Sharks Announce Teal for Change Council

SAN JOSE, CA - Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE), the parent company of the
San Jose Sharks
(

For a video detailing the origins of Teal For Change,
click here
.
As an organization, SSE feels these issues that our society faces are bigger than hockey. In conjunction with the formal announcement of the Teal For Change Council, SSE felt it was important to publicly communicate a statement of our beliefs on this topic.
Sharks Sports & Entertainment believes in diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. We believe in equality for all individuals, regardless of race, age, gender identification, sexual preference, religious beliefs, or disabilities. We are committed to creating an atmosphere of belonging, implementing internal policy changes, diversifying hiring practices, allocating resources, and providing educational initiatives and programs to see our beliefs become reality. We believe every institution should also commit to structural changes and initiatives toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. We are passionate about these beliefs and dedicated to the work ahead. Please join us.
"Sharks Sports & Entertainment's mantra is 'Teal Together' which focuses on belonging," said Sharks President Jonathan Becher (

). "While we have made progress in integrating the Teal Together mindset throughout our company and being more inclusive in each of our initiatives, we have more work to do.
"Externally, recent conversations related to social justice have put a focus on the lack of diversity within the game of hockey. Inspired by our owner Hasso Plattner's insistence that everyone can 'do better,' the Teal For Change Council allows us to turn our words into action by tackling complex and, sometimes, difficult topics. We feel these actions will be thought-provoking, inspiring, and ultimately rewarding for those who embrace the challenge with a willingness to listen and learn."
Since its formation, Teal For Change has spearheaded multiple initiatives for SSE which include:
In addition, Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson and Jonathan Becher are participating in a series of NHL initiatives focused on the fight against racism and the mandate to make the sport of hockey and its governing league more welcoming and inclusive. Wilson is a member of the Executive Inclusion Council (EIC), comprised of owners, former players and club and league executives. Becher is co-chair of the Fan Inclusion Committee (FIC), focused on expanding the appeal of hockey to young, multi-cultural audiences.
Sharks forward Evander Kane serves as the co-head of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an organization launched in June by several current and former NHL players with the goal of eradicating racism and intolerance in hockey.
In the coming months, Teal For Change looks forward to announcing additional programs and initiatives with corporate partners and community collaborators directed at encouraging meaningful change within the game of hockey, our organization and our community.
For more information, please visit
sjsharks.com/tealforchange
.