ASOS UPDATES
WE'RE COMMITTED TO ANTI-RACISM
By ASOS, 25 May 2021
A year ago, we made some promises. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and the movement that followed, we had to look honestly at ourselves, our actions and our values, and use our voice and our platform to drive positive change.
We recognised this would be no quick fix – and that just saying we’re working on change was not acceptable. There needed to be action. So, over the past year, we've looked at every aspect of our business through a lens of equity, diversity and inclusion – from the brands we stock and our approach to the models we use on-site to the anti-racism training and development opportunities we offer all our ASOS staff.
We know we’ve got a long way to go – but so far, we’ve put in place the following:
1. Launching our D&I strategy, committing to having the below by 2023:
- More than 14% Black, Asian & minority ethnic representation at leadership level (UK average representation is 14%)
- At least 50% female representation at leadership level
2. Setting up our Race Equality Heads & Hearts Group, which provides a safe space for ASOS staff to talk about their experiences in a confidential environment, and helps to guide and shape our approach to these issues
3. Signing the Business In The Community (BITC) Race At Work Charter, appointing an Executive Team Sponsor for Race, and committing to leading by example from the top down on a culture of diversity and inclusion by building D&I objectives into our Executive Team's objectives, and pairing each of our Executive Team with a reverse mentor to increase awareness of challenges facing our Black, Asian and ethnic minority colleagues, create new ideas and inspire action
4. Launching new resources for staff, including our Anti-Racism Toolkit, dedicated training (including unconscious bias training) for managers and hiring panels, and a brand-new D&I learning module for new starters
5. Committing to making our new D&I learning module mandatory for all ASOS staff, not just new starters. We're in the process of finding a provider to launch a gold-standard 12-month programme
6. Developing a retail-specific Black, Asian and ethnic minority strategy – e.g. adding additional Black-owned brands and further diversifying our model base
7. Working with a charity partner to raise awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement through the Message To The Fashion Industry project ahead of last year’s London Fashion Week, and identifying new charity partnerships to further expand our efforts to support racial equality in the community and the diversification of the fashion industry for the future
8. Committing to publishing a D&I Annual Report this August, and publishing our ethnicity pay gap
9. Launching our Future Leaders programme, with the first cohorts prioritising ethnic minority female ASOSers in mid-level roles
We know this is only the beginning, and there is so much more to do. We're committed to making positive changes within ASOS, and will keep you updated on our progress.
