Celebrating Black History Month at Global Payments Integrated

At Global Payments Integrated, there is an emphasis on bringing our whole, authentic selves to work. We also want every team member to feel seen, valued, respected and included within the organization.

As racial inequality dominates the national conversation, our Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council, human resources department, and corporate communications team work tirelessly to educate and engage our 24,000 team members regularly throughout the year. Thanks to their alignment efforts, our workforce is given the opportunity to listen in on timely conversations with Black thought leaders and attend virtual activities that raise awareness each month.

Here is a spotlight of what the Global Payments team has done in the past to encourage diversity, and its ongoing efforts to support the Black community.

Taking the Initiative with Inclusivity

When our Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Andréa Carter joined the company in 2017, her goal was to help the company become intentional about making every employee feel engaged.  

From this goal, a large project emerged: to develop an unconscious bias training program that every employee participates in. Thanks to her efforts and successful rollout, all current employees have undergone unconscious bias training, and it is also included as part of the onboarding process for new hires. 

Additionally, the CEO of our parent company, Global Payments Inc., is a signatory to CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, a business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Our Actions to Address Racial Inequality

Unconscious bias training and making a public pledge are important first steps towards making equality a reality in the workplace. To maintain accountability and progress, our business also has the following initiatives to stay on track:

  • Matching donations. Global Payments has a Social Justice and Equality Fund that matches community donations of up to $2000 for every team member, every year.
  • Joining the HBCU Partnership Challenge. By taking on this challenge, Global Payments will support and engage with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in an effort to provide opportunities for both the institutions and their students.
  • A dedicated employee resource group. The Onyx Network is a community within our corporate intranet that is committed to celebrating and spreading awareness about the Black community and cultural differences.

Ongoing Engagement Through The Onyx Network

The Onyx Network continually engages with the Global Payments community by scheduling fireside chats with influential speakers. Exclusive guests include Dr. Daniel Black from Clark Atlanta University, Wade Davis, Vice President of Inclusion Strategy for Product at Netflix, and renowned diversity educator Jane Elliott.

It’s heartening to see these virtual events attended by hundreds of employees who are eager to hear the speaker’s message and get meaningful answers to their questions.

Celebrating Black History Month at Global Payments

Throughout February, Global Payments team members across the globe will be able to participate in a variety of events to celebrate Black History Month. Events include:

  • Trivia contests.
  • A virtual Black Abolitionist tour of London. In the 1800s, formerly enslaved African Americans traveled to Britain to begin new lives. Some became activists, giving lectures around London and pushing support for abolition back in the United States. This virtual tour will highlight some of these important Black history sites that still exist today.
  • A keynote address from Hill Harper. Hill Harper is an actor, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. We are open to hearing about the challenges he’s seen within the Black community, and how we should be motivated to support the community moving forward. 

Follow Us For Black History Month Updates!

To keep with the spirit of Black History Month, follow us on Twitter at @GPIntegrated where we’ll spotlight Black leaders in payments and interesting Black historical sites throughout February.

Michelle Mondonedo

Brand Marketing Manager

Michelle Mondonedo is a Brand Marketing Manager at Global Payments Integrated, a Global Payments company. Before joining the payments industry, she worked in ecommerce, local search, and wealth management. A graduate of New York University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, she enjoys cooking in her spare time. 

Email: [email protected]

Michelle Mondonedo author photo