2020 was a year that saw a remarkable discussion about racial equity, both in society as a whole and specifically in the workplace. The protests that took place in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others drew the nation's attention, but part of what made the year unusual is that the business community, after years of halting progress in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), also engaged in the racial equity discussion, to a degree that it had not after other racial incidents in past years.

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"Apple's $100 Million Racial Justice Initiative," "Corporate Leaders Aim to Address Racial Equity," "Google Commits $175 Million to Racial Equity," … the headlines were splashy, but the stories also noted that plenty of skepticism remained about the commitment to racial equity. Companies have talked about addressing racial issues for years, and yet clear inequities remained in the workplace.