FEATURE
Inclusive economics is good business
The Fifteen Percent Pledge challenges companies to increase the number of Black-owned products and enterprises with which they do business , then helps them do it .
By Nicole Kirichanskaya
Aurora James , founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge
I t all started with a social media post . Just a few days after the murder of George Floyd , Aurora James , the founder of award-winning luxury lifestyle brand Brother Vellies , took to Instagram to implore major corporations to put their money where their mouth is in support of the African-American community .
Many large corporations had issued public statements in the wake of Floyd ’ s tragic death , conveying their commitment to racial justice and equality , and in some cases detailing their donations to organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union , or the NAACP ’ s Legal Defense Fund . But at a time of deep pain and outrage over racial injustice , some of these statements felt like lip service to James , and she decided to do something about it .
On May 29 , 2020 , James posted a series of screenshots on Instagram , calling on specific companies , including Whole Foods , Target , Walmart , Saks , Sephora , Net-A-Porter , Barnes & Noble and Home Depot , to offer more than just words and address racial inequality in their own businesses .
“ I am asking you to commit to buying 15 percent of your products from Black-owned businesses ,” she wrote .
“ So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power . So many of your stores are set up in Black communities . So many of your sponsored posts are seen on Black feeds . This is the least you can do for us . We represent 15 percent of the population and we need to represent 15 percent of your shelf space . “ So for all of the ‘ what can we do to help ?’ questions out there , this is my personal answer . # 15PercentPledge .
“ I will get texts that this is crazy . I will get phone calls that this is too direct , too big of an ask , too this , too that . But I don ’ t think it ’ s too anything – in fact , I think it ’ s just a start . You want to be an ally ? This is what I ’ m asking for .”
The post immediately went viral , with celebrities and news outlets amplifying James ’ message . In November 2020 , James added the title of founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge to her already impressive resume . ►
December 2023 www . insideretail . us 23