Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, we have been intentional about listening to our employees, especially those in our African American community. We listened to their pain, to their anger, and to their exhaustion spurred by the horrific death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests and civil unrest that continues to shake the world.
Taking time to listen and understand was our first step as a company. We purposefully created space for our employees to voice their feelings, experiences and ideas. These conversations were challenging, but they needed to happen. Thousands of 3Mers participated in a virtual conversation that started the dialogue.
These past few days of reflection and work have fostered greater solidarity and provided us with better clarity on our next steps as a company. This time must be different, and 3M is committed to being part of the solution. This includes rethinking our own internal policies and practices that might be contributing to racial disparities and inequities. It also includes taking actions to accelerate social justice, help our communities rebuild, demand police reform and combat racism.
As for next steps, today we are announcing the following actions:
- We are announcing the formation of the 3M Foundation Social Justice Fund in the initial amount of $1 million. The 3M Foundation is working closely with a social justice working group that will shape the fund goals as well as help identify, assess and select grant recipients. The working group is largely comprised of leaders from 3M’s African American Network, along with a diverse set of community-minded employees. This fund builds on decades of work to further advance the voice of our employees to influence our philanthropy and recognize lived experiences as an important input to our charitable decision making.
- We are also announcing a comprehensive effort to help rebuild the Twin Cities and other 3M communities that suffered physical damage during the civil unrest. This effort will include $1 million in cash support in addition to product donations, and a significant volunteering initiative. We will focus on minority-owned businesses and non-profits that are deeply connected within their communities.
- On June 10, CEO Mike Roman joined members of Minnesota Business Partnership in signing a statement that urged state lawmakers to adopt new policing reforms. The letter outlines a detailed list of policy recommendations and considerations that focuses on reducing police misconduct and increasing accountability and transparency. Mike and other members of the partnership are prepared to continue to engage vigorously in this process for the long term.
These three actions are neither the beginning nor the end of our journey to become a more diverse, equitable and inclusive company. And while we are hopeful that our actions will bring about positive change, we know there is more work to do.
Diversity and inclusion are core values for 3M and, aside from being a competitive advantage, they are simply the right values to live by and promote. While we are pleased with our progress, we know it’s not good enough and we will continue to push for more equitable results.
We are committed to continuously strengthening our inclusive culture and supporting an environment where individuals of all experiences, backgrounds and abilities feel safe, engaged, free to express themselves and valued for their unique perspectives and strengths.
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