Message from Mizuho EMEA leaders, Shinsuke Toda and Suneel Bakhshi in support of Black Lives Matter

Dear Colleagues,

We have been shocked and saddened to see the recent events unfold in the US and the pain felt on a global basis in light of the death of George Floyd. Across the UK and EMEA, the Black Lives Matter movement continues to gain momentum against violence and systemic racism through protests and digital activism.

You will have seen that many politicians, CEOs, celebrities and people all over the world have taken to social media and other platforms to denounce racism and encourage peaceful action following the death of George Floyd. Millions around the world have offered their support sharing positive Black Lives Matter messages. We would like to join our Mizuho Americas colleagues and many others in doing the same, as well as reinforce the message as emphasised in the Cultural Diversity Network's communication earlier in the week.

We are committed to building a workplace that is truly inclusive. Our people are a key strategic pillar and we take pride in employing people from different backgrounds, with different views, characteristics and experiences. These make each of us unique. We are very proud of the rich variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds we have at Mizuho.

We must all play our part in continuing to promote an inclusive and diverse workplace for all, ensuring our working practices are non-biased.  We must continue towards creating a safe, open space for all of us to connect and to learn from each other’s experiences and capabilities. Continuing to prioritise that this is a crucial part of being a good ally and employer of choice, we stand in solidarity with our black colleagues, partners, and community.

We would like to ask you to be mindful of what your fellow colleagues may be going through in these turbulent times. Take a moment to reach out to your co-workers and let them know you care about what is happening to people of colour.

We would like to end our message to you by sharing the iconic quote by Nelson Mandela, the social rights activist, politician and philanthropist who became South Africa’s first black president, “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”.

Let’s join together as One Mizuho and as colleagues to instil knowledge, compassion and fairness at all times.

Regards,