Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on September 03, 2020
FEATURED Content

Abby Johnson
Chairman and CEO at Fidelity Investments

Since my message on June 1, I have continued to hear from many Fidelity associates who are anguished and angry over the discrimination and racism faced by black Americans, as well as the racial injustice that afflicts too many communities across the world. Thank you to the many Fidelity associates who have shared their experiences and thoughts. I appreciate the courage that black associates at Fidelity, as well as all associates of color, have shown in sharing painful and personal stories. Fidelity has a responsibility to engage and make positive change. Words of solidarity can help unite, but only actions will help us heal and move forward. I don�t have all the answers, but as I said in my last post, I want to share what Fidelity is doing and assure you that more will come. Here are a few of the areas where we are focused:

We are changing our recruiting. We are enhancing our relationships with organizations that are helping us recruit top talent from their networks. For example, we are continuing to build a pipeline of outstanding diverse future leaders through our long-standing partnership with The Posse Foundation, which identifies, recruits and trains diverse individuals with extraordinary leadership potential.
We are supporting development. Last year, we launched a sponsorship program for underrepresented leaders that creates visibility, exposure and advocacy. In addition, we are rolling out a number of programs focused on professional development for people of color and their managers, such as Aspire to Lead for black associates.
We are partnering. Fidelity�s commitment to diversity extends to our suppliers and vendors. We proactively procure goods and services from diverse businesses, and in 2019, Fidelity spent $140 million with diverse suppliers.
We are investing. We fast-tracked the establishment of the Matching Gifts to Support Racial Equity, a program where the Fidelity Foundation will match, 2-to-1, every dollar donated by associates to a list of more than 20 qualified U.S. non-profit organizations.

These are just a few examples of many initiatives we have underway across the company in a lot of different areas. We know we have more to do. It is only the start of a longer journey. We are committed to driving meaningful change and progress for Fidelity and our communities. Fidelity�s values anchor our commitment, but strong values and good intentions must be paired with actions, accountability and outcomes. Together, we can make a difference. #FidelityAssociate Explore Career Opportunities with Fidelity
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT
Clark Atlanta University class of 1998
Member Since September 2000

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