Groupon Commits $350K To Black STEM Students As It Settles Race Discrimination Investigation

Groupon will establish a $350,000 fund to support Black students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Groupon is an American global e-commerce marketplace that connects subscribers with local merchants by offering activities, travel, goods, and services in 13 countries.

The fund is part of an agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) following an investigation surrounding Groupon’s hiring practices in 2016.

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

Groupon faced a complaint lodged by Adrian Stratton, who alleged Groupon did not hire him for a vice president position because he is Black.

STEM Education And Hiring Practices

According to a press release, Groupon has agreed to contribute $350,000 toward establishing an educational fund to improve Black students’ primary and secondary STEM education.

This will involve awarding scholarships to Black students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields.

“Groupon has demonstrated that it is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including through contributing to furthering STEM education and improving its hiring and recruiting practices,” said Diane Smason, Acting District Director of the EEOC’s Chicago District Office, according to the release.

Groupon has also expanded its annual equal employment opportunity (EEO) training for its management and employees and agreed to continue to review its existing EEO policies regularly.

The policies will be supervised by Groupon’s chief people officer and global head of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Additionally, Groupon will continue to partner with the EEOC to voluntarily provide annual reports on recruitment activities and hiring demographics to the EEOC.

“Building and nurturing a diverse and engaged workforce is a mission-critical priority for Groupon,” said Emma Coleman, Groupon’s Global Head of Communications and DEI.

“We also want to contribute to a future where there is equality of opportunity for all, and, in this spirit, we are excited to create the STEM educational fund.”