Dear Keap Customers & Partners,
The wrongful deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and too many other Black Americans have ignited the world and amplified the conversation on racism inside and outside the walls of Keap. As CEO and co-founder of Keap, I want to clearly state that we support #BlackLivesMatter and we are actively combating racism.
We are committed to listening and educating ourselves individually and collectively as Keapers. I am truly saddened by the stories and experiences Keapers, customers, and partners have shared with me over the past two weeks. We are taking their perspectives into consideration as we take action at Keap. We thank them, and so many others, for courageously sharing their hurt, their anger, and their sadness.
We understand that simply listening is not enough. Action is needed to drive meaningful change. Last week, I established the CEO Council on Racism, a group of Keapers who have been gracious enough to share the unique challenges that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) groups face. The Council’s objectives are to: 1) show We Genuinely Care; 2) unify Keapers; and 3) remove unconscious racial bias.
In addition, here’s what we are doing to support the Black community and be better overall:
Unconscious Bias Education
- We will educate all leaders on unconscious bias with increased frequency and specific focus on racial bias. We will also invest more in our diversity and inclusion efforts. All executives are now a part of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which will strengthen the committee’s focus and ensure we weave diversity and inclusion into the fabric of our culture.
Creating more opportunities for BIPOC Keapers
- We are enhancing our hiring outreach to target minority communities, enhancing leadership development, and systemically identifying emerging talent to further promote equal promotional opportunity.
Help BIPOC small businesses succeed
- In the second round of the Keep Going Fund, we will allocate $50,000 in grants specifically to support Black-owned businesses. Unclaimed Keep Going Grants will be donated to organizations supporting Black Entrepreneurs.
- We are actively devoting more time to sharing stories of BIPOC small business owners via our website and podcast and we are committed to empowering growth with free educational programs and coaching.
We will not tolerate racism or any other prejudice that demeans our fellow humans. We are also committed to creating space for us to learn about, acknowledge, and raise the consciousness of our own biases. I know we can be doing so much more and I am grateful for the conversations and the courage of all those who are helping us learn along the way.
At Keap, our number one core value is “We genuinely care”. We can do better and we will do better in showing our genuine care.
Clate