Disclosureland

The 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked mass protests that pushed many institutions, including corporations, to confront racial inequality. From 2020 to 2024, companies issued public statements to align with racial justice causes and protect their reputations from claims that their practices perpetuate inequality. In response to conservative backlash, many began to withdraw those commitments. Disclosureland argues that corporate rhetoric – whether omitting past involvement in racial inequality, presenting race-conscious disclosures as evidence of action, or retreating under pressure – limits meaningful racial progress. Even when companies pledged to hire and promote people of color or fund racial equity causes, those pledges often served to narrow the scope of corporate responsibility. Through detailed analysis, Disclosureland shows how these practices preserve corporate financial interests while appearing responsive. The book is critical, corrective, and hopeful, urging a functioning federal government and corporate stakeholders to hold companies accountable for their words to enable real progress.

Author Biography

Atinuke O. Adediran is an expert on the relationship between business, law, and society. Her research has won national awards, including recognition from the Ford School at the University of Michigan, the Ford Foundation, and the Russell Sage Foundation. She is the former Senior Advisor for Racial Justice at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights and currently an Associate Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law.