National Urban League Statement re: Meeting on Retail Profiling:

Earlier today, Marc H. Morial - President and CEO of the National Urban League, Rev. Al Sharpton - founder and President of the National Action Network, Hazel Dukes - President of the NAACP NY State Conference,  other civil rights and community leaders, and retail executives gathered to discuss steps to address racial profiling in the retail industry, or "shop-and-frisk."  With the CEOs of Barneys and Macy's present, along with representatives from Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and the Retail Council of NY State, the meeting participants each agreed to join a working group to review and recommend policies and training moving forward.

"Today's meeting of national civil rights leaders, community activists and key retailers was a vital step in the right direction of ending any profiling that occurs in the retail industry - whether via policy or in practice," said Morial. "This convening was just the beginning of concerted efforts that we will each be held accountable for seeing through to completion, with the development and implementation of industry best practices as the end goal."