According to reports, International fashion house
Zara is being accused of not just racially profiling &
discriminating against its Black customers and
employees; but it also has a code name for it.
Based on a new report by the Center for Popular
Democracy, which had a survey of a number of
New York-based Zara employees, “Darker-skinned
employees report that they are least likely to be
promoted” and “ Employees of color state that they
are reviewed with harsher scrutiny from
management than white American and European
employees. ” The survey also suggests that racial
profiling and discrimination was taught as part of its
employee training program.
The employees stated that the phrase “Special
Order” was used to alert other workers to a
customer who is a potential shoplifting threat. 47%
of the 57% of employees that responded to the
survey, said that Black customers were always
labeled as “Special Order”; and 36% agreed that
Black customers were most likely the ones to be
labeled as potential shoplifters. According to
Refinery 29, who first reported the story – “ The
reports claims that “special orders were […] defined
as ‘Anyone who looks Black, not put together, or
urban.’ “
However, despite the claims made by its
employees, Zara stands by its views on diversity. In
a statement to Refinery 29 they stated – “ Zara USA
vehemently refutes the claims contained in the
Center for Popular Democracy report, which was
prepared with ulterior motives and not because of
any actual discrimination or mistreatment. It fails to
follow an acceptable methodology for the conduct of
a credible objective survey on workplace practices,
and instead appears to have taken an approach to
achieve a predetermined result, which was to
discredit Zara. “
Zara is being accused of not just racially profiling &
discriminating against its Black customers and
employees; but it also has a code name for it.
Based on a new report by the Center for Popular
Democracy, which had a survey of a number of
New York-based Zara employees, “Darker-skinned
employees report that they are least likely to be
promoted” and “ Employees of color state that they
are reviewed with harsher scrutiny from
management than white American and European
employees. ” The survey also suggests that racial
profiling and discrimination was taught as part of its
employee training program.
The employees stated that the phrase “Special
Order” was used to alert other workers to a
customer who is a potential shoplifting threat. 47%
of the 57% of employees that responded to the
survey, said that Black customers were always
labeled as “Special Order”; and 36% agreed that
Black customers were most likely the ones to be
labeled as potential shoplifters. According to
Refinery 29, who first reported the story – “ The
reports claims that “special orders were […] defined
as ‘Anyone who looks Black, not put together, or
urban.’ “
However, despite the claims made by its
employees, Zara stands by its views on diversity. In
a statement to Refinery 29 they stated – “ Zara USA
vehemently refutes the claims contained in the
Center for Popular Democracy report, which was
prepared with ulterior motives and not because of
any actual discrimination or mistreatment. It fails to
follow an acceptable methodology for the conduct of
a credible objective survey on workplace practices,
and instead appears to have taken an approach to
achieve a predetermined result, which was to
discredit Zara. “
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