Our team has been keenly aware of the protests in the United States against the systemic racism, violence, and brutality that BIPOC communities suffer. This time felt different: like change might be truly possible. Brands have a tendency to hop on bandwagons to portray themselves in the best possible light. And this has pushed us to take stock internally. We wanted to ensure our house was in order and our response was thoughtful and produced change.
At Buzz Radar, we value and invest in diversity. Over half of our team is expatriates. When we had immigration and Brexit protests domestically, we supported our team's rights to protest and their rights to remain safely in the U.K. We believe that this diversity makes us a better organisation. Yet, as so many have pointed out, we can do better. We should do better. We must all join the fight against violence and racism.
As such, our company will not just post messages of support and our willingness to join the fight for equality and justice. There is so much more we can and should do. Buzz Radar is committing to doing more in this fight:
1) To start, we commit to bettering our hiring practices. We will actively seek out BIPOC's in our job searches. We will also seek their counsel in ensuring all of our policies root out racism and discrimination, down to micro-aggression.
2) We commit to supporting the black community. If you are a brand owned or managed by a BIPOC or you are an NGO supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, please reach out to us. We believe data is crucial to growth -- and we'd love to offer our platform to help in this fight. In addition, we can't wait on change to come to us. We will actively reach out to organisations to offer our support.
3) We commit to not using technology with an implicit or subconscious bias. We know technology is powerful and can be misused. We have a responsibility to ensure the technology we use to empower brands and organisations does not further systemic racism.
We believe that being anti-racist is a life-long endeavor. And at Buzz Radar, we pledge to join that endeavor. We won't always get it right -- and we do hope that as we grow and educate ourselves, that education and our community can help guide us to better actions we can take along the way. We hope for a better future for everyone. 
Photo credit: @lgnwvr
Nicky Yates Published on June 10, 2020 10:55 am
Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQs
How can companies support Black Lives Matter beyond social media posts?
Companies can take concrete actions like improving hiring practices to actively recruit BIPOC candidates, offering free services to Black-owned businesses and BLM organizations, and ensuring their technology doesn't perpetuate racial bias. Real support requires ongoing commitment and policy changes, not just public statements.
What does it mean for technology to have implicit bias?
Technology with implicit bias contains algorithms or data that unintentionally discriminate against certain groups, often reflecting the biases present in training data or development teams. Companies have a responsibility to audit their tools and platforms to ensure they don't perpetuate systemic racism or unfair treatment.
How should businesses improve hiring practices for diversity?
Businesses can actively seek out BIPOC candidates during job searches rather than relying on passive recruitment methods. They should also consult with diverse voices to review all company policies and eliminate discrimination, including subtle forms like microaggressions.
Why do some people criticize companies for supporting social justice movements?
Critics often view corporate support as 'bandwagon jumping' or performative activism, where companies make public statements primarily for positive publicity rather than genuine commitment. Many people prefer to see concrete actions and long-term policy changes over social media posts.