A year ago, in the wake of the tragic events that brought the searing issue of racial injustice to the forefront, we made a pledge to add more urgency and speed to our diversity and inclusion efforts. We promised to do even more to listen and work with our employees and communities to make positive change. We haven’t forgotten. While the work to fulfill that promise continues, here are some of the actions we’ve taken over the past year:

-Committed $4.3 million to local communities supporting social equity, economic mobility, and COVID Relief

-Announced more than $1.3 million in scholarships and grants to open pathways for students of color in underrepresented career fields.

-Broadened relationships with Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Association for Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and other organizations and increased staff dedicated to diversity and inclusion initiatives to bolster our recruiting of diverse employees.

-Increased retention and advancement of Black and Brown employees at all levels of the organization. (Last year, 22 percent of employees of color were promoted or moved into new roles.)

-Created a new D&I site, with key metrics and important milestones, to enhance transparency regarding our progress.

-Expanded our Supplier Diversity Program that gives diverse businesses access to Ally leaders to provide a deeper understanding of our company with the ultimate goal of sharing wealth-building opportunities.

-Held dozens of internal sessions to promote understanding after the events of last summer with nearly half of all employees attending, many sharing powerful and often intensely personal stories.

-Named diversity champions who push inclusion efforts into business operations.

We know that a true ally is measured by deeds, not just words. While we’re making progress on our long-standing D&I journey, we know we have much left to do to reach our goals. We are committed to being part of the solution needed to make lasting change. We will continue to find ways to lift diverse voices, celebrate different backgrounds and stand-up for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized.

For all 9,700 of us at Ally, the pain and devastation from the loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many others keeps the urgency in our commitment.