Breaking Barriers, Building a Hire Ground – Episode 41: Juneteenth Do & Don’t

“Corporations have to realize the reputational risk inside cultures is huge, and you can’t misrepresent it.” – Adam Moore

Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of African slaves in the United States. Companies attempt to express their unity with the African-American community by participating in the Juneteenth holiday through various special services and items. However, it is imperative for companies to be mindful of their actions as their efforts may be construed as insensitive to various cultures.

In this episode, we describe what Juneteenth is, its significance in American culture, and how companies should show their support without risking racial insensitivity. We share the story of an Ikea store that wanted to show support but ended up having their special event backfire. We discuss how large companies can avoid backlash when participating in culture-related holidays and events. We also explain how celebrating a cultural holiday the right way can lead to more profits.

Topics discussed in this episode of Breaking Barriers, Building Hire Ground:

• The importance of Juneteenth and its significance in American culture
• Why proper celebration of Juneteenth matters
• Ikea’s mistake in celebrating Juneteenth and what corporations can learn from it
• How to understand your brand’s role in society
• How corporations can be self-aware and avoid a “miss”
• Why it is important to be aware of the cultural significance of clothing
• How cultural awareness can translate to a more lucrative bottom line
• Celebrating culturally-relevant holidays in the future

Listen to the full episode now!

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Resources Mentioned:

• Juneteenth menu at Atlanta Ikea angers Black employees

This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground

Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations.

For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today!

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