Coca-Cola has come under fire for a training video it made for its workers that told them to try and be less white.
The company is facing strong backlash for their racial discrimination training after an employee who found it deeply disturbing made it public and it went viral on social media.
The ideological training seminar was posted on LinkedIn and featured slides that contained tips on how “to be less white”, which includes being “less ignorant,” and “less oppressive”.
🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING: Coca-Cola is forcing employees to complete online training telling them to "try to be less white."
— Karlyn supports banning critical race theory in NH (@DrKarlynB) February 19, 2021
The 11-minute video titled ‘Confronting Racism with Robin DiAngelo’, an author and consultant, believes that white people are complicit in racist structures unless they accept their guilt and dedicate themselves to becoming anti-racist.
Image: Coca-Cola/LinkedIn
“In the US and other Western nations, white people are socialised to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white,” one of the slides said.
Image: Coca-Cola/LinkedIn
Coca-Cola tried to defend themselves by saying that the materials were shared on their LinkedIn Learning platform but were not part of their compulsory curriculum.
“The video and images attributed to a Coca-Cola training program are not part of the company’s learning curriculum.”
“Our Better Together global training is part of a learning plan to help build an inclusive workplace. It is comprised of a number of short vignettes, each a few minutes long.
Robin DiAngelo
“The training includes access to the LinkedIn Learning platform on a variety of topics, including on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“The video in question was accessible on the LinkedIn Learning platform but was not part of the company’s curriculum. We will continue to listen to our employees and refine our learning programs as appropriate.”
Image: Coca-Cola/LinkedIn
Employment attorney Harmeet K Dhillon accused Coca-Cola of “blatant racial discrimination”.
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