Indigo is the first major Canadian retail chain to take the 15% Pledge.
Indigo Books & Music Inc., Canada’s largest national bookstore chain, is demonstrating its commitment to amplifying voices and representation by signing the 15% Pledge, a movement that is calling on major retailers to support brands that are representative of the diverse Canadian population. This makes Indigo the first major Canadian retail chain to take the pledge.
By joining the 15% Pledge movement, Indigo has committed to stocking 15% of its stores’ shelf space with books from authors who are BIPOC — Black, Indigenous, or people of colour — by the end of 2021. Indigo has also pledged to source 15% of its non-book, lifestyle products from BIPOC-owned businesses in the next 2-5 years. These changes will apply to Indigo, Chapters, and Coles stores operating all over the country and are intended to broaden the representation of BIPOC.
We proudly join the @15PercentPledge and commit to supporting BIPOC authors and businesses, ensuring our assortment reflects Canada's rich diversity. Find more on the #15PercentPledge and our diversity, inclusion, and equality initiatives: https://t.co/wxShgOFz6w
📷 @RachelJoanis pic.twitter.com/7aveVSHfL4— Indigo (@chaptersindigo) October 21, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGm7Sr0pIxZ/
What does the 15% Pledge consist of?
Step 1: “Take Stock of the percentage of shelf-space and contracts given to Black and Indigenous-owned businesses and suppliers at present.”
Step 2: “Take ownership of your findings, thoroughly interrogating how existing blind spots and biases within your company and society at large have led to the disparities—and what concrete steps you can take to address them. Publish your findings internally and externally, and use them to inform a brand new vision for “business as usual.”
Step 3: “Take Action to define and publish a plan for growing the share of Black and Indigenous businesses you empower to at least 15%, alongside a concrete strategy by which you plan to stay accountable to and transparent around your commitment. Execute your plan.”
Indigo’s further commitment to diversity
To continue to ensure their products represent all Canadians, Indigo also indicated they intend to look for other ways to support diversity, including highlighting authors from other equity-seeking groups such as people with diverse abilities and members of the LGBTQ2+ communities. Indigo has also committed to featuring BIPOC models in at least 25% of their marketing campaigns.
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