NASBA Commitment to Equity

The recent deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery have sparked an awakening in our country.  Many are hurt, angered and even fearful after seeing videos of these senseless, murderous acts. At NASBA, we too are bothered by these activities. As an organization that cares deeply for our entire NASBA family (employees, members and strategic partners), we are committed to standing against systemic racism alongside our African American family and friends. It is of utmost importance to NASBA that our African American employees, whom we treasure, know that we support and care for them.

We believe it is no longer acceptable for any of us who disagree with racist behavior to be quiet bystanders or to ignore the unjust behavior plaguing our nation. The recent incidents are extreme cases of a broader, systemic issue in our society. If we are being honest with ourselves, we have seen incidents in business or other areas of life, where people were treated unfairly, because of their race. We should do everything within our ability to end this injustice.

To positively impact what we can, NASBA is committed to the following:

• Creating opportunities for healthy, and possibly difficult, conversations for diverse individuals to discuss ways NASBA can help create positive change within our organization and within our communities.
• Collaborating with strategic partners to help identify and fight against inequities in our profession.
• Making deliberate efforts to prevent racist behavior anywhere in our network, by creating a process where such behavior can be reported and investigated.
• Providing training programs focused on unconscious bias and the mitigation of unethical, discriminatory behavior.

We recognize that alone, NASBA cannot change years of systematic oppression. However, we acknowledge the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he wrote from the Birmingham jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” NASBA is committed to playing our part to enact positive change. To our stakeholders: As we move to action, alongside our wonderfully talented African American employees, we urge you to join the efforts to make positive change.