We Have Work to Do

MSCI President and CEO M. Robert Weidner sent the following message to MSCI members on June 5, 2020. If you are interested in joining the conversation email [email protected].

Dear Member,

I hope this note finds you in continued good health. This past week has been unlike any our society has witnessed in at least a half century. As a result, this communication will not look like the ones that have hit your inbox over the last two months.

MSCI’s mission is “to build a community of industrial metals companies and related organizations that support the membership.” As CEO, I will be frank: we have work to do—within our own community, and in the communities we serve. The murders of George Floyd in Minnesota, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky have inspired protests in every one of our U.S. states. We must determine what we as a trade association and representative of the industry can do to address the underlying causes. Systemic injustices have gone unaddressed for centuries—and we in the business community have a responsibility to address these problems.

We do not have answers at this moment. I commit to you, however, that MSCI will take actions. We will ask questions and listen to those who are directly affected by social and economic inequalities, and then develop new education programs to promote diversity and inclusion in our community.

I invite every one of you into this conversation. As individuals, each of us must ask ourselves these difficult questions: What have I done? What can I do better? How can I use my individual talents, or position and platform, to help heal my community, my industry, our society?

We are asking those questions. We hope you will join us.

Bob