At Modere, we believe that everyone deserves equal opportunity and a chance to succeed. For this reason, it has been all the more deeply troubling to witness the events that have unfolded over the last couple of weeks.
As a global citizen and company, Modere has always strived to lead by example. We believe that any behavior, actions and policies rooted in injustice should be condemned, and we believe in leveraging our platform to help facilitate positive change. In fact, it’s just not enough to condemn such behavior or not tolerate it within our own walls – we must take action to ensure that it doesn’t exist in our world.
To start, we’ve committed to put the following into practice:
- Make a significant contribution to nonprofit organizations that champion human rights and fight against racism, police brutality and discrimination.
- Evaluate and ensure that our employment practices and compensation structure are free of statistical racial or gender bias.
- Establish an Inclusion & Equity Council – both at the corporate level and amongst the sales field.
- Create a formal mentorship program for women and minorities, to facilitate career development and leadership positions.
- Support black-, minority-, and women-owned businesses as key stakeholders with our company.
At times like these, I am comforted by how aptly our company values and principles serve to guide as our navigational beacon. For example, being Humble requires us to listen to marginalized voices, including black, Hispanic, indigenous and minority communities. It requires us to understand that while the small gestures we make to effect change are important, they’re only the beginning. Being Disruptive calls us to fearlessly speak, act and lead in challenging prejudice and institutionalized discrimination. Being Authentic compels us to uphold the same values with integrity in every context, regardless of visibility or acknowledgment.
Most importantly, being Compassionate inherently obligates us to take action. Mere empathy falls short. What does this mean? In addition to the initiatives outlined above, Modere encourages you to engage in the dialogue, talk about how these behaviors and
practices are unacceptable, and discuss what you can do personally to help promote healing and advance change. Seek to educate yourselves and call out injustice when you see it. We can’t remain silent anymore.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had uncomfortable but imperative conversations about racial equity on a daily basis with our teams all over the world. I find the most common questions relate to not knowing what to say, or fear of judgment. We need everyone to participate and take action, not to allow shame or apprehension to prevent them from stepping up. Let’s draw the line in the sand here and focus on working together to eradicate the undeniable racism that still persists. We invite all companies, communities and individuals – especially those who may have neglected to act in the past – to join us in this cause, now more than ever.
I am proud to say that our executive management represents diversity in many ways, standing today at 50% women. We serve a global audience in our salesforce and among our loyal customers. Still, it’s not enough. We can do so much better, and we are committed to doing more, to actively supporting our marginalized communities, and to leveraging our resources and global influence to create meaningful long-term solutions.
As I am currently in Washington DC, I will attend the peaceful protests today in honor of George Floyd, and the countless lives we’ve lost to racialized violence. More than a gesture, it’s a pledge that we at Modere will not tolerate injustice, but will keep listening, learning and striving to create a kinder, safer and more equitable society for everyone.
Truly yours,
Asma Ishaq, CEO
