Over the last three weeks our company, probably like many others, has grappled with how to respond to the Black Lives Matter campaign in the most appropriate way. Suggestions ranged from not at all (it’s not for us, as a corporate entity, to hold political views) to opening up all our social media channels in support of the campaign. The point about most of the responses we considered initially was that they all… missed the point. What we should have been thinking, immediately, is how the worldwide campaign might cause us to reflect on the power we have as employers and makers of places to have a direct, practical, positive impact on the issue of diversity.

As I watched and read the news play out I saw fury raise its head twice. First in direct response to the killing of George Floyd – the catalyst for the worldwide activism that immediately unfolded – and then a separate anger about the response from many people who considered updating their social media a sufficient response.

Many felt that even though widespread social media does an effective job in raising the profile of any issue, it’s an easy response that salves people’s consciences and excuses them from thinking any more deeply about why this is an issue in the first place. Pooja Agrawal of Public Practice tweeted a link to the mayor of London’s handbook on diversity with the plea: “All I can say for now is that showing solidarity on social media is not good enough. Some practical actions here. Do more.”

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