Last Updated:
3/21/21 7:42 PM
overall rating:
keep going
West Elm
Internal Representation & Support
56%
Public Commitment
46%
External Communication
57%
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
West Elm took the 15 Percent Pledge in July 2020, committing to dedicating 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. They also pledged a multi-year donation to the organization, including a donation of 50% of proceeds from all West Elm Local designs during the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2021.
Lowlights
The company's June 2020 statement in support for racial justice did not specify any monetary contributions or internal calls-to-action. In addition, there is no Black representation on parent company Williams Sonoma's Board or executive leadership team.
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:
0% (none) Black, 16% - 20% BIPOC, 46% - 50% Women
Executive Leadership:
0% (none) Black, 11% - 15% BIPOC, 46% - 50% Women
12% - 13% Black, 36% - 40% BIPOC, > 50% Women
Workforce:
A Black employee resource group
DEI Support:
II. Public Commitment
West Elm has pledged a donation of Unspecified contribution amount towards racial injustice, specifically for Black lives. Additionally, West Elm has engaged in actions that advance racial justice and/or uplift BIPOC communities, such as partnerships with nonprofits or mission-based organizations, co-branded partnerships with other companies, and matching donations to a broad range of qualifying organizations. West Elm is also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, people living with disabilities, and Indigienous populations.
III. External Communications
West Elm has issued a public statement on social media addressing racial injustice that included specific calls to action, but did not explicitly state "Black Lives Matter." Since June 2020, 0.1% - 9% of the brand's social media content has been centered around racial injustice with posts seeking to continue the momentum of BLM. While the brand does not regularly feature models in their social media posts, they have shown support of the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride on social media but there is little to no evidence of inclusivity towards other marginalized communities.
