Our Commitment to Combat Racial Inequities
A Letter From Our Chief Executive Officer
To Delta Community’s Members and Partners,
I want to acknowledge the rightful public anguish and anger over the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna
Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others before them. The disturbing images and details that have been made public
recently are just the latest evidence of an unpardonable reality that business and civic leaders must help change
– individual and institutional racism persist in our country and it must be identified, discussed and dealt with.
During this pivotal time, I believe it is extremely important for me, other business leaders and elected
officials who have not experienced such prejudices and discrimination personally to listen to and learn from those
who contend with inequality and fear in their daily lives. I also realize it is my responsibility as Chief
Executive Officer to articulate how Delta Community advocates for and contributes to the positive change our
country desperately needs on this most critical social issue.
As a not-for-profit, member-owned financial institution, our organization was founded on a commitment to
cooperation and fairness, and we strive to bridge racial divides through the following deliberate and purposeful
operational practices:
- We welcome consumers from all backgrounds. Our membership base consistently reflects the diverse
population of the metro Atlanta area we are privileged to serve. We partner with local TV and radio stations
(WSB, WXIA, Comcast and Majic 107.5) to promote our services on specific programs with a predominantly African
American audience and will continue to evaluate other opportunities to optimize this outreach.
- We value diversity in our workforce at every level. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity or sexual
orientation is not tolerated in any form. We benefit greatly by having employees and Board members with varied
experiences and opinions. These differences allow us to learn from one another as well as to make smarter, more
informed business decisions. With a diverse team, we are able to evaluate opportunities and challenges from
multiple perspectives. I am encouraged by the number of minority professionals we have promoted or recruited
into leadership roles during my tenure, and we have introduced formal succession planning, leadership
development and career coaching programs to understand our employees’ career aspirations and prepare them for
professional advancement.
- We invest in our communities to foster inclusion and prosperity. Our Community Development department
has built an impactful program that focuses on the physical and financial well-being of economically
disadvantaged youth and families. We allocate more than $850,000 in funds annually, and our ongoing activity
includes scholarships for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); educational
workshops on budgeting and career planning; and donations to non-profit organizations that offer job training
and other services to those who have not had access to the same opportunities as the general population or face
hardships rooted in systemic racial inequities.
- We are always open to feedback on how we can do better. Open, constructive discourse is key to a great
work environment, corporate culture and public trust. We proactively foster and engage in dialogue with our
employees, members and community partners as a means to hold ourselves accountable to our broader ideals and
everyday professional values. Internally, we hold quarterly Town Hall meetings at all of our locations and an
all-employee event each February, and these meetings provide us a forum to discuss all matters of concern.
Employees also know my door is always open. Externally, we survey members monthly and leverage various social
media platforms to encourage and engage in public dialogue.
Like many of you, I have listened closely to the impassioned and inspiring messages of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
over the past week in the wake of the violence and crime that have erupted amid the legal and justifiable
demonstrations in our city. I deeply respect her call for coalescence. My father spent his entire career in city
administration overseeing the delivery of essential public services in large municipalities, including
Philadelphia, Savannah, Melbourne (FL) and Tampa. He and my mother taught me the need to recognize everyone as a
neighbor and to collaborate with others for the greater, common good. I offer this personal detail as insight into
my sincere desire to ensure Delta Community’s environment is one of mutual respect and collective success for
members and employees alike.
I know we all desire an end to racial injustice and for the healing of our nation, but we understand there is at
least a generation’s worth of work still ahead. Each of us can make a difference individually, and through the
renewed and combined efforts of our 1,100 employees, Delta Community will achieve more.
Our thoughts and support are with the Floyd, Taylor and Arbery families along with all who have suffered pain and
trauma from recent events.
Hank Halter
Chief Executive Officer
