Last Updated:
2/28/21 10:26 AM
overall rating:
undertones approved
Uber
Internal Representation & Support
79%
Public Commitment
74%
External Communication
69%
To evaluate this pillar, we take into consideration a range of factors, including but not limited to:
- Employee representation
- Diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI)
We weigh a company’s degree of public commitment primarily on their monetary contributions to DEI matters or organizations fighting racial injustice.
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Forms of monetary support we look for:
One-off donations
Recurring donations
Grant initiatives
Employee donation matching
Highlights
Uber is extremely vocal about its antiracism efforts, as demonstrated through its multiple public statements as well as on a company webpage dedicated solely to its stance and actions. From eliminating delivery fees for Black-owned restaurants through 2020 to providing rides to aid with equitable vaccine distribution, Uber has demonstrated its continued support for racial justice.
Lowlights
As is the case with other ridesharing apps, Uber has been accused of exploiting its majority BIPOC, immigrant drivers. Despite many drivers working full-time hours, they are still subject to low wages and no benefits, a reality only perpetuated by the passage of labor laws (such as Proposition 22 in California) that relieves Uber and its peers of the responsibility to provide benefits to their drivers.
We scour the company’s website and official social media channels to determine what message they are sending around racial injustice, how they are communicating it, and whether their communications are perceived as genuine or performative.
Public statement: We verify that companies have made a formal statement regarding racial injustice.
Social media: We consider how a company uses their platform(s) beyond performative allyship.
Representation: For companies that have the opportunity to showcase diversity in their feed, we consider whether they have adequate Black representation and BIPOC representation across their models.
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Deep Dive
I. Internal Representation & Support:
Board of Directors:
10% - 11% Black, > 40% BIPOC, 36% - 40% Women
Executive Leadership:
10% - 11% Black, > 40% BIPOC, 26% - 30% Women
8% - 9% Black, > 40% BIPOC, 36% - 40% Women
Workforce:
An appointed DEI senior leader and/or a dedicated DEI organization, A Black employee resource group
DEI Support:
II. Public Commitment
Uber has pledged a donation of 0.1% - 0.9% of annual revenue towards racial injustice, specifically for Black lives. Additionally, Uber has engaged in actions that advance racial justice and/or uplift BIPOC communities, such as partnerships with nonprofits or mission-based organizations, sponsorship of events, and co-branded partnerships with other companies.
III. External Communications
Uber has issued a public statement, both on social media and in a public memo, addressing racial injustice The public statement acknowledged that they can be doing better to combat racial inequality within their company, included specific calls to action, and explicitly stated "Black Lives Matter." Since June 2020, 21% - 30% of the brand's social media content has been centered around racial injustice with posts seeming performative in nature. While the brand does not regularly feature models in their social media posts, there is little to no evidence of additional actions the brand takes to show support of the LGBTQ+ community (beyond posting for Pride) or other marginalized communities.
