Coca-Cola has been accused of reverse racism after a training video for its employees told them to “try to be less white”.
The soft-drink giant has been slammed for the racial discrimination training after a disgruntled employee shared it on social media and it went viral.
The training seminar was shared on LinkedIn with slides that featured tips on how “to be less white”, including being “less ignorant” and “less oppressive”.
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The slides came from an 11-minute video titled “Confronting Racism with Robin DiAngelo”, an author and consultant who argues white people are complicit in racist structures unless they actively work to be anti-racist.
“In the US and other Western nations, white people are socialised to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white,” one slide said.
Coca-Cola said the video was uploaded to their LinkedIn Learning platform but was not part of their compulsory curriculum.
“The video and images attributed to a Coca-Cola training programme are not part of the company’s learning curriculum,” the company said in a statement to The Sun.
“Our Better Together global training is part of a learning plan to help build an inclusive workplace. It is comprised of a number of short vignettes, each a few minutes long.
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“The training includes access to the LinkedIn Learning platform on a variety of topics, including on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“The video in question was accessible on the LinkedIn Learning platform but was not part of the company’s curriculum. We will continue to listen to our employees and refine our learning programmes as appropriate.”
Self-identified employment lawyer Harmeet K Dhillon accused the company of “blatant racial discrimination”.
While some people said they would boycott Coke, others supported the initiative, saying it was poorly worded but could encourage people to realise their racial prejudices.
It comes as Coca-Cola Amatil announced it was making the switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity in Australia and New Zealand by 2025.
The company has also released a prototype of their sustainable paper bottles, developed in partnership with Danish company Paboco, or Paper Bottle Company, which specialises in recyclable packaging for products.
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