Garcetti Calls On Business Leaders To Follow City’s Lead On Racial Equity

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti today called on local leaders in the private sector to take steps toward racial equity reform, following similar measures he’s directed within city government.

In June, the mayor signed executive directive 27, which requires an examination of racial disparity in local government and an action plan for equity in hiring and contracting. But because “85% of our workforce in Southern California is employed in the private sector,” business leaders must participate as well in order to truly implement equity in the region, Garcetti said.

To move in that direction, city leaders are asking companies to acquire data on their own racial equity statistics; designate a racial equity officer; consider a wide range of factors in hiring, such as whether a candidate is a first generation immigrant or has a nonviolent charge on their record, such as marijuana use; and more.

“This has to be intentional work,” Garcetti said.

Additionally, the city will create what he called an “executive directive 27 private sector equity Task Force,” focusing first on the following industries:

• manufacturing
• entertainment
• tech
• media
• sports
• real estate
• hospitality

Today’s conference call included representatives from AT&T, Anheuser Busch, Riot Games, Douglas Emmitt, Snap Inc., SoLa Impact, The L.A. Rams, Relativity Space, Morgan Stanley, Soylent, The Dodgers, WME, Warner Music Group, Hudson Pacific Properties, AECOM, 4thMVMT, Gensler, FabFitFun and Northrop Grumman.

“Imagine if, a couple months from now, we could show 100 of the leading companies in Los Angeles, have all implemented the equivalent of an executive director 27,” said Garcetti at the end of the call. “We'd be on the right side of history.”