Global Leader in Unstructured Data Management Recognizes Pivotal Moment in History With Commitment to Diversity and Social Equity Across All Aspects of Its Business
SAN JOSE, Calif.—June 18, 2021—Panzura announced today that the company has signed the Juneteenth Pledge, joining hundreds of companies to publicly observe, honor and celebrate this historical milestone. Juneteenth marks the final liberation of African Americans from slavery in the United States which took place in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Recognizing that businesses play a vital role in the lives of their employees and communities, the company has publicly redoubled its commitment to making the vision of the Juneteenth Pledge a reality in society at large. Panzura’s leadership team encouraged employees to find time to reflect individually on what the company can do to increase diversity to be more inclusive across all aspects of its business from product development and sales, to partner and marketing programs.
“We started out this year by challenging all Panzurians to lean into social equity issues and see black history as part of American history rather than simply a month we celebrate black culture,” said Jill Stelfox, CEO at Panzura. “As symbolic as this moment is, social equity for all is still a work in progress, and the only way to address social injustice is through allyship. True allyship happens when together we speak out and take action to address social inequalities.”
Stelfox sent a personal message to the company’s nearly 200 employees this morning challenging them to think about how they can ally with others, now and in the future, by joining in the celebration. This year, Panzura employees will attend Juneteenth events to experience the amazing food, live performances, and art while meeting and supporting black business owners. Beginning in 2022, Juneteenth will be a formal, paid holiday for Panzura employees.
“We believe that racism and discrimination of any kind cannot be tolerated. And we believe we have room to grow, so we can create a Panzura that truly serves everyone, from the inside out. Let’s recommit to each other that we will take real action to diversify in all ways moving forward,” said Stelfox.
Upon taking the helm as CEO last year, Stelfox conducted a top-to-bottom review of operating practices, pay and promotions for people of color and women to further promote equity and equality at the company.
In the spirit of the Juneteenth Pledge, Panzura will take a proactive approach to identify ways to recognize social equity and diversity in its international operations. Executives and management will encourage leaders in business, including partners and customers, to sign the pledge. The company will also continue to support employees’ ability to learn, reflect and expand continuous self-development and respect for all cultures.
This week, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, and yesterday the bill was signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Panzura is now among the companies across America recognizing Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
About Panzura
Panzura replaces legacy storage with a modern approach to unstructured data, empowering organizations with a high performance, high intelligence environment, globally. Companies all around the world in the sports, healthcare, financial services, media and entertainment, gaming, and architectural, engineering and construction industries, as well as government agencies use Panzura to manage hundreds of petabytes of data in the cloud. Visit panzura.com for more and follow Panzura on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.