We have all been jarred and deeply saddened by the news of the senseless killing of George Floyd. This murder, by those sworn to protect us all, came at the heels of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the ugly episode in Central Park. These events have left bare the deeply ingrained, long-standing racial divisions in our society and the injustice faced by black Americans in America. And sadly, many leaders who should be bringing us together seem incapable of doing so.
Monish and I have always believed that we at Icertis must do everything to live our values, even more so when it feels like we can't afford them. We believe FORTE – Fairness, Openness, Respect, Teamwork, Execution – applies as much to how we live our personal lives as it does to how we live our professional lives. We condemn racism and discrimination anywhere and at any time, reaffirm our commitment to cultivate a workplace that makes equality, diversity and openness priorities—a workplace that sets an example for the greater community.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." As individuals and as an organization, we must stand up against acts of intolerance and racism, as well as behaviors that promote divisiveness. In line with our FORTE values, we at Icertis will not accept hate, racism or intolerance of any kind.
Given the enormity of the situation, words are necessary, but not sufficient any more. Upon much thought, Monish and I concluded that in addition to declaring our explicit and non-negotiable condemnation of racism, now is the time for us to act in our communities to promote tolerance, support those are impacted, and give whatever we can to the forces of good. In other words, now's the time for Execution by focusing, following-up and following through on our commitment to eliminate hatred.
So, as part of our Third Ring of Responsibility – #takecareofcommunity – the Management Team and Board have begun to outline an action plan that will help us, as an organization and as individuals, to fight these injustices. We are sharing our first two steps with you and promising that there will be additional actions to come.
A better future begs for our voices to be heard and actions to be felt. Let's begin the march to a better future together.