Commissioner Starks on Diversity MOU

Our major companies should have a workforce that looks like America, from entry-level positions to the board of directors. As I have long advocated, diversity is more than just best practices – it is good business. I appreciate how this principle is reflected in the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between T-Mobile and the National Urban League, National Action Network, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and UnidosUS. The MOU includes important diversity and inclusion initiatives, including increased efforts to hire and retain a diverse workforce, better diverse representation on the board, and improved outreach to communities of color. While this development does not change my opposition to the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, I boldly applaud the spirit behind these commitments and the roadmap that the document offers for other companies seeking to inject greater diversity and inclusion into their operations. To that end, I would expect T-Mobile to honor the commitments made here regardless of the outcome of pending litigation regarding this transaction. T-Mobile should fully utilize the wisdom and expertise of the civil rights organizations consulted here today consistent with its stated desire to champion diversity and inclusion. Execution is everything, and I look forward to seeing how T-Mobile follows through on the commitments made in this MOU.