Sephora, American Eagle, and H&M are among the brands forming an anti-bias coalition to combat in-store discrimination to create a “more welcoming” shopping environment for BIPOC customers.

Sephora, American Eagle, and H&M are among the brands forming an anti-bias coalition to combat in-store discrimination to create a “more welcoming” shopping environment for BIPOC customers.According to a Sephora’s Racial Bias in Retail study, two out of five retail shoppers in the U.S. have experienced unfair treatment based on their race or skin tone, and BIPOC retail shoppers are three times more likely than White shoppers to feel most often judged by their appearance. Racism is a top social cause young people want brands to support, so Sephora co-founded the Mitigation Racial Bias in Retail Charter coalition with anti-discrimination nonprofit Open to All to create a more welcoming shopping environment for BIPOC customers. So far, 28 retailers have signed the pledge to make their stores more welcoming to diverse customers, including J. Crew Group, Gap, Crocs, American Eagle Outfitters, Ben & Jerry’s, H&M, rue 21, and Zara. The brands are supporting the coalition’s initiative by increasing diversity across marketing, products, and workplace hiring; providing employee training on the experience of shoppers of color; and creating a feedback service for BIPOC shoppers to report their experiences. (Glossy)