20 Companies Willing to Speak Out in 2020

19. Etsy

You can purchase dozens of crafts that focus on social activism on Etsy. The site started by sharing a statement on their Instagram account that stated, “We stand in solidarity with you. The past days and weeks have, once again, shone a spotlight on the tremendous injustices in our society. Etsy is built on the belief that communities have the power to change the status quo. We believe that it’s critical to provide support to organizations working tirelessly for criminal justice reform and those that assist Black-led institutions…”

But that’s not all. The company further stated that they want to show their support monetarily. They said: “…we are announcing donations of $500,000 to Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) and $500,000 to Borealis Philanthropy’s Black-Led Movement Fund, in addition to matching employee donations…”

18. Spanx

Spanx was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1998 by Sara Blakely. They gained popularity with women because they focus on making undergarments that help shape their legs and abdomen. However, they recently started targeting males as well. Their purpose is to make people feel and look thinner. They hope to help them fall in love with their bodies and raise their self-esteem. It doesn’t surprise people that a company that wants to improve the mental health of people worldwide supports social activism and the BLM movement.

Spanx took to their Instagram account with a photo saying, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere.” They then announced, “At Spanx, we always aim to be a source of bright light and positivity in this world. Today, we cannot ignore the injustices and darkness of our outside world… We want you to know that though you see us as a brand, we are made up of real people who care deeply about the justice and equality of everyone…The time for silence is over. It’s time to learn, to grow, to change.​” They also announced several donations of $100,000 or more to different Black-led organizations in the Atlanta area.

17. Amazon

You’ve probably ordered a package from Amazon in recent months. Online shopping is convenient, especially now. It’s one of the companies that launched the world into the current focus on online shopping.

Lately, Amazon’s founder and CEO Jeff Bezos made changes to the website in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Before this, the company posted their support on their Twitter feed, “The inequitable and brutal treatment of Black people in our country must stop. Together we stand in solidarity with the Black community — our employees, customers, and partners — in the fight against systemic racism and injustice.” A few days later, Amazon pledged $10 million to several organizations, such as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the National Urban League, and NAACP.

16. Netflix

Netflix is one of the most extensively used video streaming services in the world. Of course, a subscription costs a few dollars but the price is worth the benefits. They showed their support for social activism and the BLM movement by creating a collection of Black storytelling videos under a new genre they call “Black Lives Matter.”

Netflix also went to their Twitter account to share their thoughts and offer their support to the Black community. On May 30, they stated, “To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter. We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators, and talent to speak up.” A few days later, they announced their donation of $1 million to the Center for Policing Equity, a law enforcement reform group.

15. Nike

Obviously Nike is known for making some of the best athletic shoes in the world. They’re also famous for their slogan “Just do it,” which they used when they announced their support for the BLM movement. Instead of telling people to “Just do it,” they told people, “Don’t do it” when it came to racism.

Nike posted on their Twitter feed: “Let’s all be part of the change.#UntilWeAllWin.” The company also announced a $40 million commitment over the next four years to support the Black community in the U.S. on behalf of the NIKE, Jordan, and Converse brands collectively. The president of Nike, John Donahoe, then stated, “Systemic racism and the events that have unfolded across America over the past few weeks serve as an urgent reminder of the continued change needed in our society. We know Black Lives Matter. We must educate ourselves more deeply on the issues faced by Black communities and understand the enormous suffering and senseless tragedy racial bigotry creates.”

14. YouTube

Video-sharing platform YouTube is located in California. The service was created in 2005 by former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. Today, YouTube is part of Google as it operates as a subsidiary after the company bought the site for over $1 billion in 2006.

On May 29, YouTube showed their support for the BLM movement by stating on Twitter, “We stand in solidarity against racism and violence. When members of our community hurt, we all hurt. We’re pledging $1M in support of efforts to address social injustice.”

13. Collina Strada

Fashion clothing store Collina Strada sells a variety of clothing from shirts to face masks online. While they are a bit expensive, their fabric is durable. The company didn’t hesitate to support social activism and the BLM movement from the start, immediately working to create facemasks in support. On top of that, they also dedicate a percentage of all their proceeds to the Homeless Black Trans Women’s Fund.

When it came to their Instagram page, the designing company shared a community contract titled “I Will Protect Black People.” They also announced that all sales for the week beginning June 1 would go towards bail funds around the country.

12. McDonald’s

On June 3, McDonald’s took to Twitter to support the Black Lives Matter movement. They stated, “They were one of us: Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Alton Sterling. Botham Jean. Atatiana Jefferson. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd.” Along with this, McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger posted a letter on his LinkedIn profile that said the company would provide “provide several opportunities to discuss these issues and our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

But one of the world’s favorite fast-food restaurants didn’t stop there. The business also announced a donation of $1 million to the NAACP and the National Urban League. Plus they’re continuing to work with Black-led groups around the United States and people around the world for ideas on how they can help.

11. Taco Bell

Taco Bell is another famous fast-food chain in the United States. Like many other companies, Taco Bell took to their social media accounts to lend their support to the Black Lives Matter movement. They posted the white text on a black background, which quickly became the theme for several businesses.

TB has stated that they have more to say and actions to take on social media, so you can expect to hear from them again. Yet they first shared their support by saying, “We’re muting our channels for the rest of the week and taking this time to reflect, learn, and listen.” The statement also included, “We don’t tolerate racism or violence against Black people. We’re committed to being part of long-term solutions. And we have more work to do.”

10. Wendy’s

Wendy’s didn’t reach out immediately after the BLM movement started with the recent death of George Floyd. However, that doesn’t mean they weren’t talking among themselves or trying to come up with a way to help Black-led businesses. It’s important to note that many of these large businesses have a team, and they need to converse with their stockholders on the best solutions, so speaking out can take a week or more.

It wasn’t until the beginning of June when Wendy’s announced that they were joining the list of companies to donate money to support social justice. Wendy’s spoke on Twitter by stating, “We’re about putting our money where our mouth is. So here’s our money, and here’s our mouth. We are committed to donating $500k to support social justice, the youth, and education in the Black community, starting with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and we’ll have receipts.”

9. Wayfair

Wayfair is an American online company that sells furniture and home goods. They were founded in 2002 with the name CSN Stores. They have over 14 million items in their digital platform and work with over 11,000 suppliers from all over the world.

The company took to their Twitter feed to not only lend their support through Blackout Tuesday, where the company shared a black image and then silent for the rest of the day, but also decided to donate through matches. A statement from the CEO and co-founder Niraj Shah stated that the company would double their match for employee donation to anti-racist organizations and doubled its paid time off program for volunteering for 30 days.

8. Target

Target made headlines with their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and social activism after some of their stores were heavily damaged during protests and riots. While working to keep everyone safe, they also went to their Instagram account to pledge $10 million to social justice initiatives, including donations to the National Urban League and the African American Leadership Forum.

Target’s headquarters in the Twin Cities are forming new partnerships with local organizations. Furthermore, the company announced it’s offering 10,000 hours of pro-bono consulting services for local Black- and POC-owned businesses, with a focus on rebuilding.

7. Ganni

Ganni is a store that sells clothing, accessories, and shoes. They offer a variety of sales to reach people at all financial levels. The company created a page dedicated to social activism the BLM movement along with posting on their social media accounts. Ganni is focusing on funding the moment. They spoke out on their page, “We appreciate your support of the movement and our ongoing fight to end state-sanctioned violence, liberate Black people, and end white supremacy forever.”

This business also stated on their Instagram account on June 1, “…, we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. As we’ve been researching and educating ourselves, our silence—born out of the fear of saying the wrong thing—has gone on for too long. Today, our company and founders will be donating $100,000 across the below organizations, in support of the fight to end racial injustice.” They further state that they continue to educate others and themselves to learn what they can do to help the cause.

6. Pinterest

You’ve probably stopped by Pinterest a few times over the last few months to get a few ideas for home improvement projects or kid’s crafts. The popular site also took a stand when it came to the movement by stating they are doing everything they can to find ways to educate themselves, their staff, and work with local communities to end injustices and bring everyone together.

The CEO of Pinterest stated that while this is only a start, they plan to donate, “25,000 shares of stock (currently valued at roughly $500,000) to organizations committed to racial justice and promoting tolerance.” ⁣ He further stated that the company is “making a $250,000 investment to help rebuild businesses damaged in the protests and donating $750,000 in paid media to organizations that support racial justice.”

5. Lululemon

Lululemon Athletica is an athletic apparel retailer with headquarters in Denver and stores in Delaware. They focus on yoga pants and other types of yoga clothing. The company was founded in 1998 in Canada. Lululemon quickly sent their support to Minnesota and the Black communities around the world by discussing where they will donate hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Among the Minnesota Freedom Fund, they are financially supporting social activism like Black Lives Matter, NAACP, and Reclaim the Block. They wrote a statement saying, “Know we are not indifferent. Far from it. We are passionate about every single human being valued.”

4. Fabletics

You might know about Fabletics because of its founder, actress Kate Hudson. It’s a clothing store that focuses on making comfortable athletic clothing for people all over the world. As a person not only with a company but a platform to stand on as an actress, Hudson made a statement as the voice of her company.

Going on Instagram, she stated, “The time to make a difference is now—and it starts with each and every one of us. Fabletics is donating $50,000 to support the ACLU in its fight for racial justice and immediate change.”

3. Sunday Riley

Sunday Riley is a skincare company that’s been making waves in the last few years. They recently took to their social media accounts to announce how they plan to support social activism and the Black community, including the BLM movement. Not only did the company decide they were “making a $50,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.”

But the founder also went on to discuss how the company will continue to speak up for the Black community, whether locally in Houston or around the world. They continue to find ways to educate themselves and other people so they can help end injustices.

2. Bliss

Bliss is growing in popularity in the online world. It’s company that started as a multi-channel spa and then branched into a retail product company. Its headquarters are in New York They sell body, bath, and skincare products through their online catalog so they can reach people all over the world. Bliss also works alongside retailers such as Ulta, Target, and Kohls. They joined many other companies and showed their support for the Black communities through their social media accounts.

The company pledged a $40,000 donation to the Antiracist Research & Policy Center. They also stated on their Instagram account, “We see you. We hear you. We stand with you. Together we unite against racial injustice. The Antiracist Research & Policy Center is doing critical work to understand, explain, and solve problems of racial inequity and injustice.”

1. For Love & Lemons

For Love & Lemons is a company founded by Gillian Mahin and Laura Hall. They sell clothing such as bathing suits, lingerie, shirts, and more. The business lent their support to the Black Lives Matter movement by stating “#blacklivesmatter period. We will be donating all web sales made this past weekend and today to the following organizations: @blklivesmatter, @bailproject, @aclu_nationwide, and @naacp Legal Defense Fund. We are currently at $67,000” on June 2 from their Instagram account.

They continued their statement with an image that said “enough is enough” on a black background by stating, “We have been trying to wrap our heads around how to best respond, as we wanted it to be meaningful. We acknowledge the privilege and power we have with the platform of this brand and know that it is only right that we use it to bring awareness and share educational information and resources in ways that help people take action…Enough is enough. And it’s time for actual change, we must do better so we can teach our future generations to be better. As a company, we must own up to our responsibilities to make a change and stand for what is right. We are committed to do so, to do more, to be better.”

Sources:

“Silence Is NOT An Option.” Ben & Jerry’s. May 2020.

“12 Ways Food Brands And Restaurants Are Responding To Calls To Action By Black Lives Matter.” Kristin Salaky, Delish. June 2020.

“Here Are The Companies That Have Donated To The Black Lives Matter Movement.” Hilary Weaver and Savannah Walsh, Elle. May 2020.

“Designers, Home Brands, and Businesses Taking Action to Support the Black Lives Matter Movement.” Stephanie Waldek, House Beautiful. June 2020.

“Major corporations scramble to support Black Lives Matter as protests continue.” Daniel Payne, Just the News. June 2020.

“NIKE, Inc. Statement on Commitment to the Black Community.” Nike News. June 2020.

“Wendy’s Pledged $500K To Social Justice Causes After Being Criticized For Franchisee’s Trump Donations.” Kristin Salaky, Delish. June 2020.