Standing as One Team: Our Commitment to Equality

Dear Colleagues,

I want to address the recent events that have converged in the United States over the past days, weeks and months. While many of these incidents are widely known, such as with George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Christian Cooper, there are also many other incidents that have not received the same level of publicity. Yet they are each examples of racially motivated and inexcusable crimes and offenses directed specifically at the Black community. At Johnson Controls, we condemn racism, inequity and social injustice.

Black Lives Matter. It is only when we fully embrace this reality that we can hope to live the truth that all lives matter. To say this is a difficult time would be an understatement. These events continue to expose a deep racial divide and continuing existence of injustice that is profoundly concerning. While racism can take many different forms across the globe, one consistency that we have is that racism, hatred and bigotry of any kind are not accepted or tolerated at Johnson Controls.

Understandably, many of our Black employees are hurting deeply. They are angry and are growing increasingly weary. We are One Team, and if any part of our Team is hurting we all hurt. I stand in support of our Black employees, customers and community partners. I ask all of us to stand with them. It has been said that nothing unites people like a common enemy – racist ideology is an enemy worth fighting together.

The diversity of our employees and the inclusiveness of our culture continues to be a priority for us. Earlier this year during my Q1 global town hall, we reintroduced our commitment to this work, expanding the Diversity & Inclusion team and presenting our six key areas of focus. Today, we reinforce our unwavering commitment to our D&I mission: Empower every employee to take an active role in creating a culture that values uniqueness, celebrates creativity and drives innovation. Through these actions, we will create a rich culture of inclusion, driving the mindsets and behaviors that empower and elevate every employee’s voice and contribution.

While we have been strong agents of change in the past, we are committed to doing more to bridge existing gaps. As a leader of this organization, I understand that there is more work to do. There is more listening and learning to do. This is our time. Our culture of inclusion depends on each and every one of you fully embracing our values, mission and vision.

Sincerely,

George Oliver