Rockville, Md., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- I am shocked, angry and heartbroken by the racist events of the last week in Minneapolis and the many others across the U.S. over the past months and years. Abt Associates will actively stand with the Black community, our colleagues, beneficiaries, and clients, in the fight against racism, injustice, and inequality. Black lives matter.
The killing of George Floyd and the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the Black community are just the latest egregious examples of police brutality, racism, and racial disparities in the United States.
As leaders, we must speak out clearly and emphatically, and most importantly, we must follow our words with actions. Together, we must do everything we can to not allow the current focus on these deep-seated issues to subside, only to raise up again when another incident occurs. Our company and our society need effective action with sustainable, positive impact on these issues.
We will take the follow actions:
- Reflect Inward. It is critical that the Abt community reflect, honestly, on our own diversity and inclusion track record and make changes as needed. This might be uncomfortable, but we must review our data, be honest with ourselves, and put a plan in place to close gaps where they exist. Our colleagues deserve it, and our clients and beneficiaries expect it.
- Highlight Relevant Project Work. Abt has conducted important work on racial disparities over many years. Each of our divisions will develop a plan to shine a light on the results of these studies.
- Connect with our Communities. The impact of George Floyd’s killing is reverberating across the U.S. I will ask our Employee Networking Groups, especially Black@Abt and PRISM, to lead the development of a plan for how best to use our Community Connections resources to help.
Creating a diverse and welcoming workplace is essential to high-quality work, mission impact, and our company's success. We have work to do. It will take boldness, humility, relentlessness, and patience. Our communities deserve nothing less than our full commitment.
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Abt Associates is a global consulting and research company that uses data and bold thinking to improve people’s lives. From increasing crop yields and combatting infectious disease, to ensuring safe drinking water and promoting access to affordable housing—and more—we partner with clients and communities to tackle their most complex challenges.