Black Lives Matter – Getty Images external statement

2020_BLM_Social_Final-537x350
Getty Images press release – June 15, 2020

At Getty Images, for too long, Black individuals have not mattered enough and that changes now – we can no longer wait.

Why did we wait to issue an external statement? It is a fair question and we accept any criticism for the delay. We lack the diversity and inclusiveness that we truly aspire to, especially in leadership, and so we took some time to listen and better understand the experiences of our Black colleagues inside and outside Getty Images. We are grateful for and humbled by their generosity and courage in sharing with us their lived experiences. We have heard them; their words have fundamentally informed our new perspective, this statement, and the actions we are outlining.

Getty Images stands against racism. Freedom of the press is fundamental to eradication of racism from all aspects of society. Getty Images stands against restrictions, intimidation, and persecution to limit free speech, the right to protest and the right of the media to cover events safely, freely, and impartially.

We fully recognize that words are only as good as the actual change that happens in our organization and our industry to emphasize that Black Lives Matter every single day.

Culture and Representation

We must ground our culture in anti-racism and eliminating white supremacy. That means fostering an environment of fearless feedback that encourages employees to call out anti-Black behaviors and actions in the moment. We commit to firm accountability and zero tolerance for racism in our work together.

We must build a diverse community and create an environment in which all can thrive. How we hire, develop, and compensate at all levels and in all departments, including our global network of content creators, must be corrected for systemic bias. We commit to changing representation at all levels of leadership.

Content

We fully believe in the power of imagery to change the world. To do this we must support Black content creators. We must tell more of the authentic stories of the global Black community and we recognize anew that we cannot do this without Black content creators behind the lens. Together with others who are creating, distributing, and selecting visual content we have an urgent opportunity to further drive positive change. With that change, our technology must present visual content that reflects the world and we commit to continued improvements in editing and search to remove bias.

We recognize where we have fallen short in the past and we commit to do better. We are accountable to each other within Getty Images, as well as our customers, content creators and partners. We understand that imagery has the power to move the world and we accept the responsibility that comes with that power.