Google to Revise Discriminatory Policies Against Black People... "Will Strengthen Diversity"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Google has announced new hiring and security policies to address racial issues. It also revealed plans to establish a fund worth $175 million (approximately 212.7 billion KRW) to support Black entrepreneurs and benefit the Black community.

According to local media including CNBC on the 17th (local time), Google stated that by 2025, more than 30% of its senior positions will be filled by underrepresented groups, including Black individuals. Currently, about 96% of executives at Google's U.S. offices are White or Asian, and 73% of executives worldwide are male. Among Google employees, only 3.3% are Black.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, said, "Going forward, all executive hiring will be made public both internally and externally."

IT companies in Silicon Valley, including Google, often promote internally or hire executives privately, making it difficult for many people to access these opportunities.

Google also announced it will abolish office security procedures that could lead to racial profiling. Most IT companies in Silicon Valley require employees to pass through security gates when entering and leaving. When the person in front scans their ID card and the gate opens, if the person behind follows through, security staff may ask the latter to show their ID card. However, Black employees have frequently been asked for ID cards in these situations, leading to ongoing criticism that this security policy is racially discriminatory.

CEO Pichai acknowledged, "We recognize that this system is racially biased," and announced the policy would be discontinued.

Google also announced plans to establish a fund of about $175 million to support the Black community, including Black businesses. Of this, $100 million will be used for Black-led venture capital, startups, and organizations supporting Black entrepreneurs. $50 million will be allocated for business support focused on the Black community, $15 million for job programs for Black job seekers, and $10 million to support Black developers. Additionally, $3 million will be invested in computer and science education for Black students.

Previously, YouTube, owned by Google, also announced it would provide $100 million in support to Black YouTubers.

CEO Pichai said, "Efforts toward racial diversity will help Google provide more beneficial services to its users."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.