POLICIES

The TCR community has dedicated its research and outreach to the examination of issues that give rise to consumer well-being or ill-being. Among these, we work on the issues of racial/ethnic, gender, socio-economic and other forms of consumer discrimination, and public policy as it pertains to the marketplace, as well as the intersection of these considerations and more. Given this orientation, it is most appropriate for us to show our support for and solidarity with protestors, currently on the streets of several major U.S. cities and beyond, as they rally against the social injustices routinely visited upon African Americans and people of color in other parts of the world.

The inequalities suffered by African Americans have once again been exposed by several recent events that clearly demonstrate the targeting and excessive force used when some police come in contact with members of this community. These inequalities, systemic in nature, are also evident in the U.S. and around the world in the disparate access to health care, education, housing, and employment as well as the provision of basic human rights, for people of color. As an international community, we support the African American communities and colleagues in their rights to assembly and to free speech as granted by the U.S. Constitution. While there have been times in the history of this nation when these rights have been abrogated by various levels of government, the events of the last few weeks serve to remind us of their importance.

We recognize that Black Lives Matter. Thus, we openly offer our support for peaceful protests seeking systemic changes to policing practices, arrest protocols, and actions by government officials at all levels. We also recognize and appreciate the democratic expressions by the many national and international communities who stand in show of support for African Americans, spotlighting the scale of the pain inequality and discrimination continue to inflict.

As an evidence-led academic organization built on the principles of social and distributive justice, we will continue our work to search and advocate for socially just models of marketplace operations. We will seek to do more and better by learning from and working with consumers who experience injustices and with change makers at universities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and businesses worldwide.