Community Chat

[luv2drive]

Posted: June 18, 2020

QVC & HSN TAKE ACTION FOR EQUALITY

This Juneteenth, as our country commemorates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans, QVC and HSN stand with our Black team members, customers, vendors, and community. As retailers who interact daily with millions of diverse customers – and who employ thousands of diverse team members – we recognize our responsibility to be a voice for change in the face of racism and injustice.

And so, we’d like to share with you some of the things we’re doing now and in the near-term to step up our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

SUPPORTING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Qurate Retail Group (a family of brands including QVC®, HSN®, Zulily®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill®, Grandin Road®, and RyllaceTM) is pledging $1 million to the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). This is an organization dedicated to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the US, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in our society. In addition, we’re providing a 100% match to any US team member donations to causes that support racial and social justice, up to an additional total company contribution of $1 million.

Also, QVC and HSN will stand with Black-owned businesses. In the coming weeks, we’ll start by highlighting the stories behind some of the extraordinary Black-owned businesses in our own family. We’ll leverage our digital platforms to help customers discover these brands and support them. Then, we’ll launch a new phase of our Small Business Spotlight, giving Black business owners outside of our own vendor community airtime and digital space to tell their stories and connect with new customers.

SUPPORTING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION WITHIN OUR COMPANIES

We’re taking steps to help team members discover new perspectives, have uncomfortable but necessary conversations about race, and support each other. This includes increasing the resources available to team members regarding racism, adding Black affinity groups at more worksites, and expanding our Diversity & Inclusion training to all team members via online modules, videos, and e-learning experiences.

We’re also continuing our efforts to attract diverse talent and suppliers, offer multicultural product assortments, and ensure broad representation in our marketing, digital, and on-air activities. And as we continue to navigate challenges arising from Covid-19 protocols, we’re offering virtual events to support a diverse and inclusive culture, including virtual affinity group meetings and a virtual Pride Month celebration later in June.

We’re more committed than ever to fostering a community where every team member, business partner, and customer is treated with respect and dignity, and where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.

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[SuhseK]

I appreciate companies taking a stand, especially, when it may be easier, to not go public with it.  

[Nuttmeg]

Actions will speak louder than any words. 

[Mlsg]

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@Nuttmeg wrote:

Actions will speak louder than any words. 

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I think to make statement like this it's already actions.

[Puppy Lips]

Frankly, I wish companies would just stay out of this and continue to operate as best they can.  To me this is just "kowtowing" to the current situation. 

Do they think their customers are racist and do not buy from their black owned businesses?  So much so that they need special highlighting?

And are they also admitting that they have employees that are racists because now they have to have "uncomfortable but necessary conversations"?

I guess all this time, QVC did not already treat everyone with respect and dignity if now, all of a sudden, they are "more committed than ever to......" blah blah blah.

[proudlyfromNJ]

The statement is at the top of the website for everyone to see. I don't know why it had to be copied on the forum.

[Anonymous032819]

Statements like this are to let people know where they stand, and there is nothing wrong with that, because silence = acceptance.

[luv2drive]

Not everyone would notice it and I felt it should be highlighted.

Not everyone reads or sees everything and that's why posters post information here - to share.

Is that a problem?

[Pearlee]

It will be a problem soon if this thread gets political or controversial which wouldn't surprise me since we already have a statement here that is taking a position.

[Mom2Dogs]

I am not a fan of these statements.