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- As a leader, it's
important for us to make sure

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that we're setting the
right table for tomorrow.

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And I will tell you, at Mars,

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it's a very much of a focus for us.

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(light upbeat music)

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Wow, Black History Month in
2021 feels a lot different.

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I mean, I would say, first
of all, we're dealing

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with essentially a racial
reckoning in the United States.

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These are issues that have
been with us for awhile

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but it has pierced the conscious
of a broad swath of people.

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And then I think on one
hand, that's concerning.

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On another hand, that's
actually very exciting.

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And I think gonna allow us to
work together to solve issues.

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I think the second piece
is, is that we're still

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in the middle of a 100 year pandemic.

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And as you guys know,
that the pandemic tends

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to impact communities of
colors in different ways

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and sometimes in more intense ways.

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And so it's important for us
to ensure that we understand

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that there are multiple things going on,

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and I think use what's happening
in our society as a point

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to come together and to move
forward towards progress.

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(light upbeat music)

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Well as a black leader in business,

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there are a lot of
things that motivate me.

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I think first and foremost
is that I'm fortunate enough

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to have a platform and a level
of influence to make sure

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that I'm personally
accountable and involved

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in all the right conversations

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and I take that very, very seriously.

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I think the second piece is making sure

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that I understand the level

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of outstanding young, diverse talent

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that's coming through our Mars system

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and that I can be personally involved

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in terms of their development

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and hopefully their success over time.

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And I think thirdly is
just using a platform

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in a way that they can
help all of our associates

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in making sure that we have
the right conversations

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at the right time to ensure
that we all are trying

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to get to a more inclusive future.

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(light upbeat music)

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I'm optimistic about the business
for a variety of reasons.

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First of all, I think as a leader,

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it's important for us to make sure

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that we're setting the
right table for tomorrow.

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And I will tell you, at Mars,

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it's a very much of a focus for us.

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I think the second piece is just ensuring

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that as we think about the
pipeline of diverse talent

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that comes through all
types of organizations,

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it's incumbent upon people
like me to make sure we know

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who they are, we're supporting
them, we're mentoring as well

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because I think it helps all of us

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over a long period of time.

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(light upbeat music)

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I think there are a couple things

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with D, E, and I that needs
change in our industry.

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I think first is just the acknowledgement

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is that nothing changes overnight

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and that's very important for
us, I think, to understand.

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I think at Mars, one of the
things that we always like

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to represent is that look we're
in things for the long-term.

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And I think D, E and I, I think
is a part of that as well.

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So it's important for leaders
like me to be involved,

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to be focused, to be intentional

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and to ensure that
we're on the front lines

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in making sure that we have
an environment with equality.

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I think the second piece is just ensuring

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that we know that we can't do this alone.

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We are fortunate to be involved

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with some fantastic partners
from the King Center

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to the NAACP Legal Defense
Fund to PolicyLink.

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And so we know that doing
business and learning

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and connected with those partners
is going to make us better

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at D, E, and I, and making sure

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that as we bring our Mars
associates through the system

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that we're having a
more inclusive tomorrow.