Listen, Learn, Act – Our Action Plan for Change

Over the last few months, we’ve been confronted with a serious and real reminder of the racism that persists in our world. Change is long overdue.

We can’t fall into the familiar cycle of short-term public outcry followed by a return to the status quo. Change will not come from one conversation or social media post. It’s up to all of us to make sure this movement isn’t just another blip on the radar or a fleeting moment of heightened awareness.

Racism is not new; it has been entrenched in policies and society for hundreds of years. So, how do we make this movement a turning point for real, sustainable change? I believe there are three actions we all must take. We need to listen, learn and act.

Listen: We need to continue to listen to the stories of those who experience racism. Over the last several weeks, I have made it a priority to speak with my Black team members to better understand their experiences. In one conversation, a colleague described how hard it can be to navigate our society as a Black woman, how she fears for her children’s safety, and feels powerless. It was heartbreaking, but necessary for me to hear. For too long, we’ve shied away from having these important conversations in the corporate world. But, we can’t anymore. We need to have ongoing, safe, open and tough discussions. It will be uncomfortable at times, and that’s okay. There are years of anxiety, marginalization, and pain embedded in these experiences and, to be a better ally, we need to listen.   

Learn: Beyond listening, we must actively seek out information to better educate ourselves about the subtle and systemic racism in society today. There is conscious and unconscious bias in the way we behave, even if we don’t realize it. It’s our responsibility to educate ourselves, so we can confront these biases and the racism they ingrain. I have read articles and books, and watched videos to gain a better understanding of my biases and privilege, to help create a more open and inclusive environment where all my team members, regardless of their race, feel that they are seen, heard and belong.  

Act: I always tell my team: develop a plan to execute, and then execute the plan. That’s exactly what we are doing now. To truly dismantle racist policies and behaviors, we need to dig in and do the work as we would with any new business or growth opportunity. Analyze the situation, learn from our successes and failures, set ambitious goals, and track our progress. Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s Chairman and CEO, outlined some of the actions we are taking as a company to work toward a more equitable future. Pfizer also announced that it will remove all advertising from Facebook and Instagram for the month of July in response to the #StopHateForProfit movement. On a personal and professional level, I will continue educating myself and others on being antiracist, support actions that reduce racial inequity wherever and whenever I can, and use my position to spearhead change.   

Racism has no place in this world, and Black Lives Matter. Real, sustainable change will come from keeping the conversations going, working together to develop solutions, and establishing clear accountabilities for our actions.   

This journey is far from over, and it’s on all of us to listen, learn and act against racism. Let’s hold each other accountable. Let’s be the change.