5/25 Move to Action, an initiative of the Corporate Coalition of Chicago and the Chicago Community Trust’s We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery, reports that participating Chicago-area companies have made progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts over the past year.

Launched in May 2021, a year after the murder of George Floyd, 5/25 Move to Action secured pledges from 25 companies and organizations to take action in at least one of three areas: increasing quality, resilient employment; strengthening businesses of color; and investing in disinvested neighborhoods. Based on interviews, convenings, and surveys conducted in April 2022, the Corporate Coalition of Chicago and We Rise Together found that six companies were taking actions to grow diverse supplier spending; five were investing in local community development and capacity building; eight were focused on inclusive workforce strategies and providing equitable access to internal, high-quality opportunities; and five were taking internal actions to shift culture, such as enhancing their mission and/or vision and board engagement on DEI. On average, respondents rated their progress on fulfilling their commitments to racial equity over the past year at 7.6 of 10 and their progress on continuing to focus on those commitments in the upcoming year at 8.9 of 10.

Participating corporations and foundations include Accenture, Advocate Aurora Health, Bank of America, BMO Harris, Greeley and Hansen, the Obama Foundation, Rush University Medical Center, United, and Vistria.

“Private corporations employ more than 84 percent of the Chicago region’s workforce. Their role in ensuring Black and Latinx people benefit from our region’s economic recovery cannot be overstated,” said We Rise Together director Gloria Castillo. “The companies participating in 5/25 Move to Action are modeling how to adjust business systems and practices to ensure everyone can achieve their full potential.”

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