We know that the innovation and creativity we strive to unlock every day is exponentially more powerful when each of us feels part of a community that values us, where we can show up every day as our true and whole selves, where we can share our stories and use our experiences to make a difference.
Unlocking the Power of Our Diversity
For Qurate Retail Group, cultivating inclusive environments is both a human issue and a business issue. We believe this is the right thing to do. We also believe that a culture of diversity, belonging, and fairness can fuel engagement and innovation, leading to better business performance and stronger communities.
Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is deeply rooted in our company’s Principles, which call on us to Drive Progress, Act With Empathy, Be Brave, Embrace the Future, and Do What’s Right. We recognize this is a journey, and we know we have plenty of work ahead of us. We intend to do what it takes to make a meaningful difference in this space, in order to empower our teams, our partners, and the communities in which we live and work.
Qurate Retail Group’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals and Commitments
We have announced specific, five-year goals for how we will support and advance underrepresented groups on Qurate Retail Group’s leadership team and across its workforce, vendors/suppliers, customers, and communities.
Increase diverse representation in our supervisory and leadership roles
- 25% of leaders to be members of underrepresented racial/ethnic groups by 2025
- Double % of Black & Hispanic/Latinx leaders to 12% and 10%, respectively, by 2025
- Achieve gender parity (50% women) at the director+ level, worldwide, by 2023
Develop inclusive leaders who are accountable for DE&I results
- All leaders to set DE&I goals for their areas of responsibility by 2021
- All leaders to complete training on inclusive leadership, microaggressions/allyship, and anti-racism/racial equity by 2022
Advance inclusion and equity for our teams, customers, and communities
- All 25,000 team members to complete training on unconscious bias, microaggressions/allyship, and anti-racism/racial equity by 2022
- Rank in the top quartile for DE&I on team member engagement survey by 2025
Elevate underrepresented businesses and products to invite a broader consumer base
- Spotlight 500 underrepresented small businesses by 2025
- Develop and implement a vendor/supplier diversity program by 2021
Support community involvement through relationships that advance social justice
Hold ourselves accountable by being transparent on our efforts and progress
- Publish first Corporate Responsibility Annual Impact Report in 2021, including DE&I update
Team Member Resource Groups
Our team member resources groups (TMRGs) are voluntary, team member-run groups, formed to advise and work on topics that matter to our communities.
They are ambassadors of our DE&I approach and enablers of the change towards more inclusive workplace environments where all team members can thrive. TMRGs help to create awareness, build connections, and enhance career development. Ultimately, TMRGs help to support business goals and drive positive impact in our local communities.
Our TMRGs
Each TMRG is open to all team members, including those who identify as members of a particular community and those who are interested or want to learn more and/or be allies.
| Affinity Focus | TMRG Name |
|---|---|
| Age | Age (China Sourcing Team) Our Stage (QVC Germany) |
| Asian American and Pacific Islander | REACH (Representation & Equity by Advocating the AAPI Community, with Hope for Humanity) |
| Black | BELIEVE (Black Employees Leading in Inclusion, Education, Vision, & Engagement) (QVC US & HSN) |
| Faith and Religion | InterFaith |
| General | Empowered Team (Global Business Services in Poland) |
| Hispanic/Latinx | Latinx (QVC US & HSN) |
| LGBTQ+ | Carrà (QVC Italy) LGBTQ+ (QVC Japan) Pride in Me (QVC UK) QRG Proud (QVC US & HSN) Queer & Allies (QVC Germany) Queerate (Zulily) |
| Mental Health | Every Mind Counts (QVC UK) Mental Health (QVC Japan) Mental Health (China Sourcing Team) |
| Parents and Caregivers | BaLaNCE (Balancing Life's Never-ending Challenges Effortlessly) |
| People of Color | B.R.A.V.E (Backgrounds Represented & Valued Everywhere) (QVC UK) Color Outside the Lines (Zulily) Colorful Q (QVC Germany) Ethnicity (QVC Italy) Ethnicity+Age (QVC Japan) |
| People with Disabilities | Ability (QVC Italy) Accessibility Allies (QVC UK) Disability+Age (QVC Japan) SQUID, INC. (Supporting Qurate Individuals with Disabilities, INCluding those who support & love individuals with disabilities) Together With & Without Disabilities (QVC Germany) |
| Social Origin | UMatter! (Your origin counts!) (QVC Germany) |
| Veterans | Vets@QRG |
| Women | C.H.A.N.G.E (Creating Headway & Normalizing Gender Equality) (QVC UK) Gender (China Sourcing Team) Gender (QVC Japan) Gender Empowerment (QVC Germany) Gender Equity (QVC Italy) Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) (QVC US & HSN) Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) (Zulily) Zulily Women In Technology (ZuWIT) (Zulily) |
Small Business Spotlight
In 2022, Qurate Retail Group℠ expanded its Small Business Spotlight program to further support entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups by giving participants more opportunities for national exposure on QVC®, HSN®, and Zulily®. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. It is currently expected that at least 100 diverse businesses will be selected for the program in 2022, adding to the approximately 160 small businesses that participated in the program through the end of 2021. The 2022 participants will appear live on-air on QVC, HSN or QVC2 during one of seven heritage and recognition months in 2022: Black History Month (in February), Women’s History Month (in March), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and National Military Appreciation Month (both in May), Pride Month (in June), National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (in October). QVC and HSN reach a combined total of more than 90 million homes via 5 television networks and reach millions more via multiple streaming services, social pages, mobile apps and websites.
New for 2022, online retailer Zulily is proud to enable shoppers to make a difference through specially curated shoppable events during each featured heritage and recognition month, with products from the selected Small Business Spotlight businesses.
Zulily launches thousands of products at amazing values each day, curating personalized shopping experiences to help moms around the world discover incredible deals and fresh style for themselves, their families and their homes.
2021 on-air Small Business Spotlight participants responding to our survey reported that they more than doubled their sales following their on-air appearance.
These respondents also reported an average 78% increase in website traffic, a 41% increase in number of customers and a 26% increase in email subscribers!
Size Inclusivity
We continue to prioritize size inclusivity across our apparel lines, building on our 30-plus year commitment to size-inclusive fashion. In September 2020, QVC and HSN hosted “Inclusively You,” our first-ever size inclusive and body positive summit. The virtual event gave attendees the opportunity to engage with some of the most influential women in body positivity through fireside chats, a beauty panel, and guidance on finding your perfect fit. The event featured Hunter McGrady, founder of the All Worthy Hunter McGrady fashion line, which we helped her create and which launched at QVC in 2020.
Enabling systemic change
Along with our internal efforts on enhancing belonging and equity, we undertook several actions with organizations to enable broader, more systemic change. This included offering a 100% match to U.S. team members donating to causes that support racial and social justice as well as a $1 million donation to the Equal Justice Initiative, in support of its commitment to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. We also joined hands with the following organizations on cultivating inclusion and supporting our communities:
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
Mike George, President and CEO, Qurate Retail, Inc., has signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, the largest CEO-driven pledge to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. More than 1,600 CEOs, representing leading companies and organizations worldwide, have signed the pledge and are using their collective voices to promote meaningful change on this important issue.
Civic Alliance
Civic Alliance is a non-partisan group of businesses working together to build a future where everyone participates in shaping our country. Our CEO signed the 100% In for Democracy initiative from Civic Alliance in 2020 calling for safe access to the polls for all voters to ensure every American has a voice in our democracy.
Time to Vote
In September 2020, Qurate Retail Group joined more than 1,000 companies in Time to Vote, a non-partisan, business-led initiative to help ensure that workers across America don’t have to choose between voting and earning a paycheck.
Standing with the AAPI Community
Amidst a sharp rise in violence and rhetoric targeting the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we stand with our team members, customers business partners, and neighbors around the world who are members of the AAPI community. In March 2021, we made a $200,000 contribution to Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC.
Equal Justice Initiative
In 2020, we donated over $1 million to the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), an organization committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
The Valuable 500
Reinforcing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Qurate Retail Group has signed on to The Valuable 500, a global collective uniting 500 of the most influential business leaders and their brands, to help unlock the social and economic value of people living with disabilities around the world. Read more about our commitment to advancing disability inclusion within our organization, and beyond.
Awards and Recognition
LGBTQ Workplace Equality
Qurate Retail Group is proud to receive a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Our perfect score makes us one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity
We are proud to be listed for two years in a row as one of Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity.
Gender Workplace Equality
Qurate Retail Group is proud to join the 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index which highlights our business as “committed to transparent reporting as well as addressing gender inequality”.
Small Business Spotlight Marks Two-Year Anniversary With Over 200 Entrepreneurs Featured So Far
June 6, 2022: Qurate Retail Group has donated more than $7 million in airtime, digital support and other services through Small Business Spotlight, which gives national exposure to underrepresented entrepreneurs on QVC, HSN and Zulily. Many on-air participants have reported increased sales and customer engagement.
Qurate Retail Group Celebrates Military Appreciation Month
May 19, 2022: Qurate Retail Group is working to elevate veteran-owned businesses and is hosting events for team members to recognize and honor the contributions of U.S. service members.
Qurate Retail Group Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May 2, 2022: Qurate Retail Group is working to elevate AAPI-owned businesses and is hosting events for team members on the history and achievements of the APPI community.
Qurate Retail Group Focuses on Inclusive Mindsets During Celebrate Diversity Month
April 29, 2022: Throughout April, Qurate Retail Group honored Celebrate Diversity Month by presenting an array of panel discussions, lectures and other learning opportunities.