Let's shift from Tolerance to Action

MEMO TO MASTERCARD EMPLOYEES IN ASIA PACIFIC

Like you, we have been watching as the recent tragedies and protests in the U.S. have unfolded over the last few weeks. While these heart-breaking and frustrating scenes are difficult to witness and read about, it can sometimes feel as though these events are far removed from us here in Asia Pacific – that they are happening somewhere else, and to someone else. But of course this is not the case, and unfortunately, the inconvenient truth is that racism, prejudice and exclusion exist in every part of the world – including in so many of the markets in our diverse, multiracial and multicultural region.

The time has come for us to acknowledge that while we have done a great deal to drive our culture of decency, acceptance, diversity and inclusion within our organization, there’s still much more work to be done to combat racism and discrimination in all its forms in our communities. And it demands action from all of us. This is why we are dedicating June 19 (coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.) as a Mastercard Day of Solidarity. This means that this will be a day off for all Mastercard employees, including across all our offices here in Asia Pacific.

We are doing this because we believe it is necessary to ‘stop the clock’ for one day to give everyone the time and mental space to pause, learn about the issues, reflect on the things that each of us can do – both individually and as an organization - to live our culture of decency, not just in thought, but also in action. So please set aside time this Friday to connect with your loved ones and friends, explore and discuss the issues, or continue to serve the community as so many of you are doing already.

As always, we welcome your thoughts and ideas for what and how we can do better, for each other and the world around us.

Ari Sarker & Ling Hai