In tweets, corporate statements and letters to their employees, some of the nation’s top business leaders are expressing relief at the guilty verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. They are also calling for the country to continue to fight against systemic racism and for police reform.
Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges, including second-degree murder and third-degree murder, on Tuesday.
Last spring, Floyd’s murder catalyzed Black Lives Matter protests across the country and the globe. A video taken by a teenage bystander, Darnella Frazier, outside of a Minneapolis convenience store, showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes. In Floyd’s final moments, he struggled to breathe and called out for his mother.
As protestors marched in the streets, companies faced scrutiny for their own records on racial equity. They were pushed to do more than simply put out statements — prompting a series of corporate commitments from overhauling how companies recruit and hire Black employees to backing mandatory de-escalation training for police.
Here is a round-up of reactions to the Chauvin verdict by business leaders and companies, in alphabetical order:
American Airlines
“There are countless examples of violence against Black men and women that don’t end this way. In the past year, a number of brutal and senseless murders of Black Americans – from Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to Daunte Wright and many others – remind us of the stark reality and persistence of systemic racism in our country. They sparked anger, awareness and dialogue; but not the change needed to address injustice in our communities and institutions. As an airline, we bring people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds together every day.”
“We believe Black lives matter. We know there is more work to do to achieve racial justice and equity in our society, and we remain committed to the journey.”
