Groupon, a digital coupon provider, will be establishing a $350,000 fund to support Black students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the Chicago Tribune reports.
The announcement is a result of an agreement reached with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) following an investigation. At the time of this writing, both parties have not commented to provide more context around the investigation, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“Groupon has demonstrated that it is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, including through contributing to furthering STEM education and improving its hiring and recruiting practices,” Diane Smason, acting district director of the EEOC’s Chicago (Illinois) District Office, said in the news release.
“Other employers, particularly those experiencing rapid growth and increasingly high staffing demands, should bear in mind that promoting diversity and inclusion in recruiting and hiring efforts not only helps attract top talent, it lays the foundation for building a workforce that prioritizes equity in all aspects of employment,” she added.
Emma Coleman, Groupon’s global head of communications and diversity, equity, and inclusion, shared in a statement:
“Building and nurturing a diverse and engaged workforce is a mission-critical priority for Groupon. We also want to contribute to a future where there is equality of opportunity for all, and, in this spirit, we are excited to create the STEM educational fund.”
To fulfill other requirements of the agreement, Groupon will also create more yearly equal employment opportunity (EEO) training for their employees and management and will also commit to reviewing EEO guidelines under the leadership of its chief people officer and global head of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Groupon will also work with the EEOC regularly to “voluntarily” issue reports centering its recruitment activities and hiring demographics. Furthermore, the company will be required to have ongoing conversations on its improvements.
