PetSmart Commits to Scholarship Fund, Improved Recruitment in Support of Black Lives Matter
PetSmart CEO J.K. Symancyk over the weekend reached out to customers via e-mail to detail how the company is committed to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, including setting up a $1 million scholarship fund and making improvements in its development and recruitment efforts to be more inclusive.
“The belief in unconditional love, that very important lesson we learn every day from our pets, is the heart of PetSmart,” Symancyk wrote. “We promote belonging and inclusiveness in an environment where individuals with diverse backgrounds and talents can excel.”
Symancyk announced the company was working on actions including:
- $1 million scholarship fund to support associates of color to advance their educational aspirations.
- Grants from PetSmart Charities to support pets and pet parents in under-represented communities.
- Enhanced development and recruitment to improve black representation at PetSmart.
“At PetSmart, we believe pets make us better people, but we know that conscious actions lead to real progress,” he said. “That is why we must all commit to standing with our black communities, to taking meaningful action, to being held accountable, and to saying what we must until it is no longer necessary: Black Lives Matter.”