Dear Schindler Colleagues:
Over the past few months, we have come together to tackle the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now we must come together again to face the next great challenge in our society rooted in racial inequity and the injustice occurring against Black Americans in our country. The death of George Floyd in Minnesota as well as the loss of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, and the resulting protests we see unfolding in cities across our country, weighs heavily on me and our leadership team.
As a company, our vision is to be the leader in our industry and to create new systems and solutions that make the world’s buildings and cities more efficient, more sustainable, and safer for everyone. Schindler’s vision is based on our core values of safety, doing the right thing for our customers and business, and taking care of each other.
The safety of all our employees and all our customers is one of our most deeply held core values, and a driving force for everything we do across every aspect of our business. Without it the very foundation of our organization begins to crumble. This belief is the reason we are committed to the NOT ONE MORE philosophy, demanding that we empower one another to take action to prevent even one more fatality or serious injury, and to ensure that not one more family feels the pain of losing a loved one.
As I reflect on the events of the past several weeks, I cannot escape the idea that the NOT ONE MORE philosophy resonates just as strongly in this moment for our entire nation. We cannot stand by and allow one more incident of injustice or act of violence. We must all stand up for what is right at work and in our communities. This means corporations and individuals standing together against hatred and injustice that leads to inequities in all aspects of life, including the loss of our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends, and colleagues. As a company, we will not stand by silently and allow hatred and injustice to persist.
Our company values demand that we go beyond creating innovative mobility solutions for our customers to building relationships based on mutual respect, breaking down barriers to inclusion and teamwork, and supporting one another as individuals and as part of the Schindler family.
As I contemplate all of this, while we have taken steps to invest in and promote diversity and inclusion, I am keenly aware that we have a way to go in our pursuit to become more inclusive of all genders, race, and backgrounds. Schindler, as an industry leader, has an obligation to help create positive change in our company, in our industry, and our society.
As an immediate next step, we will be holding a series of virtual meetings for all employees over the next couple of weeks to listen to your concerns, provide a format for open-discussion about the issues, and offer a safe place to express your thoughts and feelings. Watch for information in the coming weeks from Human Resources.
Lastly, I want to remind us all to look out for one another; we care about ALL our Schindler family. At work and at home your health, safety and wellbeing are the most important things to me. The effects of these traumatic events impact each of us differently, and I recognize that this is an emotional time for everyone. Have the courage to check in with each other and have empathy for what others are feeling, even if it is not a shared experience. By doing what you can to take care of yourselves and each other, we can live our values and support our teams, and we can hold one another accountable for our actions to ensure NOT ONE MORE person feels the pain of discrimination and racial injustice.
One Team. One Goal. One Family.
Sincerely,
Greg Ergenbright
President, U.S. Operations