An Open Letter to Our Blue Ridge Beverage Company Family
During these times of extraordinary disruption and uncertainty, the violent deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans remind us yet again of the tragedies born of racism, inequality, and discrimination. We have struggled with these issues for generations and struggle now to make sense of it all. Our Nation’s systemic problems will not resolve overnight, but we must together forge a path to ensure that all 21st-Century Americans have, once and for all, equal access to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
More than thirty percent of Americans identify as persons of color, including many of our fellow associates within the Blue Ridge Beverage Company family. We share your grief, hear your concerns, and remain committed to ensuring that all employees enjoy an inclusive, fair, and safe work environment. We must listen more to one another to find common ground and to be respectful of reasonable perspectives and points of view. The company will continue to foster dialogue and understanding on all issues of racism and discrimination. Above all, we cannot and will not tolerate comments and actions that are, or appear to be, discriminatory, confrontational, or tone deaf to racial, ethnic, gender, or religious differences, and we will continue taking swift action to protect any employees subjected to them, including when they are working at retail.
We must embrace and practice inclusiveness and fairness, not only here at Blue Ridge Beverage, but also in our communities. We must have the courage to speak up when we see racism or discrimination in any form. The pervasive and insidious nature of unconscious bias requires each of us, one by one, step by step, to take personal responsibility for effecting real change in the United States of America. Let each of us vow to make a difference from this point forward. Our Nation and our communities will be stronger and better for it.
Blue Ridge Beverage and the Archer family sincerely appreciate our employees’ tireless efforts, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We are thankful that we have been able to work during the pandemic, and we will continue striving to safeguard every employee’s health and safety. We cannot overemphasize the importance of conducting ourselves, individually and collectively, in a fair, inclusive, and respectful manner.
Robert A. Archer
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Blue Ridge Beverage Company, Inc.
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