By George Anderson
Major retailers are just not making the grade when it comes to people of color, says the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Last week, the NAACP released its 2005 Economic Reciprocity Initiative (ERI) industry report cards with grades given to major corporations in a variety of business categories.
The ERI gauges how companies perform in areas including employment, vendor development, advertising/marketing, charitable giving and investing/ franchising with people of color and minority-owned businesses and other organizations.
In the general merchandise (retailing) category, the companies rated were given an overall grade of D.
Companies chosen for the survey had annual revenues of at least $6 million, 40,000 or more employees and locations that served ethnically diverse neighborhoods
Three companies, Federated Department Stores, Wal-Mart and Sears, were given a grade of C. May Department Stores was given a C-.
Five of the companies asked to reply to the NAACP survey did not respond and the organization is asking supporters to boycott those businesses. The list includes Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Inc., Kmart, Saks and Target.
Moderator's Comment: Is the NAACP's criticism of retailers' diversity initiatives and investment justified? Are the company's that were given grades better or worse than most retailers when it comes to employing minorities and otherwise engaging in issues and actions important to minority groups within the U.S.? - George Anderson - Moderator