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El Pollo Loco pledges to be more inclusive of Hispanics
Launched at the World Economic Forum in 2019, The Hispanic Promise is a non-legally binding way to encourage business leaders and companies to create a more inclusive work environment for Hispanics.
November 8, 2019 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
El Pollo Loco is on a mission to be more inclusive, which is why it has signed The Hispanic Promise, a national pledge to hire, promote, retain and celebrate Hispanics in the workplace. Launched at the World Economic Forum in 2019, the promise is a non-legally binding way to encourage business leaders and companies to create a more inclusive work environment for Hispanics.
"By committing to the Hispanic Promise, El Pollo Loco pays homage to our Mexican heritage and roots in Sinaloa, Mexico, and reinvigorates the commitment to a people-first culture," CEO and President Bernard Acoca, said in an interview with FastCasual. "We will continue to practice our values and foster an inclusive workplace, taking positive actions to hire, promote, retain and celebrate Hispanics."
Acoca said the chain is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce; more than 80% of its employees are Hispanic.
"We also want to honor our brand's and employees' Hispanic heritage not only by hiring and promoting Hispanic employees, but also through company-wide programs and community service events," he said. "For example, in March, we embarked on the largest day of community service the company has ever organized to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, helping to restore a historic high school in Los Angeles."
During Hispanic Heritage Month, El Pollo partnered with Hispanic artists to revive defunct Latino murals throughout Los Angeles via augmented reality.
"We will also honor our Hispanic heritage ongoing by dedicating El Pollo Loco storefronts as the canvases to new murals from Latino artists," Acoca said.
Although more than 120 companies, so far, have signed the pledge, El Pollo Loco is one of the few restaurant brands that has committed.
"El Pollo Loco has an opportunity to make an impact on our community beyond food by living our values," Acoca said. "Making this pledge demonstrates our ongoing commitment to preserving and celebrating our and many of our employee's Hispanic heritage, and we hope our promise inspires other companies to do the same."
To learn more about the chain's mural project, watch the video below.
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