5/25 Move to Action

In June 2021, one year after George Floyd’s murder, 25 companies made public commitments to take measurable action to advance racial equity in Chicago. Their common goal was to help create and motivate visible, sustained change by publicly committing to future actions.
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By making commitments as a group, participants are working to create a new culture of doing business in Chicago, one where companies understand that reducing inequities is essential to their business success and a thriving regional economy.

June 2023:
In our new Year 2 Stakeholder Report, business leaders share the power of a public commitment and other lessons learned.
Download the report
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CHALLENGE

Inequities affecting Black and Latino communities are deeply rooted in Chicago, one of the most diverse cities in America, and have been compounded and made more visible by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unemployment is 2.2x higher for Black workers and 1.5x higher for Latinx workers than for white workers

The poverty rate is 3.7x higher for Black individuals and 2.3x higher for Latinx individuals than for white individuals

Black and Latinx workers' median income is 45% and 65%, respectively, of white workers' median income

80% of equity capital needs of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in Chicago go unmet, compared to 46% for white-owned businesses

Private market investments in Chicago's majority-white neighborhoods are 4.6x investments in majority-Black neighborhoods and 2.6x investments in majority-Latinx neighborhoods

CHALLENGE

Trauma and toxic stress create extraordinary challenges.

70%

of Americans experience a traumatic event in their lives.

39%

of employees say their manager is equipped to support their mental health.

4.3m

people quit their jobs in August 2021.

10m

roles remain open—the highest number ever reported.

$4

Return for each dollar organizations spend on mental health treatment.

Chicagoland residents are particularly hard-hit.

Proximity to violence increases symptoms of trauma.

43%

for those who live within 7.5 blocks of a violent event.

69%

for those who live within 4.5 blocks of a violent event.

Philanthropy and the public sector alone cannot solve these challenges.

Private sector businesses need to play a leading role in advancing racial equity and economic recovery.

94%

of Chicago's investments come from private market sources.

85%

of jobs in the region are in the private sector.

Opportunity

Companies operating in the Chicago region prosper when the entire region prospers. Twenty-five companies made public pledges for future action across three categories:

Learning

Cohort members participate in a learning series twice per month, building skills and a foundational understanding of resilience practices.

Multi User

Unlimited Viewers

Pro Insights

Integrations with Figma, Jira, Dropbox

Whitelabelling

Sharing

Cohort members share their own experiences, challenges, solutions, and resources in meetings and smaller affinity groups to accelerate shared progress.

Multi User

Unlimited Viewers

Pro Insights

Integrations with Figma, Jira, Dropbox

Whitelabelling

Taking Action

Cohort members take action in ways that work for their organization, based on ideas in the learning series, a customized assessment, and a catalog of services and expertise.

Multi User

Unlimited Viewers

Pro Insights

Integrations with Figma, Jira, Dropbox

Whitelabelling

Increasing Quality, Resilient Employment

Diversifying the applicant pool through the elimination of unnecessary job requirements

Working with non-profits to train and hire

Promoting an inclusive culture with growth opportunities

Strengthening Businesses of Color

Working with community-based organizations to source diverse suppliers

Making private equity investments in local minority-owned businesses

Establishing a mentor program to encourage joint ventures with minority-owned contractors

Investing in Disinvested Neighborhoods

Investing in local community development and capacity-building

Prioritizing local hiring

Corporate leadership is critical...Together, we can evolve to a smarter, moral capitalism that delivers exceptional growth, jobs, and returns alongside broader societal gains, including improved equity and inclusion in our economy."

Marty Nesbitt

Co-CEO, The Vistria Group

How it works.

Leadership

5/25 Move to Action is a joint venture between the Corporate Coalition and We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery, a coalition of corporate and philanthropic funders and communities working together to accelerate equity in the Chicago region’s economic recovery

Leadership

Commitments

5/25 Move to Action participants make commitments to future action within three broad areas where adopting or accelerating new business practices will contribute to a more equitable region.

Community

Participants are part of a learning community for sharing new practices, to expand the impact of each firm’s commitment.

Tracking Progress

Progress—both qualitative and quantitative—is assessed and reported annually.

Visibility

Progress is shared publicly, to build momentum and attract additional companies that want to make Move to Action commitments.

Cohort Model

Using a cohort model, this initiative fosters a trusting environment in which participating companies share experiences and challenges, learn from experts about potential solutions, and receive support from others working on reducing barriers and expanding opportunities.

Cohort Model

Participating Companies

Abbott
Accenture
Advocate Aurora Health
Allstate
Ariel Investments
Bank of America
Baxter
BMO Harris
Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC
Deloitte
Fifth Third Bank
Greeley and Hansen
Hyatt
ITW
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
KPMG
Loop Capital Markets
Mars Wrigley
Mesirow
Northwestern Medicine
Obama Foundation
Rush University Medical Center
SDI Presence
United Airlines
The Vistria Group
Winston & Strawn LLP

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5/25 Move to Action

Inequities affecting Black and Latino communities are deeply rooted in Chicago, one of the most diverse cities in America, and have been compounded and made more visible by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trauma and toxic stress create extraordinary challenges.

70%

39%

4.3m

10m

$4

Chicagoland residents are particularly hard-hit.

43%

69%

94%

85%

Opportunity

Marty Nesbitt

How it works.

Leadership

Leadership

Commitments

Community

Tracking Progress

Visibility

Cohort Model

Cohort Model

Cohort Model

Participating Companies

5/25 Move to Action Annual Reports

This is just the beginning.

Get Involved

Corporate Coalition in Action

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