Top Business Leaders Launch OneTen Will Create One Million Jobs for Black Americans Over 10 Years
A coalition of leading CEOs and organizations are coming together today to announce the formation of OneTen, an organization that will combine the power of these committed American companies to upskill, hire and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement.
In this moment when all Americans share an aspiration for greater economic opportunity, leading executives and employers across industries are taking action to make a meaningful, measurable and lasting systemic impact on racial and economic justice and to create a more equitable society. OneTen connects employers with talent partners, leading non-profits, and other skill-credentialing organizations that support the development of diverse talent.
OneTen was founded by Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director of General Catalyst and former Chairman and CEO of American Express, Ken Frazier, Chairman and CEO of Merck, Charles Phillips, Managing Partner of Recognize, Chairman of the Black Economic Alliance and former CEO of Infor, Ginni Rometty, Executive Chairman and former CEO of IBM and Kevin Sharer, former Chairman and CEO of Amgen and former faculty member at Harvard Business School. All five founders will serve on the Board of OneTen together with other participating CEOs. Ken Frazier and Ginni Rometty will serve as co-chairs.
OneTen is launching with the support of 37 founding CEOs and companies across industries. Members include Accenture, ADP, Allstate, American Express, Amgen, Aon, AT&T, Bain & Company, Bank of America, Cargill, Caterpillar, Cisco, Cleveland Clinic, Comcast, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Eli Lilly, General Motors, HP Inc., Humana, IBM, Illinois Tool Works, Intermountain Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Lowe’s, Medtronic, Merck, Nike, Nordstrom, PepsiCo, Roper Technologies, Stryker, Target, Trane Technologies, Verizon, Walmart and Whirlpool Corporation. These founding companies look forward to welcoming additional members, including small and medium-sized businesses, which power the majority of the U.S. economy.
OneTen will work with employers, education partners and upskilling partners to design educational and employment solutions. Together, these partners will better develop, retain and advance diverse and underrepresented talent, more broadly, but with an explicit commitment to hire or promote Black Americans without four-year degrees.
OneTen’s role in the talent ecosystem will be local, reflecting the workforce development landscape, and focus on reducing exclusionary hiring practices, identifying robust and new talent sources, and ensuring that adequate and equitable career pathways for advancement exist. In January 2021, the organization will begin working with partner employers to improve workplace inclusivity practices and will connect talent providers to partner employers shortly thereafter.
OneTen would like to take this opportunity to thank Bain & Company, Black Economic Alliance, The Bridgespan Group, Bully Pulpit Interactive, Grads of Life, Russell Reynolds Associates, Siegel+Gale, Sullivan & Worcester LLP, Teneo and Year Up who graciously provided support for the launch of this start-up.
