphy & Associates. These perceptions will be aggregated and used to identify and measure discrepancies in peoples experiences on the platform that could be a result of discrimination and bias. (go back), 88See JPMorgan No-Action LetterFebruary, supra note 77. Wenah herself has been working on this project for many years. (go back), 76See Amendments to Rules on Shareholder Proposals, Exchange Act Release No. Data privacy advocates and experts have provided guidance to help ensure this data is not associated with an individuals Airbnb account. [123], While the financial institutions that have received Racial Equity Audit proposals have recently made philanthropic and strategic investments, along with other commitments to racial equity, CtW has stated that the only way to effectively address racial injustice and economic inequality is careful study of how the industrys products and services have contributed to this imbalance, [124] which includes analyzing mortgage issuances, the number of bank branches in minority neighborhoods or banking deserts and whether charitable contributions are fully aligned with . [49], Practitioners also stress the importance of auditors using the right methodology, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, and for such auditors to review not only information provided by the company but to gather its own information. Amongst the various ESG developments gaining traction in the markets is the recent push by shareholders for companies to conduct Racial Equity Audits, which generally consist of an objective investigation into a companys practices, policies and histories to determine such companys impact on social issues and areas for improvement. 4 Tips For Introducing Positive Change To Your Enterprise, No loan approval? (go back), 64What You Need To Know About The 2021 Proxy Season, Forbes, Bhakti Mirchandani, June 28, 2021, available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/bhaktimirchandani/2021/06/28/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-2021-proxy-season/?sh=2e475fae7f5e. The most recent and prominent example of the intersection between shareholder activism and ESG was the 2021 proxy contest at Exxon. (go back), 118Id. . 30-10825; 34-89670; File No. [120] Among these, the proposal for a Racial Equity Audit garnered the most support, with 44% of the votes cast on this proposal voting in favor. A Racial Equity Audit is, at its core, an independent, objective and holistic analysis of a companys policies, practices, products, services and efforts to combat systemic racism in order to end discrimination within or exhibited by the company with respect to its customers, suppliers or other stakeholders. [1] Secondsocial criteria, which considers how a company engages with all of its stakeholders (including employees, customers and suppliers) rather than just shareholders, including the treatment and diversity of its employees on the frontline, management and boardroom levels, the effects of a company on the surrounding community, and whether a company is working with suppliers who share similar socially desirable values. [112], In a webinar hosted by CtW, Comptroller DiNapoli explained the importance of racial equity at Amazon and why shareholders should vote in favor of the proposal, and argued that racial inequity is harming the United States economy. [113] DiNapoli argued that the pattern and magnitude of issues repeatedly facing the company demonstrate a need for a more in-depth review . (go back), 78Rule 14a-8 No-Action Letter re: Stockholder Proposal to Citigroup Inc. from CtW Investments Group, Citigroup Inc., December 23, 2020, available at https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2021/ctwcitigroup022621-14a8.pdf [hereinafter Citigroup No-Action Letter]; Rule 14a-8 No Action Letter re: Johnson & Johnson2021 Annual Meeting, Omission of Shareholder Proposal of Christopher and Anne Ellinger and co-filers, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, December 16, 2020, available at https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2021/ellingeretaljohnson021221-14a8.pdf [hereinafter J&J No-Action Letter]. [140] The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Joyce Beatty and co-sponsored by Reps. Nikema Williams and Jesus G. Garcia and is currently under committee review. (go back), 21Cal. (go back), 77Rule 14a-8 No Action Letter re: JPMorgan Chase & Co.2021 Annual Meeting, Supplemental Letter dated January 11, 2021, Relating to Shareholder Proposal Submitted by CtW Investment Group, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, February 16, 2021, available at https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2021/ctwjpmorgan032621-14a8.pdf [hereinafter JPMorgan No-Action LetterFebruary]. In September 2019, Airbnb released a Three-Year Review of its Work to Fight Discrimination and Build Inclusion in an effort to maintain transparency and accountability. It will not happen overnight. Item 7 requests a racial and gender board diversity report, the proponent arguing that the banks 25 percent representation of people of color on the board does not correlate to its workforce or customer base. And even they are far from perfect. As the area develops (and if more companies voluntarily implement these audits), Racial Equity Audits could become viewed as good corporate governance, particularly if top proxy advisory firms issue official guidance supporting the implementation of such audits. [14], ISS and others have published a number of reports that have found that addressing social and environmental concerns correlates with companies either currently experiencing or having the potential to experience increased growth and profitability. Currently, neither the SEC nor the major U.S. securities exchanges mandate publicly traded companies to make disclosures regarding Racial Equity Audit initiatives. It will not happen overnight. [53] Advocates believe it is critical that the audit be conducted by an independent third party in order to ensure integrity and credibility throughout the process. In 2020 and 2021, at least 12 public companies received shareholder proposals to conduct a racial equity audit from pension funds and other shareholder supporters. The Staff has stated that substantial implementation under the rule does not require the company to have implemented the proposal in full or exactly as proposed by the shareholder. Trilinc Global, November 4, 2013, available at https://www.trilincglobal.com/what-is-esg/. Racial equity audits started catching on after the events of 2020 prompted a racial reckoning in the U.S. Legislative or regulatory requirements are not without their own risks, and compliance with any such minimum standards would not be fool proof to insulate a company from potential ESG proposals and proxy campaigns. Last shareholder season, seven shareholder proposals on Amazons proxy either directly or indirectly addressed racial justice issues. The proxy advisory firms level of guidance may take varying formsat the low end, proxy advisory firms may increase a companys ESG or corporate governance score for having in the past or recently conducted a Racial Equity Audit. [38] Racial Equity Audits can be designed to help identify if and where these issues exist within a company so that management can address them most effectively. "Our work is nowhere near done, but the civil rights audit was a critical first step," Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says in the framework released today. The good news is that some tech companies have been promoting racial equity and justice long before these latest protests and the tragedies that inspired them. Otherwise, these proponents posit, a lackluster or hastily conducted Racial Equity Audit or failure to take meaningful action in response to an audit may actually have the opposite effect for the implementing institutioninstead of insulating the company from potential proposals demanding Racial Equity Audits, faulty or perfunctory audits may instead create a target on the institutions back for ESG activists in the following years. What's next: Citigroup said last week it will undergo a racial equity audit. [61], Pursuant to Rule 14a-8, shareholders may submit proposals to be included in a companys proxy materials for its annual or special meetings of shareholders. (go back), 93See J&J No-Action Letter, supra note 78. (go back), Posted by Ron S. Berenblat and Elizabeth R. Gonzalez-Sussman, Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, on, Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, on Racial Equity Audits: A New ESG Initiative, The Illusory Promise of Stakeholder Governance. Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who havewelcomed 1.4 billionguest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Dismissal and neglect of these concerns led to Engine No. [115] The companys environmental impact has also been called out for allegedly disproportionately affecting minority communities. What that means for tech companies more broadly is that inclusion must be embedded in every fabric of the organization. Some concrete examples, offered Brand, are pay equity, supplier diversity, and employee resource groups. ESG initiatives, including Racial Equity Audits, are likely to continue to gain momentum during the coming proxy seasons. At some companies, investors have proposed civil rights audits, which are similar in nature, but distinct in scope, often covering issues broader than racial equity to intersect with gender and other protected classes. 1What is ESG?, ADEC Innovations ESG Solutions, available at https://www.esg.adec-innovations.com/about-us/faqs/what-is-esg/. In recent years, Color of Change and other civil rights groups have successfully pushed for independent racial equity audits at Facebook and Airbnb. 1s unprecedented victory, with three of its director nominees being elected to Exxons board at its 2021 annual meetingsending a clear message that environmental concerns and proactive planning are deeply important to Exxons shareholders. Using Racial Equity Audits, a company is given a comprehensive report on their standing regarding how they uphold said regulations. Silicon Valley has a long way to go to constructively engage with civil rights groups by proactively, not reactively, seeking out our expertise to build platforms that serve Black people instead of harming us. (go back), 50Webinar, Pamela Coukos, Co-Founder of Working Ideal, supra note 23; supra note 27. In 2016, Airbnb released its own audit into discrimination and bias on its service. Dalana Brand is the Vice President People Experience and Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Twitter. By offering such guidance, companies may find it easier to voluntarily implement Racial Equity Audit policies. Not everyone did. AI could help you next time. Other external forces that may prompt public companies to adopt Racial Equity Audit policies are the SEC and the securities exchanges. One of key takeaways from Airbnb and Twitters leadership on racial equity is that the commitment to justice and inclusion must span businesses and products. [108] Amazon argued that, regardless of the proposal being framed in the form of a request for a report, this did not change the fact that the subject matter of the proposed report is within [Amazons] ordinary business and thus excludable under Rule 14a-8(i)(7). [52] Practitioners also stress the importance of identifying and engaging the process owners (e.g., the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Legal Officer or Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer) as the persons who will actually drive the implementation of recommended initiatives. Facebook, Inc. (Facebook) also conducted its own version of a Racial Equity Audit in 2018. BlackRocks response to the Racial Equity Audit proposal that SEIU submitted for inclusion in its proxy statement was an outlier among the other financial and asset management firms that faced similar proposals. [90], Under Rule 14a-8(i)(3), a shareholder proposal may be excluded from a companys proxy materials if the proposal or the supporting statement accompanying the proposal is contrary to any of the federal proxy rules, including Rule 14a-9, which prohibits a company from disclosing materially false or misleading statements in its proxy materials. [104] The proposal was submitted by Comptroller DiNapoli, as trustee of New York States Common Retirement Fund for public employees, which owns shares in Amazon. Color of Change successfully called for and worked with AirBnB to undertake such an audit. The Sustainable Investments Institute reports that 28 shareholder proposals dealing with racial justice had been included in proxy statements filed with the SEC as of April 27, 2021. [40] As illustrated in the study, companies with the highest degrees of ethnic/cultural diversity were 33% more likely to outperform their less diverse peers and companies with the most ethnically/culturally diverse boards of directors are 43% more likely to experience higher profits than their less diverse peers. Our team was very intentional, she explained. In general, Racial Equity Audit proposals ask the board of directors of a company to oversee such audits analyzing the companys business modelsfrom policies to products and servicesto determine whether they cause, reinforce or perpetuate discrimination. [67]. [133] However, in the coming years, we believe this is an area in which the proxy advisory firms may issue official voting guidance. (go back), 24Heres What Companies Are Promising to Do to Fight Racism, The New York Times, Gillian Friedman, August 23, 2020, available at https://www.nytimes.com/article/companies-racism-george-floyd-protests.html. (go back), 7Statement on the Review of Climate-Related Disclosure, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Acting Chair Allison H. Lee, February 24, 2021, available at https://www.sec.gov/news/public-statement/lee-statement-review-climate-related-disclosure. As discussed further below, several financial institutions, including Citi, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman have resisted shareholder proposals requesting Racial Equity Audits, stating that they would either fold such measures into their existing human rights assessments or that they didnt believe it was the appropriate time for such an endeavor. called upon to navigate the challenges presented by climate change, racial injustice, economic inequality, and numerous other issues that are fundamental to the success and sustainability of companies, financial markets, and our economy. [72] After the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, 66% of S&P 500 companies posted statements on their websites or social media accounts, 36% made financial contributions to racial justice organizations and 14% stated in their communications that Black Lives Matter. [73] While it has been observed that these companies were quick to issue statements supporting Black Lives Matter and promis[ed] to do more to be responsive to non-white consumers, employees and communities, [74] most companies on the receiving end of a Rule 14a-8 proposal to implement a Racial Equity Audit have actively resisted such proposal by seeking no-action relief from the SEC to exclude the proposal from their 2021 proxy statements, negotiating with proponents to withdraw their proposals, and, when the company had been unsuccessful with the foregoing, recommending that shareholders vote against the proposals. (go back), 81See Citigroup No-Action Letter, supra note 78. Therefore, this analysis and project will not affect an individuals experience on the platform in any way. As a result, Engine No. [2] Thirdcorporate governance, which considers how a company governs itself and holds itself accountable taking into account the structure and diversity of a companys board of directors, the separation between management and the board of directors, executive compensation, equal and fair pay amongst employees, and the extent to which a company or its management or board of directors are undertaking lobbying efforts, making political and charitable donations, or engaging in corruption or bribery. (go back), 94CoreCivic, Inc., Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 18, 2021, available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1070985/000119312521165313/d184269d8k.htm. Indeed, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion is currently reviewing legislation that would require banks to conduct Racial Equity Audits every two years in an effort to promote diversity and equity. The racial equity audit proposal further identifies a number of issues that would benefit from independent review, including: Sign up to receive periodic updates about our efforts for director accountability. The racial equity audit proposal at Citigroup Inc. garnered 39% of shareholders' support, while the one at Amazon.com Inc. secured 44% of investors' backing, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. The companys response to unionization efforts by its predominantly Black workforce at a warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama raised further concerns about justice issues. Another key component of promoting racial equity is creating space for uncomfortable conversations, said Brand. The policy asks hosts to treat guests with respect and without judgment or bias based on factors like race. According to certain proponents, the point of a Racial Equity Audit is not necessarily to critique a companys current platforms and efforts. You cannot fix bias without measuring it first, said Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO. (go back), 79See Citigroup No-Action Letter, supra note 78; JPMorgan No-Action LetterFebruary, supra note 77. Laura Murphy, the ACLU veteran who pioneered business civil rights audits and led the analysis of Airbnb and. Companies that sought to exclude Racial Equity Audit proposals from their 2021 proxy statements by requesting no-action relief from the SEC argued that the exclusions set forth in sections (i)(3), (i)(7) or (i)(10) of Rule 14a-8 applied. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The perceived race information generated in this project will be aggregated and only be used to analyze past interactions on the platform, exclusively to develop anti-discrimination work. As companies aim for racial equity, Brand said its important to first acknowledge that racism exists and understand that it was intentionally built into corporations. This was led by an external expert and included extensive consultations with civil rights organizations, which resulted in tangible improvements in Airbnbs business practices. (go back), 5ESG Matters (Part II), ISS EVA, Dr. G. Kevin Spellman and David O. Nicholas, May 18, 2021, available at https://www.issgovernance.com/library/esg-matters-part-ii/. Airbnb and Facebook have also completed racial equity audits in recent times. Through Murphys direct input and guidance from civil rights organizations, Airbnb has made improvements including the creation and enforcement of a strict Non-Discrimination Policy, removal of guest profile photos from the booking process, and the increase of listings available for instant booking, among other changes. 16, 1992)). 2017. We are honored to partner with Color Of Change to help us take this work to the next level, to help us understand fully when discrimination occurs, how unconscious bias is manifested on the platform, and the effectiveness of our policies. 34-40018, May 28, 1998, available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1998-05-28/html/98-14121.htm. Just like its environmental and corporate governance counterparts, addressing social concerns can be equally important to companies and investors alike as this can translate into, among other things, value additive results. Id. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific Home or Experience listings on the Airbnb platform. According to public policy analysts, racial violence and the COVID-19 pandemic sparked an increase in Rule 14a-8 shareholder proposals focused on racial justice. (go back), 128SEIU and Change to Wins investment funds pushing for racial diversity in financial institutions, available at https://www.seiu.org/blog/2021/4/seiu-and-change-to-wins-investment-funds-pushing-for-racial-diversity-in-financial-institutions. [81], Rule 14a-8(i)(7) allows exclusion of proposals related to a companys ordinary business operations. The Airbnb Newsroom is aimed at journalists. Cacace actively holds the position of Director of Anti-Discrimination & Equity Programs for Airbnb. [97] Wells Fargo Co. (Wells Fargo) said it is conducting a human rights impact assessment, and that it will update its Human Rights Statement to better align with the expectations of companies under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This project was designed with guidance from data privacy experts and advocates, including the Center for Democracy & Technology, Dr. Latanya Sweeney and The Data Privacy Lab at Harvard, and Upturn. In partnership with Color Of Change, the nations largest online racial justice organization with millions of members, and with guidance from civil rights and privacy rights organizations, Airbnb will launch a groundbreaking project to measure and fight bias and discrimination. (go back), 47The Best ESG Funds for Great Returns & Low Costs, Forbes, Rob Berger and Benjamin Curry, July 1, 2021, available at https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/best-esg-funds/. Beyond the moral case and business case for conducting Racial Equity Audits, and fighting systemic racism in general, is the democracy case espoused by social justice advocates [37] and that corporations can at times act more swiftly and have a more profound effect on current social issues than the government; therefore, these advocates argue that corporations have a responsibility to address issues affecting our democracy. There are three essential features of an effective racial equity audit: The audit should be independent, and conducted by a firm with civil rights expertise; There must be robust stakeholder engagement to uncover issues across a company's products and services, workforce practices, and corporate policies; and. (go back), 34Starbucks Steps Up Its Racial Justice Outreach With $100 Million Pledge, Forbes, Kori Hale, January 20, 2021, available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2021/01/20/starbucks-steps-up-its-racial-justice-outreach-with-100-million-pledge/?sh=53b94b63389c. All Homes and Experiences referenced on the Airbnb Newsroom are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Civil rights advocates notched a victory this week by securing a commitment from e-commerce giant Amazon to conduct a racial equity audit, a step they say is crucial toward ensuring that. According to Forbes Magazine, the past proxy season set new records with at least 467 shareholder resolutions on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. [64]. Restoration: The Role Stakeholder Governance Must Play in Recreating a Fair and Sustainable American EconomyA Reply to Professor Rock, https://www.esg.adec-innovations.com/about-us/faqs/what-is-esg/, https://investor.vanguard.com/investing/esg/, https://www.issgovernance.com/library/esg-matters-part-ii/, https://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2020/33-10825.pdf, https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/02/06/new-human-capital-disclosure-requirements/. Every company has a different mix of products, operations and services; therefore, according to practitioners in the area, it is important for participants in a Racial Equity Audit to identify the scope of the audit and benchmarks prior to conducting the audit. From 2016 through today, over 1.3 million people have declined to agree to Airbnbs mandatory Community Commitment and Non-Discrimination Policy, and have therefore been denied use of the platform or had their accounts cancelled. [45]. 1 grew impatient with Exxon after years of declining financials and long-continued dependency on fossil fuels, with no indication of future change. All rights reserved. The audit was led by Laura W. Murphy, a civil rights advocate, with help from a civil rights law firm. (go back), 100Goldman Sachs Proxy Statement, supra note 35. We are requesting that boards engage a variety of key stakeholders in undergoing this audit and evaluating the specific topics to be addressed, including civil rights organizations, employees, shareholders, and customers. [i]f CEO Jeff Bezos shares (70,616,270 shares, 14%) were to be removed from those voting against it, the proposal received majority support. [122]. While Airbnb and Twitter have taken different approaches to racial equity, they have one very important thing in common. [15] As discussed in more detail below, a companys performance on ESG factors, such as investment into renewable energy, promotion of employee health and safety and contributions to the local community, are pressing issues that can either benefit or adversely affect a companys perception in the public eye, operational execution and bottom line. We anticipate greater interest in Racial Equity Audits and similar initiatives in the upcoming proxy season and accordingly believe companies will be pushed to critically and objectively examine their current internal practices and policies relating to equity and inclusion to identify areas in need of improvement. [127], According to SEIU, BlackRock decided that the SEIU proposal is too important to wait until they are voted on at their shareholder meetings [128] and announced its plans to voluntarily conduct an independent racial audit of its operations. The following proposals will be put to shareholders at its May 25, 2022 annual meeting, requesting: The shareholder proposal requesting a diversity and equity audit, Item 12, was withdrawn by the proponent, update here. (go back), 22Supra note 10. And even they are far from perfect. This diversity of perspectives during the development process is key, said Wenah. In a moment when many corporations are making hollow declarations of support for Black lives, Airbnb is commiting to do the work of addressing discrimination thats been an unintended consequence of the companys rapid growth. Racial equity audits of corporations originated within the racial justice movement recently. (go back), 142SEC Approves Nasdaqs New Listing Rules Designed to Advance Greater Boardroom Diversity, Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman and Ron Berenblat, August 2021, available at https://www.olshanlaw.com/resources-alerts-Nasdaq-SEC-boardroom-diversity-rule.html. He agreed and was personally concerned that there was an unacceptable lack of urgency around Airbnb's previous attempts to address allegations of racial bias within the Airbnb community, and vowed that such unconsciousness would not However, on August 6, 2021, the SEC approved new listing rules proposed by The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (Nasdaq) requiring each Nasdaq-listed company to disclose certain information about the diversity of its board of directors and generally include a minimum number of members of its board of directors who are Diverse (as defined within the new listing rules). Companies to adopt racial Equity, they have one very important thing in common W. Murphy the! The point of a racial Equity Audit policies are the SEC nor the major U.S. exchanges! ) allows exclusion of proposals related to a companys current platforms and efforts & # x27 s..., the point of a racial reckoning in the U.S on after the of! 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Development process is key, said Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO intended purely to inspire and.! I ) ( 7 ) allows exclusion of proposals related to a companys airbnb racial equity audit... Of these concerns led to Engine No and ESG was the 2021 proxy contest at.! Offering such guidance, companies may find it easier to voluntarily implement racial Equity audits at Facebook Airbnb. At a warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama raised further concerns about justice issues to certain,... Proposals, Exchange Act Release No it will undergo a racial Equity audits Facebook... Statement, supra note 23 ; supra note 27 ; Equity Programs for Airbnb dismissal and of! For independent racial Equity audits, a company is given a comprehensive report on standing. Business civil rights law firm the companys response to unionization efforts by its predominantly Black workforce at a in! Amp ; Equity Programs for Airbnb U.S. securities exchanges certain proponents, the point of a racial Equity,! 14A-8 shareholder proposals focused on racial justice issues & # x27 ; s next: Citigroup said last it.

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