6/16/2022
P&G Honors Juneteenth By Continuing Our Commitment To Lasting Change
By deepening existing programs and establishing new partnerships, P&G’s sustained action is advancing equity and driving impact
On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, received word of their emancipation – almost 2 ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. For generations, African Americans marked this moment with Juneteenth celebrations of prayer, music and reflection. In 2021, Congress established June 19th as a federal holiday and, as a part of our Bold Actions for Racial Equality, P&G added Juneteenth as a Company holiday. We observe Juneteenth in 2022 on June 20.
Juneteenth carries even greater significance at this time, shining light on how slow progress has historically been on issues pertaining to the wellbeing, safety and equality of Black people in the United States.
As we recognize Juneteenth and reflect on the progress that has been made, P&G honors Juneteenth by using the power of our platform to not only create moments that inspire change, but to galvanize movements of transformative action.
Today, we highlight some of the work of our Company, our partners and our Brands whose meaningful actions bring to life the principles of Juneteenth.
Take on Race Empowers Boys and Young Men of Color
Studies show unacceptable disparities in high school graduation, incarceration and poverty rates between boys and young men of color and their white counterparts. With support from the Take on Race Fund, P&G has partnered with the YMCA’s Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) initiative whose mission is to help Black families and communities thrive by empowering boys and young men of color to succeed. This new, multi-year partnership will expand the reach and improve the capacity of the BYMOC initiative to change the social-economic trajectory for tens of thousands boys and young men of color in the 10,000 communities served by the YMCA.
Gold medalist Allyson Felix, teamed up with Pampers to help raise awareness of the ongoing Black maternal health crisis.
Pampers Continues its Drive for Systemic Change for Black Moms
In the U.S., Black mothers are three times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than their counterparts of other backgrounds and ethnicities despite 60% of all maternal deaths being preventable. Pampers believes that every parent deserves to experience the full joy of pregnancy and beyond and has partnered with the National Birth Equity Collaborative to raise the quality of care for Black mothers. The brand has committed $250,000 over the next 12 months to help change the systemic issues that prevent Black moms from receiving equitable care. In 2022 and beyond, Pampers will continue its partnership with March of Dimes to expand bias trainings for healthcare professionals.
Widening Opportunities for Black Creators and Black Owned Media
Widen the Screen (WTS) is an expansive content creation, talent development and partnership platform that was created in 2021 because sustained action and investment are necessary to address the systemic bias and inequality in advertising and media.
At this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, we continued to elevate Black voices and enabled Black creators to share the full richness of the Black experience. P&G hosted a panel at TribecaX that aimed to inspire, encourage and invite the over 500 industry attendees to join us in dismantling the inequalities in advertising, film and media. We also previewed Year 4 films from The Queen Collective, which was created in 2018 and is the inaugural Widen the Screen Talent Development program. The Queen Collective has already produced eight documentaries, with an additional six in development.
Throughout the month of June and in partnership with Black-owned media companies, Spotset and Reach Media, radio listeners will hear content that educates and inspires the community about Juneteenth. The radio series will include several recognizable celebrity voices sharing their personal Juneteenth stories.
P&G is also sponsoring events that amplify, empower and elevate the issues of importance to the Black community and the actions that are having a positive impact. One such event is the Black Women Lead program held in Washington, DC on June 15. In collaboration with All In Together, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Higher Heights, Black Women Lead explored the importance of Black women’s power and impact in the march toward a more equitable future.
As a company, we encourage all our employees to take time for learning and reflection, and we consistently provide a variety of educational forums and materials to help employees deepen their awareness of the history, culture and experiences of the African American community.
Our internal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion helps us to uniquely see the people we serve and uniquely serve the people we see across the world.
We have a responsibility both inside and outside our company to leverage our influence and resources to lead action in the communities most affected by discrimination and hate and to develop and deepen impactful partnerships at all levels that drive systemic change. We will continue this journey with the sense of urgency.
Join us at www.pg.com/takeonrace.
Together, we will take on race and advance equity—for all.