LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Papa John's is putting an emphasis on diversity training after John Schnatter, the founder and face of the company, was ousted for using racist language.
The company is using a traveling bus called the “CEO Action Check Your Blind Spots Unconscious Bias Tour” to give employees diversity training.
The bus provides an interactive experience in diversity training.
It was in Louisville for a week and stopped at Humana, Yum! Brands, the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University before finishing the week at Papa John's.
“The bus is actually traveling the country making 100 stops at corporate campuses, college campuses, major festivals and events,” said Idalia Hill, the bus’ director of external communication.
Employees are encouraged to walk through different virtual reality scenarios inside the bus. The first scenario is a phone call between employees or landlords and a renter. Each scenario is designed to expose bias situations.
“I learned that we all have biases, whether they're conscious or unconscious,” Papa John’s employee Lyndsay Railey said.
Diversity and Inclusion became a top priority for Papa John's after Schnatter was ousted last summer. Forbes reported his racial language during a conference call.
“This is really important for us," said Victoria Russell, chief of diversity, equity and inclusion at Papa John's.
Russell said she thought about quitting after being with the company for more than a decade.
“I was disappointed in the comments, but I thought, ‘What can I do to make a difference?” Russell said.
That's when Russell was promoted to the company's first chief of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We're seeing a lot of change in the building,” she said.
This training is one of those changes over the last year.
CEO Steve Ritchie said in an interview last month that the company is putting more people in leadership positions to reflect gender and ethnic diversity.
Sales slumped the lowest in a decade after the shake-up with Schnatter, but Ritchie said they've finally stabilized.
“I have an opportunity to be a part of one of the largest turnaround stories for the brand,” Russell said.
This is just the beginning of that revolution, Russell said.
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