Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PLUS
Employee-Resource
Groups
Raise Participation,
Increase Their Value
Get Employees to See
‘What’s In It for Me?’
Generations in the
Workplace
How We Talk to Each Other
Helping Employees
Help Their Parents
Hispanic Heritage
Month Achievements
SPECIAL REPORT
Supplier-
Diversity Trends
your managers. We give you examples of the most effective mentoring celebrate the accomplishments of female leaders and inspire the next
Global
2011
programs, the metrics that demonstrate their value, and the success generation of women. In this report, readers will take a visual tour of
Values and
stories of mentors and mentees. We also this month give you the several museums and learn how companies are using them to raise Human
best ways to find talented people of all races, ethnicities, genders, gender awareness and build business. Rights
ages, religions, orientations and abilities.
WHO ARE TODAY’S SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS? Employee-Resource
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT From training suppliers looking to become more energy efficient to Groups/Generational
Chief Diversity Officer Cul-de-Sac: exploring “green” business opportunities, we will feature cutting-edge Communications
How Not to Get Boxed In corporate-sustainability initiatives. March 2-3, 2011
Washington, D.C.
WEBINARS WORK/LIFE MARCH 22 MONTHLY EDUCATION WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
RECRUITMENT APRIL 26 THEMES FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER
MENTORING MAY 17 DIVERSITYINC.COM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
How was the list determined and what factors changed paved the way for equality? And how is corporate America leading the charge for LGBT
this year? What lessons can you learn from the most pro- equality today? This special report will highlight innovative corporate LGBT initiatives
gressive companies? We also look at CEO commitment as they intersect with the gay-rights movement.
JUNE
We tell you how to start employee-resource groups and how they will In this second part to our supplier-diversity series, DiversityInc will show how corporate
benefit your recruitment, retention and talent-development efforts. supplier-diversity programs are opening opportunities to women-owned businesses to build
We show you what types of groups work best for different kinds of mutually successful companies.
companies, how these groups help relate to clients and customers,
and what the most innovative new groups are. BUILDING A STEM PIPELINE
What are companies that employ finance and technology professionals and engineers doing
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT to recruit and create a pipeline of more Blacks, Latinos and women? What programs/part-
Lack of Employee Engagement=Lack of nerships are they involved in? How are they filling critical jobs with people who have various
ERG Utilization backgrounds and perspectives?
WEBINARS GENERATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE JULY 26 MONTHLY EDUCATION HISPANIC HERITAGE
GLOBAL DIVERSITY AUG. 23 THEME FOR MONTH
EMPLOYEE-RESOURCE GROUPS SEPT. 20 DIVERSITYINC.COM
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE DIVERSITYINC TOP CLOSING THE HEALTHCARE-DISPARITIES GAP DIVERSITYINC EVENTS
50: DIVERSITY COUNCILS From educating vulnerable patient populations to including more
We demonstrate how DiversityInc Top 50 companies are using their Blacks and Latinos in clinical trials, we will focus on how some DiversityInc
OCT/NOV/DEC
2011
diversity councils to set and reach corporate diversity goals tied to organizations provide culturally competent care for all. Special
the revenue stream, to communicate and train employees, and to Awards
measure their success. We show you how senior executives are being CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY
held accountable for reaching their goals and objectives. Corporations increasingly are donating money, employee time and Nov. 6-8, 2011
innovative ideas to helping multicultural communities grow and Washington, D.C.
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT flourish. We focus on best practices and how companies are making
Diversity Misalignment: The Cost of Data & a difference.
Programs Not Matching Up
MONTHLY EDUCATION DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH
WEBINARS DIVERSITY COUNCILS OCT. 18
THEMES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH
LESSONS LEARNED FROM
DIVERSITYINC.COM
THE DIVERSITYINC TOP 50 NOV. 15
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY DEC. 13
NOV. 8–9, 2010 | THE RITZ-CARLTON, WASHINGTON, D.C.
DAY ONE
How Diversity Management Drives
Employee Engagement
DiversityInc will hold a one-day interactive learning session where we will have subject-
matter experts discussing a range of employee-engagement topics, focusing specifically on
how organizational behavior affects different groups and personality types.
EVENTS
The 2010 DiversityInc Special Awards 2010–2011
At a gala dinner, we will recognize eight leading companies as the top companies for
Working Families, Generational Communications, Global Cultural Competence, Community
Development, Talent Pipeline, Executive Development and Employee-Resource Groups.
Appearances include CEOs from Aetna, Deloitte, JCPenney, Ernst & Young, Procter &
Gamble and Rockwell Collins. Chely
DAY TWO Wright
THE PUBLIC SECTOR:
Implementing Effective Diversity Management GALA INNER
In a primer session aimed at federal agencies and companies doing business with the NOVEMBER 9
federal government, we will offer “how-to’s”—practical advice on implementing and Presentation and special
getting to the next steps in effective diversity management. performance by
award-winning country
singer/songwriter
TITLE SPONSORS
DINNER SPONSORS
MARCH 2–3 AND NOV. 6–8, 2011 | WASHINGTON MARRIOTT WARDMAN PARK, WASHINGTON, D.C.
EMPLOYEE-RESOURCE GROUPS
CONTENTS 20 Reach Your Business
SEPTEMBER 2010 Goals Through
Increased Participation
What can you learn from companies that most effectively
use these groups to reach their business goals? Get a
roadmap of the best practices for engaging ERG members
and furthering talent development and customer outreach.
GENERATIONS AT WORK
Help Employees
36 Care for Parents
COVER STORY Unresolved eldercare issues can translate into lost
The Prison
productivity and health problems for employees and
increased costs for employers. What best practices can
help your company?
Complex:
younger—and older—employees.
IN EVERY ISSUE 6 READER COMMENTS | 10 CEO’S LETTER | 14 EDITOR’S LETTER | 139 COMPANY INDEX
2 DiversityInc
heartofcommerce.com
© 2009 MasterCard
As a global network that connects people of all backgrounds, MasterCard Worldwide understands that when s, s, s
and s work together, it creates the fresh thinking that leads to groundbreaking ideas. That’s why supporting diversity lies at
the foundation of our company. Because diversity is at the heart of innovation and innovation puts MasterCard® squarely at
The Heart of Commerce.™
NEXT ISSUE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE DIVERSITYINC TOP 50
SEPTEMBER 2010
The 2010 DiversityInc
Departments
2010
TOP
50
16 Facts & Figures
DIVERSITY TOP 50 LIST
Hispanic Heritage Month No. 1 Sodexo
No. 2 Johnson & Johnson
18 DiversityInc Special
No. 3 AT&T
Award Winners
No. 4 Kaiser Permanente
1102 Legal Update No. 5 Ernst & Young
‘Abusive’ Workers May Be an No. 6 PricewaterhouseCoopers
Employer’s Liability No. 7 Marriott International
PAGE 16
1106 The Inside View No. 8 IBM Corp.
Diversity Programs: Debunking No. 9 Bank of America
3 Myths No. 10 Abbott
110 Building a Pipeline No. 11 Verizon Communications
Is There a Black or Latino No. 12 American Express Co.
Doctor in the House? No. 13 Merck & Co.
No. 14 Colgate-Palmolive
112 Corporate Responsibility
No. 15 KPMG
AT&T Empowers Women in
Afghanistan, Rwanda No. 16 Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
No. 17 The Coca-Cola Co.
118 Employee Engagement No. 18 Procter & Gamble
Reaping the Value of
No. 19 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
‘Differences’
PAGE 18 No. 20 Health Care Service Corp.
122 Military Memorial No. 21 Cox Communications
What Can Your Company Do to No. 22 Accenture
Honor WWII Vets? No. 23 Time Warner Cable
1130 Leadership Profiles No. 24 MGM MIRAGE
CVS Caremark’s David Casey No. 25 Deloitte
PAGE 102
No. 26 Cummins
Women’s Forum for the
Economy and Society’s No. 27 HSBC - North America
Aude Zieseniss de Thuin No. 28 Monsanto Co.
Deloitte’s Jim Wall No. 29 General Mills
No. 30 Aetna
Walt Disney’s Christine Cadena
No. 31 Capital One
Marriott International’s
No. 32 Prudential Financial
Stéphane Masson
No. 33 The Walt Disney Co.
U.S. Internal Revenue Service’s
No. 34 JPMorgan Chase
Elaine Ho
No. 35 Kraft Foods
Procter & Gamble’s
No. 36 Toyota Motor North America
Beverly Grant
No. 37 Cisco Systems
ITT’s Angela Buonocore
No. 38 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Pfizer’s Dan Buriak No. 39 Time Warner
Wyndham Worldwide’s No. 40 Target Corp.
Patricia Lee No. 41 SC Johnson
Rutgers University’s No. 42 MetLife
Dr. Kamal Khan No. 43 Wells Fargo & Co.
Belk’s Nicole Dean No. 44 Ford Motor Co.
1140 People and Events No. 45 Comerica
No. 46 JCPenney
1142 People on the Move No. 47 Northrop Grumman Corp.
PAGE 112 1144 Ask the White Guy No. 48 Xerox Corp.
Is It OK to Alter Your Standards No. 49 Automatic Data Processing
to Conform to Another Culture? No. 50 WellPoint
4 DiversityInc
Why Is ‘Illegal
READERCOMMENTS
Immigrant’ a
Dehumanizing Term?
Thank you for pointing out the responsibility we have as citizens, busi-
ness owners, managers, etc. Our desire [was] to have cheap labor to stock
the shelves of our stores, to have household help at less than a living wage,
to hold on to our money while taking advantage of the services of people
who cannot survive on the wages they make unless 20 people share a dwell-
ing designed for three or four people. We looked the other way so long as
we could have our cheap labor. Now that there are predictions that there
will be more Spanish-speaking people in this nation than English-speaking,
we’re worried about learning a new language. Now that jobs are scarce, we
worry about high unemployment—even for jobs that few people want, and
still at wages well below the level of subsistence. We asked these people
to come here, begged and enticed them to come here, and now we want to
blame and punish them for showing up. Shame on all of us.
Celia (no last name given)
It has seemed obvious to me for some time now that border “issues”
are mostly on our southern border. It is equally clear that it has something
to do with standard of living—very similar between the United States and
Canada to our north, but greatly disparate between the United States and
Mexico to our south. In talking with my brother about this issue, he sug-
gested the term “economic refugee,” which seems just right to me. Perhaps
use of this term would allow for more nuanced discussion and give another
perspective to this conversation. Keeping the focus on immigration status,
which is either legal or illegal, doesn’t easily lead to talk about all the many
gray areas. Some might think that this is a semantic argument or (worse)
“politically correct,” but I think our words are very powerful. What picture
does the term “economic refugee” call to your mind? Now contrast that with
your mental image of “illegal alien.” Different, right? The discussion of and
solution set for issues involving economic refugees are different, too. Linda
(no last name given)
6 DiversityInc
every voice matters
I
t’s no surprise that a study, as the title declares, “... Finds Racial
Prejudice in the South.” It’s similar to finding sand on a beach or water
in the ocean and even more apparent in the age of the Tea Party, the Muslim Holy
Birthers, the Glenn Becks, the Rush Limbaughs and, ironically, the first
openly Black president of the United States. The results and the existence of
Month of
these prejudicial practices in the 19th–21st centuries speak to the institution-
alization of racism in America. What is disturbing is how “unsurprising” the
Ramadan
study’s findings are. There is the American mythology: of a group of “United Read the original article at
States”; of a democratic republic where “all men are created equal, that they www.DiversityInc.com/ramadan
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”; of Section One of the Good article. What does this
Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing “equal protec- mean for us at the local and
tion” under the law. The mythology carries over to the present day with con- global workplace?
servative so-called “strict constructionists” demanding that the Constitution
When organizing cross-time
be applied as written, while fully cognizant that, on the front line of our meetings, do check with col-
democratic system—the judiciary—it is not. They are quite content that we leagues if the timing affects the
continue to be a nation of warring factions … Red State vs. Blue State; white Iftar (breaking of the fast).
vs. Black, red and brown; rich vs. poor; straight vs. gay; able vs. disabled, etc. Planning of global meetings/
It would appear that the Equal Justice Initiative found racial prejudice in the events: Avoid three days before
South primarily because it’s the only place they looked. Jonscott Williams Ramadan ends and three days
after Ramadan ends. At the end
KKK Robes: of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate
Eid ul-Fitr.
Why Were They Allowed If global events are held in the
month of Ramadan, ensure
in the Classroom? Muslim colleagues are given
time for Iftar. Also, arrange with
See DiversityInc’s article on this topic at hotels to provide for their early-
www.DiversityInc.com/kkk-robes-in-class morning meal instead of the
typical breakfast.
I
t is undeniable that the KKK garb is offensive. I am troubled, however, If organizing lunch meetings
by what I perceive as a tendency to jump to righteous judgment and and you have Muslim colleagues,
condemnation of what seems to be a well-intentioned teacher who was avoid bringing in the lunch to the
employing a somewhat unorthodox approach to engage students in meeting room; have lunch before
learning about and discussing racism and U.S. history. I worry that the unin- the meeting as courtesy (Muslim
tended consequence of this kind of reaction is to continue to stifle attempts, colleagues have no objections if
imperfect and messy as they may be, to grapple honestly with our shared his- you have your coffee/tea in the
tory. Instead of constructive and capacity-building discussions about intent meeting room; the rule is always
versus impact and how different perspectives can arise from different histor- ask if it’s OK).
ical contexts, I am concerned that the message we reinforce is that race and The above suggestions are in the
racism are simply too loaded and fraught with danger to be discussed openly. spirit of inclusion and respect.
Once again, we end up talking past each other. DiversityInc.com comment Hamidah Marican
CONTACT US
We welcome your comments. Letters must include your name and, if applicable, company affiliation and
title. E-mail letters to editor@DiversityInc.com. We reserve the right to edit all submissions.
8 DiversityInc
We judge our people on their
contributions, not gender, skin color,
sexual orientation, or background.
And that’s what fuels our growth
At Deloitte, the strength we gain from the diversity of our talent gives us the ability
to create teams that are more effective in delivering value and innovative business
solutions to our clients.
As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about
for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.
Copyright © 2010 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
CORGANIZED HATEC
CEO’SLETTER
Who’s Working
Against Diversity—
And Why
Many of you expressed your opinions on my CNN
appearance in August (www.DiversityInc.com/CNN).
Setting aside the question of whether the
Tea Party is racist, I want you to know about what
happened after my appearance.
I had my first death threat—and first call of congrat- beyond commenting on the website to e-mails and
ulations—before I even left the CNN building. What’s phone calls to our advertisers. Did we lose business?
more interesting is that we were bombarded with a Hard to say, but my hunch is that we all gain more
stream of extremely hostile comments on our website business by sticking to principles of equity and justice
about the appearance. The comments were clearly than we lose by not bending to bigotry and oppression.
NOT from regular readers of DiversityInc. This isn’t Supporting “diversity” does not mean there’s
the first time this has happened; for example, my inter- an implied necessity to embrace opinions equally.
view with Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler drew several “Diversity,” as this publication defines it, requires a
dozen hostile comments from Naval Academy gradu- deep, introspective, thoughtful analysis of motiva-
ates from the 1950s and 1960s, a period of history when tions and behavior. It demands a clear-eyed view of
Black sailors were mainly relegated to serve food, outcome. It demands going beyond the “self-evident”
regardless of capability or intelligence. These men correlations presented as facts in the weak-minded
(women were not allowed in the Naval Academy in that “Freakonomics” manner—where abortions are linked
era) were obviously not readers of DiversityInc—and to crime without a discussion of poverty and race.
since that article had no exposure on CNN, how did This thoughtfulness is demanded because “diversity”
they know to look at the article and post comments? is a pragmatic business subject. There are many “busi-
What’s even more telling is that, in every case that ness cases for diversity,” but the workplace environ-
this organized response happened, immediately ment one is the most direct: A workplace environment
after I wiped the hateful responses off the website, that enables people to feel equally engaged is far more
they stopped coming in. In other words, as soon as productive than one where certain groups are less
I stopped playing ball, the organizers directed their engaged. Productivity equals money. Since the work-
people to find another game. force in this country will be 70 percent women and/
This organized response is new; it started happening or Black and Latino by 2016, the competitor that gets
three years ago with my response to anti-LGBT-rights this right will beat the one that doesn’t. It would be
leader Peter LaBarbera’s column in our magazine in nice, of course, if you could just love your neighbor, but
2007 (www.DiversityInc.com/homophobe). There’s you don’t have to love Black people to see that equally
a consistent trend: Whenever we have a particularly engaged Black people are good for your bottom line.
effective piece, we get the most virulent response from Sensitivities are more heightened today than in any
non-readers. period since we started publishing DiversityInc (as a
What changed with the CNN appearance was that website) in 1997. I think that’s because the organization
the organization of the response improved. It moved of the people leveraging hate to accrete power is better
10 DiversityInc
scientists love rainbows
So do marketers, controllers, shift supervisors … At BASF,
we believe that when you invest in the talents of unique and
creative individuals, great ideas can blossom. That’s how we’ve
built the world’s most successful and responsible chemical
company – one person and one colorful personality at a time.
At BASF, we create chemistry. www.basf.com/careers
CEO’SLETTER
than ever. They are using web-based technology well Be enlightened about motivations. Understand why
and drafting off the fear created by the worst economic innocuous web discussions often seem to degenerate
disaster since 1932. In a previous CEO letter, I predicted into racist rants. Know that there are moneyed special
that the largest group of people hurt by this recession interests driving this division of Americans—and don’t
would be lower “middle-class” white people—and that’s allow your corporation to passively be damaged by
exactly what’s happening. On a percentage basis, Black-, hate-leveraging profiteers.
Latino- and women-headed households are certainly P.S. I encourage you to read up on how propa-
being hurt worse, but mathematically, more white peo- ganda works. Calvin College has an amazing collec-
ple have been financially affected than any other group. tion of Joseph Goebbels’s essays. If you go to www.
When the majority is hurt economically, the psycho- DiversityInc.com/calvin, the link will take you to the
logical damage is greater. Freshly damaged people can best part of the collection. Read it and tell me we’re not
be led to do things in a fear-based reaction. And the seeing our society manipulated the same way.
cynical people behind the scenes can leverage that fear
to make money. We’ve done a series of investigative
articles. Our articles on Goldman Sachs and the sub-
prime crisis, the food industry and obesity—and in this
Luke Visconti, CEO
issue, the prison industrial complex—show you exactly CEO@DiversityInc.com
how and why racism is leveraged to make money. www.twitter.com/LukeVisconti
Luke Visconti
Chief Executive Officer
Copyright 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means, print, electronic or any other, without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
12 DiversityInc
EDITOR’SLETTER
CEMPLOYEE-RESOURCE GROUPSC
Your Greatest
Business-
Growth Asset
C
ompanies maximizing diversity management’s ability to bolster demographics,
engagement and community connections increasingly rely on their employee-
resource groups (ERGs). Yet even among companies with longstanding ERGs and all
the established best practices, there’s a persistent challenge in getting employees to join and
assume leadership roles, especially across business units and geographic locations.
As we visit companies at all stages of diversity devel- ERG members’ presence on sales calls and reaping the
opment as part of our benchmarking practice, the benefits, of talent development, retention and recruit-
same issues arise. Overall, membership in ERGs at ment at unprecedented levels because of ERG involve-
DiversityInc Top 50 companies is rising rapidly, increas- ment. At KPMG, which was named DiversityInc’s Top
ing on average from just 5 percent of all employees five Company for Employee-Resource Groups in November
years ago to 19 percent this year. But is that 19 percent 2009, employee participation rose by 17 percent in one
primarily at corporate headquarters? And why aren’t far year through the use of innovative ERG communica-
more of the company’s greatest assets fully engaged in tion methods, such as virtual ERGs. At Aetna, a recent
driving representation, talent development and sales to survey found that ERG members were 10 percent more
the increasingly multicultural marketplace? And how engaged than non-ERG members.
do you encourage involvement of hourly and/or union Here’s some simple advice: If you don’t have ERGs,
workers, especially in different locations? get them in place as quickly as you can, using estab-
Through more than 10 years of assessing ERGs lished best practices to ensure their purpose and goals
as part of the DiversityInc Top 50, we’ve learned the are aligned with your company’s. If you already have
answers and keep on top of the best solutions. We’ve them, make sure you are using them fully—and that
been meeting frequently with ERG leaders at bench- means getting as many of your employees as possible
marking clients around the country to help them really involved, having strong senior-leadership partici-
bolster, retain and fully utilize their ERG membership. pation, and putting these groups into play internally and
We’ve also started helping them with global ERGs and externally to grow your business.
have recently done cutting-edge research on types and
best practices of these global groups.
The examples of companies using their ERGs to Barbara Frankel
grow their business in every way multiply constantly.
We find story after story of innovative ideas for sales SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
to specific communities, of companies mandating editor@DiversityInc.com
14 DiversityInc
®
DAILY REQUIR
EMENTS
AT KELLOGG
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Cengage Learning, National Archives, Library of Congress, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The Pulitzer Prizes, National Baseball Hall of Fame, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
1821 Spain cedes Florida to United States for $5 million
1845 Texas is annexed by U.S.
1846 Mexican American War begins
1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo cedes Texas, California, Arizona, New
Dennis Chávez Mexico, parts of Colorado, Utah and Nevada to U.S.
1898 Spain signs Treaty of Paris; transfers Cuba, Puerto Rico and
the Philippines to U.S.
1917 Jones Act extends U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans
1917 During World War I, “temporary” Mexican farm workers, railroad laborers
and miners enter U.S. to work
1925 Border patrol is created by Congress
1936 Dennis Chávez becomes first Latino elected to U.S. Senate
1943 During World War II, Mexico supplies temporary farm workers, known as
Braceros, to U.S. to help ease labor shortage
1950 Puerto Rico becomes U.S. commonwealth
1954 Hernandez v. Texas: U.S. Supreme Court decision deems “Hispanic” a
separate class of people suffering discrimination
1959 Fidel Castro takes power
United States Trade Representative, The White House, The New York Times, National Immigration Law Center, U.S. Department of Justice
Henry Cisneros 1965 Mexico and U.S. allow corporations to operate assembly plants on the
border to provide jobs for Mexicans displaced when Bracero Program
ends
1974 The Equal Educational Opportunity Act for public schools introduces
bilingual education
1975 The Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1975 make bilingual ballots a
requirement in certain areas
1986 The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) enables undocumented
immigrants, under certain conditions, to gain legal status. The law also
makes it illegal for employers to knowingly hire or recruit undocumented
immigrants
1988 Lauro Cavazos becomes first Latino secretary of education
1990 Antonia Novello becomes first woman and first Latino
U.S. surgeon general
1993 President Bill Clinton appoints Federico Peña secretary of Department of
Antonia Novello Transportation and Henry Cisneros secretary of Department of Housing
and Urban Development
1994 The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect,
eliminating all tariffs between trading partners Canada, Mexico and U.S.
2003 At 37.1 million, Latinos officially become the nation’s largest
“minority” group
2005 Alberto Gonzales confirmed as U.S. attorney general
2009 Sonia Sotomayor sworn in as 111th and first Latino justice of the
U.S. Supreme Court
2010
April A controversial new law in Arizona, SB 1070, orders immigrants to carry
their registration documents at all times and police to question anyone
Left to right: Sonia they suspect is in the U.S. without documentation
Sotomayor with Vice
President Biden and July Justice Department files lawsuit against Arizona, charging the state’s
President Obama new immigration law as unconstitutional
16 DiversityInc
DiversityInc Celebrates
Hispanic Heritage Month
Latino Population Latinos, 25 and older…
DEMOGRAPHICS
EDUCATION
as a % of the nation’s population
with a high-school education
(current U.S. population: 86.6%)
15%
2008
2006
1 in
7 2013
BETWEEN 2005 AND 2016
College enrollment for U.S. Latinos
is expected to increase by
6
13%
1 in
11%
45%
compared with 16.8%
for the total population
1980 1990 2000 2008
107%
Latino 3
349%
$951
BILLION
Asian American 3
337%
$490 %
American Indian 213%
BILLION
compared with 14% for the non-Latino population
$212 Black 8
187%
BILLION
3 Largest White 1
151%
Latino Groups Mexican 1990 2000 2008 2013
in the U.S. by Countries 65.7%
of Origin (2008) (30.7
MILLION) 10 States With the Largest Latino
Share of Buying Power
As of 2008, only
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Selig Center for Economic Growth
September/October 2010 17
SPECIALAWARDS
On Nov. 8, 2010, in Washington, D.C., eight companies will be honored by DiversityInc, with their CEOs
present to accept the awards. For details on the Nov. 8 dinner, go to www.DiversityInc.com/events
18 DiversityInc
contributed to the two-point increase to a 93 percent development opportunities for its members. These
favorable rating on diversity and inclusion in the events support Aetna’s business goals while highlighting
employee-engagement survey. the contributions of its military-trained employees.
•WHAT THEY DID
AetVets also participates in annual community events
TOP COMPANY FOR EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT such as the Hartford Veterans Day Parade, USO
Sodexo Fleet Week in New York City, and Rolling Thunder
• INNOVATIVE APPROACH Motorcycle Rally in Washington, D.C. In 2009,
Sodexo decided to quantify the value of its eight Connecticut Employer Support for the Guard and
Employee Network Groups, with total employee mem- Reserve (ESGR) recognized Aetna’s efforts by awarding
bership of 3,500. it the Five Star Employer for its support of employees
• WHAT THEY DID who serve in the Guard and Reserves. AetVets is cur-
The company designed and conducted an ROI sur- rently working on a formal on-boarding and re-entry
vey to measure engagement and correlation between program for newly hired citizen-soldiers and veterans,
group involvement and career advancement, as well as and for recently deployed Aetna citizen-soldiers.
perceived value of groups to the organization and actual
ROI. Sixty-five percent of respondents cited enhanced
professional and personal development as a key moti- TOP COMPANY FOR WORKING FAMILIES
vating factor. PricewaterhouseCoopers
• INNOVATIVE ERG
PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Emerging Women’s
TOP COMPANY FOR GLOBAL CULTURAL COMPETENCE Networking Circle (eWNC) facilitates personal and
Novartis career development of associate- and senior-associate-
Pharmaceuticals Corp. level women through the mutual exchange of experi-
• INNOVATIVE ERG ences, opportunities and understanding of the firm.
The Novartis Indian Cultural Exchange (NICE), formed • WHAT THEY DID
three years ago, fosters professional growth for its 230 The eWNC began in 2002 as an informal group of women
members, brings cultural insight to the company about staff from PwC’s Advisory Healthcare Practice in the
Asian Indians, serves as a resource and educates global Washington, D.C., office. The Washington Metro eWNC
associates working in emerging growth markets about has grown to more than 300 members from all lines of
the business and political environment in India. service and specialties at the firm. Specifically designed
• WHAT THEY DID for the more junior professional women, the eWNC
NICE participated in “ride alongs” with sales represen- encourages participants to develop strong relationships
tatives in areas with high populations of South Asian and networking skills early in their careers and provides
physicians, providing advice and best practices to help a forum for learning skills and behaviors critical to career
colleagues better answer questions and interact with advancement at PwC. The eWNC’s mission and activities
doctors. NICE has worked closely with the Novartis team have become a model for operations by other resource
members responsible for its osteoporosis treatment to groups, which PwC calls “circles.”
build a culturally competent awareness campaign target-
ing at-risk South Asians. This ERG also regularly pro-
vides cultural context on how best to establish ties with TOP COMPANY FOR GENERATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS
domestic organizations, such as the American Association Accenture
of Physicians of Indian Origin, and how to approach new • INNOVATIVE ERG
partners and employees in India. Accenture’s Experienced Hire Interest Group started
in 2006 in Dallas as a pilot and became an official group
in 2007. In 2009, it spread across 17 U.S. locations. The
TOP COMPANY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT group is aimed at mature new hires and helps them
Aetna learn about the company methodologies, processes and
• INNOVATIVE ERG project-management principles, share success stories,
Aetna Veterans Employee Resource Group (AetVets) work together to overcome common issues, and facili-
has more than 100 members from Aetna locations tate group initiatives and collaboration.
across the country and is comprised of citizen-soldiers • WHAT THEY DID
and veterans from all U.S. military services, as well as The Experienced Hire Interest Group has created a
relatives, friends and supporters of the military. AetVets “Start-Up Kit” to assist new sites in quickly and easily
coordinates a variety of activities and professional- forming an experienced-hire group. DI
September/October 2010 19
The Value of ERGs
20 DiversityInc
ERSIT Y I NC ROU N DTA BLE
A DI V
EMPLOYEE-RESOURCE GROUPS
There’s a reason they’re called “resource” groups: They are key to finding and
developing company leaders and reaching increasingly diverse customers.
Reach
Business
YOUR
GoalsThrough Increased
Participation
All of The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® and an increasing
number of companies nationally—and globally—now have employee-resource groups (ERGs).
Find out why they’re so important from the recent chief diversity officer
roundtable at our Newark, N.J., headquarters.
PLUS INTERVIEWS WITH 6 OTHER CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICERS ON THEIR ERGs
BY BA R
BA R A FR A N K EL
September/October 2010 21
The Value of ERGs
We interviewed 10 companies on the DiversityInc Top 50 and DiversityInc 25 Noteworthy Companies lists
with the highest scores on employee-resource groups, in areas such as percentage of employees in groups,
percentage of employees in more than one group, having an executive sponsor of the group (especially one who
is cross-cultural), having the groups meet regularly with the CEO, and using the groups specifically for recruit-
ment, talent development and community outreach. We find a definitive correlation between the utilization of the
groups and their racial/ethnic/gender diversity, engagement and retention, as well as anecdotal evidence of their
penetration of new markets through the use of their groups.
We also recently held a roundtable at DiversityInc headquarters with chief diversity officers at four of these com-
panies—KPMG, Deloitte and Kraft (Nos. 15, 25 and 35 on The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity
list), and Pfizer, one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies—and their comments are incorporated here.
In this article, we will examine three key benefits of employee-resource groups: leadership development,
customer outreach and improving corporate culture. In each of these areas, we will demonstrate best practices for
success. You’ll note that the groups are called different things by different companies—business-resource groups,
associate-resource groups and, sometimes, employee networks or affinity groups. We strongly recommend the
word “resource” be used to differentiate the business value of these groups from the social-networking connota-
tion many had in their early days. And the term “affinity” implies the groups are only for those of a certain demo-
graphic, which is not the case in any successful group.
Benefit
1 Leadership Development
E mployee-resource groups are the most vital step at companies to identify and
nurture talent—and to retain valued employees. Often, they are used to help
those who might not otherwise be identified as leadership material to develop those
skills through leadership positions within the ERG and to expose them to senior man-
agers, including the CEO.
At Kraft, employee-resource councils are major HR and organizational-development
players and lead the formal mentoring program. Jim Norman, vice president of diver-
sity, tells us they are essential to “engaging our leaders, their members, themselves, and
reaching out inclusively across the organization, whether it be one-on-one mentoring or If you pay
mentoring pods.” attention to
The employee-resource groups at KPMG are key in the mentoring process as well.
“We strongly encourage diversity in mentoring relationships, both upstream and down- the canary
stream, because you need those different perspectives,” says Kathy Hannan, national as the miner
managing partner, diversity and corporate social responsibility. She adds that the firm
encourages their ERGs to cross-pollinate in setting up mentoring relationships “so you does, it saves
will have a female African-American mentoring a male in the GLBT network.” lives. The
Kraft also has an employee-council leadership academy, where leaders of the groups get
the same type of business training for two days that business leaders receive, except their
ERGs are
focus is the alignment to diversity and inclusion strategies. Five of the 10 councils already the miner’s
have had this training, which also includes a half day of implementation training.
Pfizer’s Chief Diversity Officer Ed Gadsden cites the value of using the groups
canaries.
to validate HR processes for talent development and retention already in place. “It Jim Norman, Kraft
sometimes puts an organization on the spot around how committed they are because
sometimes you get the feedback,” he says. “Resource groups will let you know when
you’re not listening and help you to understand what you should be doing differently if
you want a much more engaged employee.”
Benefit 1 Kraft uses its employee councils to help with its peer coaching, which impacts three critical points
CASE STUDY where employees can slip in leadership development—movement from the field office to a corporate
headquarters; succession planning over the next two to three years; and managers who need to be
more effective in dealing with traditionally underrepresented groups. Peer coaches are nominated and
receive two full days of customized training. They meet quarterly to share skills and observations.
22 DiversityInc
i see giant bubble
thought bubble
bubblegum bubble
soap bubble
At Johnson & Johnson, we know that everyone has a unique perspective on the world.
And the more perspectives you have, the better your view will be.
We know that what makes you unique makes us a better company.
That’s why we’re committed to promoting diversity in the community and within our company.
Diversity is inventive.
Diversity is
© 2010 Johnson & Johnson Services Inc.,
The Value of ERGs
Benefit
2 Customer Outreach
I ncreasingly, companies are relying on their employee-resource groups as criti-
cal to developing and field-testing products and services aimed at traditionally
underrepresented groups. They also are used with increasing frequency on major
client calls and in establishing client relationships. Here are a few examples:
• At Ernst & Young, No. 5 in the DiversityInc Top 50, the executive sponsor of the
LGBTA group had a discussion with a client. As they talked, the sponsor, a heterosexual We’re selling
man, wondered whether he should “come out” as the executive sponsor or whether it
might hurt the business relationship. When he did, the client complimented him and our intellectual
said he identified as a gay man and now felt much more connected to the firm. capital. The
• At American Express, No. 12 in the DiversityInc Top 50, the employee-resource
groups are used for product development, customer-service enhancements and mar-
minds and voices
keting campaigns geared toward traditionally underrepresented groups. For example, of our people are
the company’s AHORA network (Association of Hispanics Organized to Raise incredible and
Awareness) was involved in the creation of the Felicidades gift card aimed at Latinos
and in the implementation of Spanish-speaking call centers. to get this from
• Pfizer has a business-maximization team that came out of its colleague-resource a very diverse
groups, and the team’s emerging market group examined “What are the things we
need to be doing to be able to market not only our products but the research efforts to
perspective is
reach global communities we’re not in right now? What’s it going to take for us to be just essential to
successful in China? To continue in India? Latin America? Who will be the principal
purchasers?”
our continued
• Kraft has had employee councils for the last 25 years, and they started as educational success in the
and then HR groups. But the members of these groups (there are 10 now) actually market.
showed the organization the value of multicultural marketing, says Norman. For
example, snacks are tested on Kraft employee-council members to ascertain cultural- Kathy Hannan,
ly competent ingredients, domestically and globally. About eight years ago, the Asian- KPMG
American employee council invited internal senior marketing leaders and external
chefs and food experts to explore the profile and tastes of Asian consumers globally.
• Ford Motor Co., No. 44 in the DiversityInc Top 50, uses its employee-resource groups to sell cars by giving its
Friends & Families discount. The groups also are key liaisons to community organizations.
Benefit 2 Pfizer ran a clinical trial at a hospital in South Africa. A few resource-group employees recognized
CASE STUDY that the trial group was almost entirely white. Pfizer realized that by identifying primarily white
physicians to select patients, the company was not getting a true representation of the population
of patients. Pfizer changed its protocol on physician selection and the patient base became much more diverse.
Gadsden states: “If we don’t have the breadth of participation in those trials, we may miss an opportunity to provide
a level from a medical perspective to a patient—and that’s huge.”
Benefit
3 Corporate Culture
A s companies merge and expand their reach glob-
ally, keeping the core values intact becomes a
challenge. That’s where employee-resource groups
“We as an organization are getting bigger and people
are geographically dispersed. Business-resource groups
create a sense of community and connectivity,” says
come in. Of the DiversityInc Top 50, 60 percent now John Zamora, chief diversity officer of Deloitte.
have global resource groups, and those are increas- “When you’re a company as large as we are—we have
ing constantly. Most of the global groups are aimed at 110,000 global employees—having a one-Pfizer cul-
women, but a few companies are adding groups based ture is a bit of a challenge,” notes Gadsden. “What our
on orientation and disability. colleague-resource groups have done is help to continue
24 DiversityInc
The Value of ERGs
W hat’s next for employee-resource groups? Gadsden predicts they will focus on initiatives
more from a business perspective and narrow how they help the organization. Norman
adds: “They will be more clear on what problems they are solving, what innovation they are bring- GLOBAL
ERGs
ing, what opportunity they are offering.”
They also will work more collaboratively across groups, according to several of the companies +650%
interviewed. And the groups are increasingly being viewed for their distinct abilities, rather than
being put in a cookie-cutter mold.
As Billie Williamson, Americas inclusiveness officer at Ernst & Young, notes: “Our people
resource networks have each contributed in very different ways based on the needs and inter- VETERANS
ests of the participants. Our Professional Women’s Network was our first formal network and a ERGs
trailblazer in addressing skill and mentoring needs. The Black Professional Network has made
huge strides in recruiting diverse candidates and working with HBCUs. The Latino Professional
+108%
Network emphasized professional development and working with professional associations, such
as ALPFA. The Pan-Asian Professional Network brought much more insight into learning about
different cultures and building awareness of different styles. Beyond, our LGBTA network, was
the first to connect virtually and improves our policies, benefits and understanding of invisible GENERATIONAL
diversity. AccessAbilities has strengthened our ability to provide awareness around accommoda- ERGs
tions, facilitating tools and practices into our processes. Working Mother and Parents Network
have tackled challenges around supporting returning mothers from maternity leave along with
+175%
general parenting support.”
26 DiversityInc
At Key, being a responsible
corporate citizen comes first.
We know that the decisions we make affect real people in profound ways. That’s why being a
socially responsible corporation is an integral part of our culture.
Our spending with women- and minority-owned suppliers in 2008 was five times that of the
national average. Key employees serve on the boards of more than 1,400 not-for-profit
organizations. Last year the KeyBank Foundation gave over $18 million in grants to promote
financial education, workforce development, and diversity.
We’re proud to be recognized for our efforts in diversity, community involvement, and
concern for the environment.
The groups also are becoming increasingly engaged with clients or other companies
with less developed diversity-management strategies.
“Our LGBT, Generation Y and people-with-disabilities groups recently helped other
companies establish ERGs and have presented on strategies and scorecard development
at the national level,” says Keys.
“Our ERGs will become increasingly more engaged and collaborative with client
ERGs. That will deepen new or existing relationships, facilitating more opportunities
for KPMG’s ERGs to partner with client networks in support of corporate-responsibility
initiatives such as workforce readiness,” says Hannan.
American Express’s Chief Diversity Officer Kerrie Peraino believes the employee-
resource groups will further leverage social media to increase collaboration with each If we don’t have
other and external organizations. She says, “Membership will increase and affinity groups
will attract and include members who aren’t necessarily identified as ‘one of the tribe.’”
the breadth of
The demonstrable value the groups bring is being measured differently and more participation in
effectively. While Aetna, No. 30 in the DiversityInc Top 50, measures employee those [clinical]
engagement of ERG members versus non-members (see page 34), Sodexo, No. 1 in the
DiversityInc Top 50, has surveyed its ERG members on the benefits to them and to the
trials, we
company. At Pfizer, for example, they are studying the ROE (return on effort). “The effort may miss an
that you all put into it translates into dollars—that’s not free time,” says Gadsden. “What opportunity to
benefit is the company getting? What benefit is the organization getting? What benefit is
the individual getting?” provide a level
At Deloitte, the measurement often involved retention since turnover of companies at from a medical
intellectual-capital firms can cost five times the cost of the employee salary.
As Norman puts it: “Lani Guinier [Harvard law professor and civil-rights activist] said
perspective to
there’s this notion of the miner’s canary. If you pay attention to the canary as the miner a patient—and
does, it saves lives. The ERGs are the miner’s canaries. I can’t think of an example where that’s huge.
they said to pay attention to something that did not end up benefiting every employee in
the organization. If they found a broken process, policy or procedure, it was impacting all Ed Gadsden, Pfizer
employees.” DI
3 WAYS TO
Increase Employee Participation in ERGs DiversityInc Top 50 24
% of Employees in ERGs
If you have employee-resource groups with good best practices but have participa-
2005–2010
tion lower than the current 24 percent rate of the DiversityInc Top 50—or have
inconsistent participation across the units of your organization—follow these tips
from leading organizations.
19
• MARKET YOUR ERGs AS IF THEY WERE A CRITICAL NEW PRODUCT.
At American Express, Peraino tells us, “We work hard to promote network awareness
events to educate employees on the role of ERG networks within the company. We
consistently market ERG events and showcase key ERG highlights to drive member-
16
ship … Individual network groups also launch advertising and communication cam-
paigns to raise their profile within the company.”
14
• CLEARLY COMMUNICATE “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” on your intranet through use 12
of personal stories and videos with ERG members discussing how they’ve benefited
professionally from the experience. Avoid platitudes or general statements and be as
11
specific and individual as possible. At Ernst & Young, internal social-networking media
is being used to build informal communities that connect virtually, most notably its
LGBTA and disabilities groups, which produced videos and vignettes as part of their
outreach to their often invisible and anonymous constituencies.
• MAKE SURE THERE’S FREQUENT EXPOSURE TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP.
At Ernst & Young, Williamson says, “Many younger leaders and participants have
gained visibility, guidance and longer-term relationships from interactions with their
local leadership, Americas leadership and even global vice chairs as they coordinate
local strategy or panels and events featuring those individuals.”
’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10
28 DiversityInc
“I’ve become a Mentor”
Inform.
Educate. - DR. RAMON RODR IG UE
Assistant Professor of Acc
Southern Illinois Universit
Ph.D.: University of Tex
y
ounting
Z
Encourage.
as, El Paso
Become an
CAREER ADVICE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS:
ERG LEADER
W
endy Lewis, 35, is a prime example. Before Lewis, a senior audit manager, came to
KPMG, No. 15 on The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list, she
admittedly had difficulty with public speaking, much less presenting solutions to
clients. But her involvement with KPMG’s African American Network gave her expe-
rience and confidence.
“Through the different sessions we have for our network members and staff, I’ve led several
sessions and participated in employee panel discussions. It’s really given me a lot of confidence
to be able to stand in front of a large group, to be articulate, and be able to present in front of a
large group,” she says.
Breanna Dedrickson, 29, a senior benefits analyst for Target, No. 40 in the DiversityInc Top
50, has also discovered unexpected talents through her involvement in one of the company’s four
diversity business councils—its Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Business Council.
“In my current position, I rely heavily on my analytical and problem-solving skills, which
I absolutely love doing. With our ERG, I’ve discovered and grown my skills in event planning,
execution and organization as well as managing talent,” she says. “I don’t currently manage
any team members in my regular position, but I am able to get leadership experience through
by Lizz Carroll our ERG by leading a team of seven highly talented and motivated team members from all over
30 DiversityInc
Robin Brooks, African American
BURGER KING ® Supplier
I DELIVER
SUCCESS DAILY
So does Burger King Corporation. By partnering with diverse
suppliers, BURGER KING ® is committed to helping all of us
achieve our dreams.
Working with BURGER KING® has helped my enterprise grow into a king-sized
business. Today, my company is one of the largest African American-owned
suppliers for the global franchise.
the company. I currently lead the team that I’ve helped someone along their journey of
focuses on engagement and support of our awareness, acceptance and advocacy.”
GLBT community.”
Culture Impacts
Beyond an Employee’s Mentoring Experiences
Job Description Jenni Justiz-Quiñones, 28, was first exposed
Charles May, 25, was hired as a logistics ana- to Kraft Foods’ Latino Council when she was
lyst at Kraft Foods, No. 35 in the DiversityInc a college intern. So the moment she was hired
Top 50. His background in web design got full time as a research and development engi-
him involved with Kraft Foods’ African neer for the corporation, Justiz-Quiñones
American Council. “When I came on, they Charles May knew she would be part of the council.
KRAFT FOODS
knew I had a little bit of experience with a As a Cuban American from Miami, she
team site, but we call it a share-point website. discovered that the cultural connections she
They wanted me to help build it up and get created through the council built a strong
the word out to the greater Kraft community foundation for her professional development.
about what the African American Council is Exposure to leaders from her cultural back-
doing,” he says. ground led to influential relationships with
Being part of developing the ERG’s informal mentors.
website helped May with his goal-setting “We’ve had several advisers and senior
and planning skills. “It developed my skills leaders on our Latino Council, folks who
about not just how to get to one goal but probably have a very similar story about how
[seeing] how far we can take it—you can they grew up, whether they were immigrants
develop something, but looking ahead and or if their parents were—similar stories that
seeing what the goal is and what’s the next I could identify with,” she says. “Seeing those
level,” he says. Jenni folks in those top positions, it gives you some-
Justiz-Quiñones
KRAFT FOODS thing to aspire to. It lets you know, ‘All right, I
Bringing Your Whole Self to Work, could be there a few years from now.’”
Increasing Awareness Justiz-Quiñones sees how sharing a cul-
Diversity and inclusion efforts at each ture, and even a language, with her mentors
corporation are designed to help employees helps to increase the level of guidance. She
see the company as a place where they can says, “Whether we come from similar back-
be themselves and where they feel they can ground, it makes the mentoring conversations
grow. Employee-resource groups can connect a lot more candid. You can be a lot more open.”
likeminded people and allies, helping to take
those efforts to a new level. Expanding a Sense of Community
Dedrickson, 29, has found that her involve- Dedrickson is empowered by the internal
ment with Target’s GLBT Business Council connections her ERG provides. “Being
has increased her ability to be open and involved with our ERG has grown my
communicative with her coworkers. “I have Wendy Lewis network of professional contacts within the
KPMG
become completely comfortable being myself company and the community,” she says. “I
at work and discussing GLBT workplace feel like I have a connection in every area of
issues with coworkers and leaders,” she says. our large organization. Whenever I need to
“I have the ability to be truly authentic at work. know something about a different depart-
Being involved with our ERG has allowed me ment, there is someone I can call or e-mail
to share my story and discuss GLBT issues to point me in the right direction or give me
with my coworkers, leaders, department and, advice on where to start.”
really, anyone who will listen.” May’s involvement in the ERG has
While she appreciates the connection engaged him by giving him a sense of belong-
with coworkers who may share a similar ing. “The biggest difference for me is the
identity, Dedrickson finds work with allies sense of community,” he says. “Before, I felt
equally rewarding. “This helps to break like I was working at Kraft, but now I feel like
down walls and build authentic connec- I’m really a part of Kraft. You’re here to work,
tions with my coworkers, both leaders and Breanna but you’re here to develop and really grow.
Dedrickson
peers,” she says. “It is very rewarding to know The council facilitates that.” DI
TARGET
32 DiversityInc
© 2010 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of the KPMG
network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG
International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. KPMG and the KPMG logo are registered
trademarks of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. 22165NSS
Building careers as
diverse as our workforce.
KPMG LLP's (KPMG) commitment to diversity helps us
attract the best people. Our vast number of career
opportunities helps keep them here.
kpmgcareers.com
KPMG.
A great place to build a career.
The Value of ERGs
ERG MEMBERS
Have Higher Engagement Rates by Gail Zoppo
“E are not,” says Raymond Arroyo, chief diversity officer at Aetna (No. 30
on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list).
For the past two years, the Hartford, Conn.–based ERGs: A Talent-Retention Tool
health insurer has been asking its 34,000 employees to As the job market slowly begins to pick up and
fill out an Employee Engagement Survey to determine, employee turnover gains greater importance, Aetna’s
among other things, the business impact of Aetna’s 15 findings come as welcome news.
employee-resource groups, ranging from gender and The survey: Aetna collected data in 2009 on
racial/ethnic to generational and veterans. What the 33,246 employees, which were divided into ERG
research confirmed: Members of Aetna’s ERGs have a member/non-member categories and then further
more favorable outlook overall than non-members— segmented into more than 24 demographic groups
their engagement scores last year were 8 percent higher and internal business units, such as underwriting
than those who are not ERG members. and claims.
“Our ERG members are more satisfied, have more The survey posed a series of questions that asked
pride in the company, rate managers higher and are less employees to rate the company in 13 key areas: engage-
likely to leave,” says Arroyo. ment, collaboration, customer focus, diversity, ethics,
34 DiversityInc
innovation, job, manager effectiveness, pay/benefits, ERG MEMBERS NON-MEMBERS
respect/openness, strategy/future, work balance and •Employee engagement 86% 78%
work effectiveness/productivity. Survey questions •Respect 82% 74%
include: •Strategy 88% 81%
• “I rarely think about looking for a new job with •Customer focus 85% 78%
another company” (engagement)
• “The culture at Aetna encourages diversity perspec- Even in the area of diversity, which scored the
tives and ideas” (diversity) highest of Aetna’s survey questions, 90 percent of ERG
• “When discussions are made or actions are taken in members scored favorable, compared with 87 percent
my department, the ethical implications are ade- of non-members.
quately considered” (ethics)
• “Sufficient effort is made to get the opinions and Year-to-Year Results
thinking of people who work here” (innovation) When comparing 2009 responses to those from 2008,
• “How satisfied are you with your opportunity to get a Aetna found:
better job at Aetna?” ( job)
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
• “The behavior of our leadership team is consistent
with Aetna’s values” (manager effectiveness) 2009 2008
• “The leadership of Aetna has communicated a vision
YOY Difference YOY Difference YOY Difference
of the future that motivates me” (strategy) 5% Pts. 15% Pts. 7% Pts.
• “Decisions in my department are made in a timely
fashion” (work effectiveness) 86
78 80
2009 Results 73 73
Among respondents to the 2009 survey, ERG members 71
consistently scored higher than those who did not join
NON-ERG ERG AETNA OVERALL
ERGs. Looking at the aggregate data, areas with the
greatest difference between member/non-member Aetna is currently analyzing the results of its 2010
employee responses were: Employee Engagement Survey. DI
See examples of ERG charters, budgeting and collateral materials on FOR OUR BENCHMARKING
www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com/employee-resource-groups. CUSTOMERS
Also, five other ERG articles, including: A special ERG report
• Starting an Employee-Resource Group? Have a Business Plan was sent to you recently.
• 3 Ways to Increase Employee Participation in ERGs Employee participation
percentages in ERGs are
• How Employee-Resource Groups Improve Sales
anticipated to increase
• Need More Black, Latino, Asian or Women Execs? dramatically in the 2011
Go to Your Employee-Resource Groups DiversityInc Top 50 survey.
September/October 2010 35
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Unresolved
eldercare issues
can translate
into lost
productivity
and increased
health problems
for employees
and increased
healthcare costs
for companies.
36 DiversityInc
Helping
Employees
Help
Their
Parents
•THE ELDERCARE GAP•
BY SAM ALI
September/October 2010 37
A
s the number of employees juggling the care of elderly
parents and relatives continues to rise, working caregivers
are increasingly torn between the needs of their families
and obligations to their employers. How companies meet
this challenge could be the prime workplace question
in the coming decades. Studies show that unresolved
eldercare issues culminate in lost productivity and
increased health problems for employees and
increased healthcare costs for companies.
The cost to U.S. businesses from the lost productivity of working caregivers is
more than $33 billion per year, according to the MetLife Caregiving Cost Study
“Productivity Losses to U.S. Business.” The average caregiver costs an employer
$2,110 per year. Companies that will thrive in the future will adapt to this reality
by implementing or strengthening policies and practices that improve both
the bottom line and the lives of employee caregivers. MetLife is No. 42 in The
DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®.
Caregivers Have
More Health Problems
Another study from the MetLife Mature Market Institute sheds
light on the physical and mental toll that caring for an older
parent, relative or friend can take on employees and the subse-
quent toll it takes on an employer’s bottom line.
Employees in the United States who are caring for older relatives
are more likely to report health problems such as depression, diabe-
tes, hypertension or heart disease, according to the “MetLife Study of
Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs.”
Employed elder caregivers in the United States cost employers an
estimated additional healthcare cost of 8 percent per year, or $13.4 bil-
lion annually, according to the MetLife study.
The report, produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute with
the National Alliance for Caregiving and the University of Pittsburgh
Institute of Aging, also found:
É Younger caregivers (ages 18–39) cost their employers 11% more
for healthcare than non-caregivers
É Men caregivers cost their employers an additional 18%
It also found that eldercare may be closely associated with high-risk
behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Exacerbating the
potential impact to employers is the possibility that these medical condi-
tions may also lead to disability-related absences.
38 DiversityInc
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Just H
How Critical Is the
Need
ee for Eldercare?
America is growing older. According to the Centers for Medicaid
and Medicare Services, the federal agency that administers Medicare
and Medicaid:
OLDER POPULATION WHO NEEDS CARE? WHO GIVES CARE?
TODAY
35 70 33.9
BY 2030 TODAY
million
The segment of the
older population most
likely to need care—
those older than 85—
80%
of all the care received by
million million+ caregivers provide help to older adults is provided by
is the fastest-growing
people ages 50 and older family and friends
segment of elders today
To complicate the situation further, many children don’t live near their par-
ents. According to the National Council on Aging, some 7 million Americans are
already providing care to someone who lives at least one hour away.
“A smart organization educates employees about its business needs so they
understand the best way to contribute over time,” says Maureen Corcoran, vice
president of diversity at Prudential Financial, No. 32 in the DiversityInc Top 50.
“Likewise, it educates itself about its employees’ life needs so it can support and
retain them over time. If an employee is forced to choose between caring for a
loved one and devoting themselves to work, the company will lose.”
What Is the
Cost to American Business?
Managing the responsibilities of home and eldercare isn’t easy for
workers. One survey reveals how the stresses of eldercare affected
employee productivity:
56%
of respondents said they were
51%
said they had to take time off
30%
reported being absent for a full day
less productive at work during the workday for eldercare to deal with eldercare matters
September/October 2010 39
Millions
M nss of Americans
Havee This Concern
H
A study
t d examining caregiving in the United States, released by the National
Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, finds that more than 44 million Americans,, o orr
an estimated 21 percent of all U.S. households, provide care for an adult family
y
member or friend ages 18 and older.
Key findings of the study included the following:
WORKFORCE GENDER AGE FINANCE COMMUTE
60%
those caring for an
of 40% 47
of caregivers Average age of the
$0
Most caregivers
15%
of the caregivers
ers
r
adult older than 50 are are men caregiver for a person provide unpaid provide care too
working; the majority of older than 50 care to a parent or someone whoo
those work full time grandparent lives more than
ann ann
hour away
nggeer,
“Given that the baby-boomer generation is getting older and their parents are living longer,r [[el
e de
eld r-
r
[elder-
n A
nd
care] is something that will affect corporate America for a long, long time,” says Raymond rroy
rroyyo,
Arroyo,o
chief diversity officer at Aetna, No. 30 in the DiversityInc Top 50.
Meeting
M in Employee Employee
Em
m yee Support,
Eldercare
E r Needs Community
Co
ommu u Groups
According
A
and
nd
dM
din to the Centers for Medicaid
Medicare Services, companies
&C re
Caregiver
that implement policies that are Organizations
“eldercare friendly” will: Some of the local groups you can ccon-
on
n-
tact for information include:
É Find it easier to attract and retain the
É Area agencies on aging
best workers
É Hospitals
É Increase productivity by reducing stress
on employees É Senior centers
É Reduce disruptions in the work schedule É Faith-based organizations (such as
Catholic Charities and United Jewish
i h
is
É Enhance their community image, which
Appeal)
can attract new customers
É Disease-specific organizations (e.g.,.,
Alzheimer’s Association)
É Local universities and community co
col-
ol-
l-
leges or cooperative extension programs
gram
gram
ams
ms
40 DiversityInc
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Re m
Recommended
B t Practices
Best
É COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULES É FLEX-PLACE POLICIES
Allows an employee to work more hours during Allows telecommuting
the workday and fewer days in the week 96% of the DiversityInc Top 50 companies have this
98% of the DiversityInc Top 50 companies
offer flexible hours É LEAVE-WITHOUT-PAY OPTIONS
É PAID SICK LEAVE É TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF HOURS
Can be used to care for relatives or friends who
are ill and/or paid family leave that can be É JOB-SHARING
used to care for ill relatives or friends 92% of the DiversityInc Top 50 companies do this
62% of the DiversityInc Top 50 companies
offer alternative career tracks for employees É EMPLOYEE LEAVE-SHARING
Employees donate a portion of their leave time to
with long-term family-care issues others who have eldercare responsibilities
Arroyo says Aetna recently formed a Caregivers Employee Resource Group, which enables
eemployees caring for elderly loved ones to share articles, resources and encouragement. “I
em
think
thi
th i one of the biggest values to our group is in connecting people who otherwise feel very
aalone,”
al o says one Aetna employee.
At IBM Corp., No. 8 in the DiversityInc Top 50, employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay
fforr eligible dependent-care expenses, according to IBM spokesperson Laurie Friedman. The
fo
IBM
IB M Dependent Care Spending Account lets people save money on daycare for children or
adults
addu by paying for eligible expenses on a pre-tax basis. People can save anywhere from $20
per
pe er month to $5,000 per year. Contributions are deducted from pay before federal income,
state
ta income and Social Security taxes are deducted, so taxable income is lowered. When
sst
employees
em
m incur eligible expenses, they can submit claims to get reimbursed and the reim-
bursement
b
buurr is paid back tax-free.
Pa e With
Partner
C mm
Community Organizations
““C
Ca
“Caregiver
Caareg fairs are an excellent way to allow employees access to a wide range
of information in one day,” according to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare
Se
Services. “Agencies typically come to the fair with brochures and other information
t help employees make eldercare decisions. All you have to do is provide the space
to
an perhaps some tables. Your Area Agency on Aging can help you get started.”
an
and
IBM has been offering its employees corporate eldercare programs and assistance since
11987.
19 8 Among the interventions it offers caregivers are a free consultation and referral service.
According to Friedman, this service helps employees and their families locate eldercare
services,
seer including medical services, in-home services (such as home-delivered meals), hous-
ing
inng arrangements, nursing homes, community education and enrichment programs such as
senior-citizen
sen
se n centers, transportation services and case-management services.
“IBM employees or a family member have access to up to six free hours of elder- or
adult-care
addu management services annually, which is especially helpful for those who live at a
distance
diis from family members or older relatives,” Friedman says.
IBM employees can speak via phone with a trained geriatric-care professional regarding:
September/October 2010 41
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
HOWWhy are
generational TO
START
ERGs becoming
so popular?
How do you sell it
at your company?
Should it be just
for younger
workers? A Generational
Boomers? Employee-Resource Group
Five years ago, none of The
DiversityInc Top 50 Companies BY BARBARA FRANKEL
for Diversity® had generational
employee-resource groups, and
the concept of generational
communications/issues was
1 MAKING THE CASE FOR A GENERATIONAL ERG
Let’s assume your company already has employee-resource groups, since
just beginning to surface in generational groups are rarely the first group a company has. In making the
corporate America. Today, 44 case for a generational group, it’s important to look at the workforce num-
percent of the DiversityInc Top bers of both your company and your customer/client base. When we look at
50 companies have employee age cohorts in the U.S. population, we find the racial diversity increases the
groups geared specifically younger you get. For example, baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are
toward people of certain age 68 percent white, while millennials (Generation Y), born between 1981 and
groups. Their goals are to 2000, are 57 percent white.
maximize the retention and In addition, engaging and retaining younger workers—as well as boomers—
talent development of younger is critical to your company’s success. How they communicate with each other,
employees while keeping older how they perceive leadership opportunities and training, and how knowledge
employees productive. is transferred is vital to your company’s success.
For our webinar on generations in the workplace, featuring Accenture and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida—Nos. 22 and 38,
respectively, in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®—go to www.DiversityInc.com/webinars
42 DiversityInc
2 YOUNG OR OLD? OR BOTH?
About 85 percent of these groups are aimed at
Having an executive sponsor who is a senior person
within the company is critical, as that person can
help guide the younger employee to avoid manage-
younger employees, but some companies include ment pitfalls. Using generational-ERG-identified
older employees or have separate groups for them. leaders as both mentors and mentees is helpful—and
Combining them is not advised as it may inhibit that includes using them as reverse mentors for
frank discussion and convolute strategies. The com- older employees.
munications issues—text, phone or e-mail, how you
address people, motivating factors—impacting all
generations are valuable to everyone as are signifi-
cant discussions of work/life benefits. However, the
leadership-development factors and retention ques-
4 WORK /LIFE BALANCE
Work/life issues are important to retention, espe-
tions are different. That said, the educational forums cially of Gen Y’ers, Gen X’ers and boomers.
groups provide, as well as ideas for customer/client Generational employee-resource groups are
outreach and employee engagement, are valuable valuable in surveying employees (and holding focus
for all age groups. In considering groups for older groups) to discuss the need for such benefits as
employees, factors such as retirement transition, flextime, telecommuting, job sharing, and health
ability to consult or work part time, and engage- and fitness facilities/subsidies. Issues such as dress
ment/respect are important. codes (often a conflict between boomers and Gen
Y’ers) can be comfortably addressed by these groups.
The bottom line? Retention and engagement are
3 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Aetna, No. 30 in the DiversityInc Top 50, started its
improved.
September/October 2010 43
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
GENERATIONAL
WHY NOUNDER
ONE30 { }
ANSWERS
YOUR
VOICEMAIL BY SAM ALI
44 DiversityInc
COMMUNICATIONS
September/October 2010 45
Sound complicated? It is. Welcome to the modern-day workplace 2.0.
This is the first time in American history that four different generations are working side by side in the workplace,
bringing their own values, goals and communication approaches to the office. What’s the biggest difference between
Generation Y/millennials (born between 1981 and 2000) and baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)? And how
do those in Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) fit in?
“Millennials grew up with computers and cell phones the way baby boomers and Gen X’ers grew up with typewrit-
ers and corded telephones,” according to a recent Deloitte report, “Decoding Generational Differences: Fact, fiction ...
or should we just get back to work?”
“The implications of this technological disparity are profound: Baby boomers see technology as a tool, or even a
toy, while younger workers see it as an extension of themselves,” the report says. “These millennials see themselves as
‘technology natives,’ moderate multitaskers who get a lot done. Most of them mix entertainment and work.”
VETERANS
BORN 1927–1945
BORN 1946–1964
BABY BOOMERS
Also known as traditionalists, the silent generation or radio babies
“They are used to having lots of people around,” say
“Radio Babies grew up with the least amount of tech- Gravett and Throckmorton. “Their preferred mode of
nology, which makes it no surprise that they reported communication is to have meetings—lots of meetings—
that they prefer to communicate face-to-face about to tackle problems and concerns … Consensus build-
problems, concerns and suggestions,” say authors Linda ing is important for many boomers, and face-to-face
Gravett and Robin Throckmorton in their book “Bridging discussion is their preferred way to make this happen.
the Generation Gap.” “Their second option for commu- A conference phone call is a second option, as long as
nication might be a phone call; however, they get very everyone has an opportunity to participate.”
frustrated when they call someone and continually get a
recording—or worse yet, no return phone call.”
BORN 1981–2000
The upper limit of Generation X in some cases has been as Some sources place the lower limit as 1978 or the higher limit as 2002
high as 1982
This generation has always been surrounded by technol-
They tend to value time and have grown up with more ogy. “Games, music, mail and data have almost always
technology than the previous two generations. They pre- been digital. They came of age in a world of interconnec-
fer to communicate via e-mail because it’s efficient and tions, even hyperconnections,” according to a new IBM
in-the-moment; they don’t like to waste time or energy. report, “Inheriting a Complex World.” “To find information
Meetings are for rare occasions when no other option is for school reports, they learned to follow links instead of
available, and you may find them checking their e-mail directions from librarians. They used Facebook instead
or sending e-mails to others while sitting in a meeting. of phone books to connect with friends—and friends of
friends.” IBM is No. 8 in the DiversityInc Top 50.
T
reat your employees as you do your customers. Learn all you can about them, work to meet their specific
needs and serve them according to their unique preferences.
“We can learn a lot from what we are doing on the customer side because on the customer side we have become
very sophisticated as organizations dealing with very complex differences among our customer groups,” says Deloitte’s
Schwartz. “In the same way that it’s extremely common for customer strategies to have multi-channels of communica-
tions and interactions, I think we as professionals need … to increase our sophistication in terms of how we use multi-
channels … in order to effectively communicate with generations and help them communicate with each other. On one
level, that may look like redundancy, but on another level, it’s recognizing that the same message delivered through four
or five or six types of media will reach different parts of your organization and different generations in different ways.”
46 DiversityInc
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
COMMUNICATE THROUGH THEIR MEDIA
“O
ne of the things that we have started to do much more deliberately is figure out based on what it is
we’re trying to communicate and want to communicate: What’s the best medium to do it? Is it podcast?
Is it through the iPod? Is it through e-mail? Is it through the blog?” says LaMae Allen deJongh, U.S.
human capital and diversity leader at Accenture, No. 22 in the DiversityInc Top 50. Accenture received DiversityInc’s
Generational Communications award at our November 2009 event. “[This way,] it’s not just the
traditional styles of communication all of the time. Even on our project teams while we’re on client
sites, IM has become much more the norm in terms of communication than even e-mail.”
Gen Y’ers want to stay in complete control of the information that makes its way onto their
computer or handheld device. Instead of just blasting news about their new community to an
e-mail list, a fair number of large companies are creating platforms that look like Facebook
or MySpace within the firewall of the company. At Deloitte, for example, it’s called D-Street, LaMae
an internal version of Facebook. Allen
deJongh
“We built it to be similar to Facebook, but it’s a business system. Surprisingly, we saw
very seasoned partners who were very quick to log on and create their own communities,”
Schwartz says.
Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente, No. 4 in the DiversityInc Top 50, is using social media
to help its 160,000+ employees connect and collaborate through blogs and online communi-
ties, says James E. Taylor, senior director of diversity strategy execution and workplace inclusion.
The company built an internal networking site called KP IdeaBook, an interactive site where employees can create
detailed professional profiles, find and connect with colleagues via search and browsing capabilities, establish groups
and provide status updates on work projects. Once they establish a profile and connections, users can initiate and par-
ticipate in discussions; create and share documents, blogs and announcements; and even create and conduct polls.
I
n the modern-day workplace, mentoring across generations and knowledge transfer are critical to maximizing
individual and organizational talent, experts say. Five years ago, none of The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for
Diversity had generational employee-resource groups. This year, 44 percent do.
“We have a Generation Y resource group and I use it for great data, especially about education and learning,” says
Cal Jackson, senior diversity practitioner at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, No. 38 in the DiversityInc Top 50.
“This group provides a great reverse-mentoring opportunity. You prep the baby boomers or veterans that they will be
receiving information about Gen Y, their job ethics and how they work.”
While researching their book, Gravett and Throckmorton asked 500 people in each of the generations what their
preferred communication method was in order to learn more about the different communication styles. They came up
with a few basic tips to help organizations bridge the generational divide:
September/October 2010 47
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
USHERING
IN THE
‘RE-GENERATION’
48 DiversityInc
O
Overheard while waiting for an elevator: An executive was invited to
talk to some ninth-graders. He spoke of the journey through vari-
ous jobs that built a successful business career. As he concluded his
remarks, he opened up for questions. The students seemed a bit reluc-
tant to speak. So he primed the discussion by saying, “Think about
the future and tell me what you see yourself doing once you get your
college degree.”
The ensuing silence was getting uncomfortable for the executive. In
due course, the silence was broken by a student who said, “It’s simple.
I’ll be doing what everyone else in this room will be doing … digging out
from the hole your generation has put us in.” Others in the class nodded
their heads in agreement.
The executive said, “How could they be so rude?” At this point his
narrative was interrupted by the arrival of the elevator. The conversa-
tion picked up as the executive and his colleagues left the elevator. I
heard no further details as they went in a different direction than I did.
The executive was clearly surprised and annoyed. But would he have
been had he known about the latest research on generational attitudes?
He still might not have appreciated the in-your-face attitude shown
by the student, but he might have understood what was going on a bit
better.
Valuing differing points of view is a part of the diversity discussion
that needs to receive more emphasis. The mindset that accepts learning
from differing viewpoints as a normal part of life is what is needed in
these tumultuous times.
I’ve been in conversations where businesspeople have expressed the
thought that views of young people are not to be taken all that seriously
as they are still maturing and will, ultimately, change their minds about
things many times. My response is that this may well be, but we in busi-
ness and society will pay a price for this dismissive attitude in terms of a
potentially disengaged, suspicious workforce that will not be as produc-
tive as it could be.
September/October 2010 49
Selected Survey Results
T o begin tracking the attitudes of these re-gen young people, I teamed up with Node Research to ask
a series of questions about their thoughts on the future, who they view as valued sources of infor-
mation and their political views. The survey was conducted in April. Results are based on Internet surveys with
a nationally representative sample of 500 10- to 24-year-old males and females from different racial/ethnic groups
(Black, Latino, Asian and white). For ease of analysis, the group was subdivided into 10- to 17-year-olds (re-gen) and
18- to 24-year-olds (Gen Y). I will focus on re-gen unless there is a notable difference between re-gen and Gen Y.
We asked the young people to rate statements on a scale of strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree and
don’t know/need more information. Here are highlights:
The only gender difference worth noting is that re-gen boys There are some ethnic differences: Latinos had the highest
are slightly more optimistic than re-gen girls (52 percent of agreement percentages at 51 percent (i.e., least optimistic).
boys selected disagree versus 44 percent of girls). The others are clustered near the average of 41 percent.
Taking a very broad look, it appears that re-gen is more or less equally divided between pessimists and optimists.
To give balance to the questions about the future, we asked the following:
What do these seemingly conflicting results tell us? Without further research and analysis, it is difficult to know what
is meant. It may show that where there is optimism, it is tentative. But we know for sure that, however we cut the
results, white re-gens are the least optimistic, and this is a concern.
50 DiversityInc
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Evolving
T
he family structure in the United States is
strikingly different from when baby boomers
were children during the 1950s and 1960s and
when most of them started careers in the 1970s. These
changes have had a significant impact on the attitudes
of workers, particularly those ages 40 and younger.
FACT
handle personal matters, so they must divide their the ages of 30 and 44—a stage of life when typical
CATION
energy and focus between work and home during adults have completed their education, have been
the work hours. working for some time and have married. Americans
in this age group are the first such cohort in U.S.
history to include more women than men with col-
lege degrees.
Employers no longer have as much leverage as
IMPLICATION
September/October 2010 51
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Respondents cite parents and/or caregivers as No. 1 in value 58 percent of the time. All the other choices range between
5 percent and 8 percent in the percentage of times each was cited as No. 1 in value. In other words, despite the appear-
ances to the contrary, youth want parents to engage them in discussion, and they value it highly. And if you are an adult
friend, teacher, work colleague or religious leader, you are still valued as No. 1 about 24 percent of the time.
The media is well down the list of valued sources, but we didn’t know that at the time we developed the questions
for the survey. Curious to gather perceptions of youth on media, we did so by asking them to respond to a statement I
have heard from some young people:
“There is no real discussion of 43%
issues on TV, just people yelling 54%
at each other.” 45 %
This response fits with a pattern in Further evidence supporting this Much more work needs to be done
some other research we’ve done that increasing skepticism is the fact that on media skepticism, but it is rea-
shows the closer youth get to gradu- 62 percent of Gen Y boys agree with sonable to conclude that about half
ating high school and getting out into the survey statement versus only 41 of our youth (between the ages of
the world, the more skeptical they percent of re-gen boys. Interestingly, 10 and 24) don’t see television as
appear to become. there is no real difference between promoting responsible discussion
the views of Gen Y and re-gen girls of important issues.
(47 percent versus 46 percent).
WWW.NJCU.EDU 1-888-441-NJCU
2039 KENNEDY BOULEVARD, JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY 07305
AD SPACE DONATED BY DIVERSITYINC
GENERATIONS IN THE
WORKPLACE
TRADITIONALISTS/
VETERANS BOOMERS GENERATION X GENERATION Y
’46 ’52 ’58 1964 1965 1980 1981 2000
% OF TOTAL
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
WORK ETHIC Hard work, respect Workaholics, work efficiently, Self-reliance, wants structure Multitasking, tenacity, entrepre-
AND VALUES
authority, sacrifice, duty question authority and direction, skeptical neurial, tolerant, goal-oriented
before fun
LEADERSHIP Directive, command- Consensual, Everyone is the same, Not yet known
STYLE
and-control collegial challenge others, ask why
WORKPLACE CHARACTERISTICS
Sources: Fairleigh Dickinson University, MetLife Mature Market Institute, Silberman College of Business Photo courtesy of www.BlendImages.com
54 DiversityInc
The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® Education 2008
MEN
15%
20%
WOMEN
12%
18%
DiversityInc Top 50 companies DiversityInc Top 50 DiversityInc Top 50 companies MIDDLE BOOMERS (1952-1958)
with dependent-care benefits, companies with with a generational
including childcare and eldercare retirement transition employee-resource group
MEN
12%
94% 64% 44% 18%
TODAY
WOMEN
11%
FIVE YEARS AGO
18%
42% 26% 0% YOUNGER BOOMERS (1959-1964)
MEN
10%
Age and Demographic Breakdown of the DiversityInc Top 50 18%
YOUNGER THAN 25
6.8% OF WORKFORCE
AGES 25–34
24% OF WORKFORCE
AGES 35–44
28.4% OF WORKFORCE WOMEN
10%
1% 1% 1%
20%
16% 13% 11%
11% GENERATION X
10% 12%
11%
57% 58% 15% 62% MEN
14% 15% 21%
WOMEN
12%
AGES 45–54
26.5% OF WORKFORCE
AGES 55–64
12.8% OF WORKFORCE
AGES 65 AND OLDER
1.5% OF WORKFORCE 22%
1% 1% 1%
GENERATION Y
9% 7% 7%
7%
6% 8%
MEN
4%
11% 8%
13% 14%
77%
71% 75%
WOMEN
6%
19%
Source: MetLife Mature Market Institute, 2010
White Black Asian Latino American Indian
Source: DiversityInc
September/October 2010 55
A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
FIRST OF A TWO-PART SERIES
Prison The
Industrial x
Comple BIASED, PREDATORY
GROWING
AND
56 DiversityInc
September/October 2010 57
Prison
The
Industrial x
Comple
CANADA
THE INDUSTRY LEADERS Sources: Yahoo Finance, Kings College in London, DiversityInc research
58 DiversityInc
A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
RUSSIA
FRANCE 1 IN 125
196IN 779
PRISONERS
595 PRISONERS PER 100,000
PER 100,000
AFGHANISTAN
1 IN 1,700 JAPAN
44 PRISONERS
PER 100,000
1 IN 1,206
62 PRISONERS
CHINA PER 100,000
SPAIN
1 IN 456 1 IN 623
120 PRISONERS PER 100,000
164 PRISONERS
PER 100,000
EGYPT
189IN 840
PRISONERS
PER 100,000
INDIA
1 32INPRISONERS
2,375 WE’RE #1
PRISON POPULATION RATES
PER 100,000 PER 100,000
SAUDI ARABIA OF NATIONAL POPULATION
NIGERIA IRAN
1 29INPRISONERS
2,579 1178IN 420
PRISONERS 1 IN 335 The land of the free? The U.S.
223 PRISONERS imprisons more people than any
PER 100,000 other country in the world.
PER 100,000 PER 100,000
MEDIAN IS 1 IN 566
MALAYSIA
1130IN 575
PRISONERS
PER 100,000
AUSTRALIA
1134IN 558
PRISONERS
SOUTH AFRICA PER 100,000
1 IN 230
324 PRISONERS PER 100,000
nation, spent $14.5 million lobbying the Department private-prison operators such as CCA and its chief com-
of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs petitors GEO Group and Cornell Companies, which are
Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Justice, the merging. (See box on page 60.)
Office of Budget Management, the Federal Bureau of How did this come about? In 2001, Steve Logan,
Prisons, and both houses of Congress. then-CEO of Cornell, fielded a question from a Wall
Andrea Black, coordinator for Detention Watch Street analyst during an investor conference call won-
Network (DWN), which represents immigrant-advocacy dering what impact the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
groups, says, “DWN has questions about the role of the would have on his company’s bottom line.
private-prison industry and its lobbyists in shaping cur- “I think it’s clear that with the events of Sept. 11,
rent immigration detention policies.” there’s a heightened focus on detention, both on the bor-
In less than a decade, the country’s punitive crack- ders and within the U.S. [and] more people get caught,”
down on undocumented immigrants and the unprec- Logan told the audience. “So that’s a positive for our
edented demand for bed space by federal immigration business. The federal business is the best business for us.
authorities has been nothing short of a bonanza for It’s the most consistent business for us, and the events of
September/October 2010 59
Prison
The
Industrial x
Comple
BEATING THE MARKET
Over the past five years, the stock prices of private-prison operators CCA and GEO have consistently beat the major indexes.
0%
Private Total
Total Private- Incremental Incremental Private Capture
Inmate Prison Total Inmate Inmate of Incremental
Year Population Population Private % Population Population Growth
Sept. 11 are increasing that level of business.” recessions are touted as “good for business”—this kind of
His response was prophetic. Strip away the emotions, news makes shareholders and investors very happy.
the questions of justice, the callous and racial political
wrangling, and Arizona’s tough new immigration law—
SB1070, which gives police broad authority to arrest and Booming Detainee Population
detain anyone they suspect of being undocumented— In 2009, ICE—a division within the
means one thing for private-prison operators: more Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
demand for immigration detention beds and a steady responsible for enforcing immigration law—
flow of inmates to fill them. had 387,790 immigrant detainees in custody
On July 6, 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice filed or supervised, more than twice the number
a lawsuit to block the state of Arizona—a border state in 2003 when ICE was created and the crackdown on
that’s a major gateway for undocumented immigrants immigrants began in earnest.
from Mexico—from using police-state tactics to crack All told, the number of immigrants in detention has
down on undocumented immigrants crossing the bor- climbed from around 5,000 in 1994 to more than 30,000
der. But the fractious debate is spreading: Oklahoma, last year.
Texas, Utah, Maryland and Colorado are now consider- A Detention Watch Network briefing to the U.N.
ing tough immigration laws of their own on the heels of Special Rapporteur on human rights notes that “at an
Arizona’s efforts. average cost of $95 per person/per day, immigration
And in the topsy-turvy world of the private-prison detention costs the U.S. government $1.2 billion per
industry—where societal ills, like recidivism, crime and year.”
60 DiversityInc
AD SPACE DONATED BY DIVERSITYINC
Prison
The
Industrial x
Comple
ICE officials say it costs about $175 a day to detain
someone at Elizabeth Detention Facility in New Jersey.
Federal Government
They refused to say how much ICE pays CCA. to the Rescue
For private-prison corporations, which provide most In the late 1990s, the private-prison industry
of the prison beds that house this booming detainee was on the verge of bankruptcy. Speculative
population, all this new business since Sept. 11 has over-building had left many of these companies over-
translated into record revenue and stock prices. Since leveraged, debt-ridden and bloated with thousands
2000, the number of federal inmates held in privately of empty beds. A series of highly publicized scandals,
run prisons has climbed 114 percent, while the number lawsuits and fines over human-rights violations, includ-
of state inmates held in private facilities has increased ing the use of attack dogs, physical and sexual abuse
by 33 percent. and poor healthcare at a number of facilities, prompted
Six states house at least 25 percent of their prison many states to pull the plug on their private-prison
population in private facilities. They are New Mexico contracts. Investors on Wall Street sold their shares en
(46 percent), Montana (36 percent), Hawaii (35 percent), masse.
Vermont (34 percent), Alaska (29 percent) and Idaho (29 In its 10-Q annual filing in late 2000, CCA’s stock was
percent), according to CCA’s 2009 annual report. trading at a low of $1.15 and its accountants expressed
“Between 2007 and 2009, when earnings for the S&P “substantial doubt” about the company’s ability to
500 dropped by 28 percent, ours grew by 18 percent,” continue.
said Damon Hininger, the chief executive officer of CCA, But today, business is back on track, thanks largely
during an investor conference call in May. to immigrant detention: In the first quarter of 2010, it
earned $1.7 billion in revenues, 40 percent of it from
Wash. N.H.
+3.2% +6.6%
N.D. Maine
Mont.
+5.6% Vt. +1.1%
-3.9% Minn.
Ore. -3.7% Mass.
+5.1%
+1.1% +3.0%
Idaho S.D. Wis. N.Y.
+2.7% -1.7% -3.2% -1.1%
Wy. Mich. R.I. +0.7%
-2.9% -2.4%
Iowa Pa. Conn.+1.1%
Neb. +6.1% +3.7%
Nev. Ind. Ohio N.J. -2.0%
+1.5%
+5.0% Ill. +0.6% +3.2%
Utah Colo. Del. -1.7%
Calif. +1.6% +1.6% +0.4% W.Va.
-2.3% +5.6% Va.
Kan. Mo. +5.1% Md. +1.7%
-0.7% +0.5%
Ky. +12.0%
Ariz. N.C.
N.M. Okla. -1.2% Tenn.+4.2% +2.6%
+5.3%
-1.5% Ark. Percent change
S.C.
+4.3% +2.5% in prison population
Texas Ga.+4.6% Highest fifth
Ala.
-0.2% +4.1% Second highest
Middle fifth
Alaska
+4.7% Second lowest
Miss.
La. +6.0% Lowest fifth
Fla.
+1.9% +4.8%
Hawaii CCA Prison
+1.2% Location
62 DiversityInc
81&)WK1DWLRQDO$OXPQL&RXQFLOUG1DWLRQDO3UH$OXPQL&RXQFLO
/HDGHUVKLS&RQIHUHQFH
February 2-6, 2011 • Birmingham Sheraton
www.UNCF.org
’80 ’81 ’82 ’83 ’84 ’85 ’86 ’87 ’88 ’89 ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional Surveys
contracts with ICE, U.S. Marshals Service and Federal This is the case even though under U.S. law an
Bureau of Prisons. immigration violation is a civil offense—akin to a traffic
Today, almost 9 percent of inmates are housed in pri- violation.
vate facilities, and private-prison operators say they are The companies counter that they are living up to
capturing an increasingly larger share of the incremental their contractual obligations and continue to win new
prison-population growth every year. contracts because they run their prisons well and treat
During a recent investor conference call, Hininger prisoners fairly.
noted that in 2002, only 6.8 percent of the incremental Several weeks after DiversityInc submitted ques-
growth in the prison population was being funneled into tions in writing to CCA officials, the company responded
the private prison system. In 2008, they are capturing in writing. Steve Owen, a spokesperson for the cor-
72.4 percent. poration, wrote that CCA operates “safe and humane
detention facilities in a manner that respects the dignity
of the detainees and adheres to federal ICE detention
A Growing Backlash standards.”
As the industry grows, so too does a back- “In addition to strong oversight from government
lash—from critics who argue that private officials—who have full access to our prisons and deten-
prisons are morally wrong, mismanaged and tion centers—our facilities are also audited and inspect-
unsafe. Critics say that human-rights violations and ed regularly by independent teams of professional
physical and sexual abuse of inmates flourish in private- experts,” he wrote.
ly run prisons and detention centers because they are A similar request from DiversityInc to GEO Group
closed to outside scrutiny, allowing guards and officials was rejected. Because of its merger with Cornell, Pablo
to act with impunity. Immigration detainees are particu- Paez, GEO’s director of corporate relations, says neither
larly vulnerable because of language barriers and fear of firm could “comment beyond the information that is
deportation. available through our public filings and statements.”
“The condition and terms of immigration detention
in the U.S. are equivalent to prison where freedom of
movement is restricted, detainees wear prison uniforms America: Incarceration Nation
and are kept in a punitive setting,” according to the In raw numbers, the American prison popu-
Detention Watch Network briefing to the U.N. Special lation is so large it’s almost hard to grasp. In
Rapporteur. 1980, the prison population stood at 500,000. Today the
64 DiversityInc
A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
September/October 2010 65
Prison
The
Industrial x
Comple In large part because of these laws,
the country’s prison population has bal-
looned from 500,000 in 1980 to 2.3
million in 2009, greater than that of
any other nation in the world. Including
the number of people on probation and
parole in this country, more than 7 mil-
lion people—one out of every 31—lives
LOBBYING FOR MORE PRISONERS under the control of the U.S. criminal-
justice system, and 60 percent of them
Sources: PBS, USA Today, “Texas Tough: The Rise of America’s Prison Empire” by Robert Perkinson Former Arizona Democratic Sen.
Dennis DeConcini—who, during his
18-year tenure in Congress, served on
the judiciary and appropriations commit-
tees—is also a CCA board member.
66 DiversityInc
the revolving door A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
criminal-justice policy research group. same tight connections between the pri- contributions, between 2002 and 2004,
In 2009, 826 of ALEC model legis- vate-prison industry, lawmakers and the Bender says.
lations were introduced in states and industry’s powerful and well-funded lobby. According to Bender, the private-
115 were enacted. Although CCA exec- “The basic capitalist business model prison money trail took a decided turn in
utives are currently not chairing ALEC’s is ‘Expand or die,’” Greene says. “You 2005, when the immigration crackdown
criminal-justice task force, one of its top can’t stand pat and be successful. So got under way in earnest and federal law-
executives, Laurie Shanblum, the senior once that comes into play, it becomes an makers were debating how to meet the
director of partnership development, is extremely perverse pressure for growth.” growing need for detention beds.
an active member. That year, CCA alone paid close to
Sitting alongside Shanblum on this The System Expands, $3.5 million for lobbying focused on
task force is Russell Pearce, the Arizona the Target Shifts immigration and national security.
senator who sponsored SB1070. When private prisons were actively court- “One of its key lobbyists was Philip
ing state lawmakers, companies such J. Perry, son-in-law of Vice President
Political Ties Run Deep as CCA and GEO as well as their lob- Dick Cheney, who was appointed gener-
The industry’s political connections and byists gave $3.3 million to state-level al counsel for DHS,” according to Stokely
the endless revolving door between the candidates in the 2002 and 2004 elec- Baksh and Renee Feltz, who authored
private-prison industry and the govern- tion cycles, favoring states with some of the award-winning Business of Detention
ment have raised eyebrows over the the toughest sentencing laws, accord- project, examining private detention cen-
years. (See graphic above.) ing to a 2006 report authored by Edwin ters for undocumented immigrants. “As
Viewed through this lens, it’s little Bender, director of the National Institute the immigration debate continued in
wonder anti-immigration laws like the on Money in State Politics, which tracks 2007, CCA spent $3.25 million lobbying
one recently passed in Arizona and being state campaign funding and lobbying. members of Congress to approve funding
weighed in so many other states have “Companies favored states that had that would ultimately lead to increased
so many civil-rights advocates worried. enacted legislation to lengthen the sen- spending on immigration detention,” they
Just as the U.S. war on drugs dispro- tence given to any offender convicted of write.
portionately impacted Blacks, this lat- a felony for the third time,” Bender says. All told, CCA spent $14.8 million
est war is being waged overwhelmingly “Private-prison interests gave almost lobbying the Department of Homeland
against undocumented immigrants, most $2.1 million in 22 states that had a so- Security, U.S. Immigrations and Customs
of them Latino. called ‘three-strikes law,’ compared with Enforcement (ICE), the Office of
Consider this statistic: Of the $1.2 million in 22 states that did not.” Management and Budget, the Bureau of
387,790 undocumented immigrants Florida, whose inmate popula- Prisons, both houses of Congress, and
removed by ICE in fiscal year 2009, 71 tion surged from 53,000 to 101,175 others between 2003 and 2010.
percent were from Mexico and 20 per- between 1993 and 2010, was the “Profits by no means created the
cent were from El Salvador, Guatemala biggest benefactor, with candidates machinery of mass incarceration,” says
and Honduras. And this latest windfall and political parties there receiving Greene. “But profits oil the machinery,
of prison beds is being facilitated by the $647,600, or almost 20 percent of the keep it humming and speed its growth.” Q
September/October 2010 67
Prison
The
Industrial x
Comple
TAKING A BIGGER CUT
In fiscal year 2007, an estimated 1 in every 15 state general Critics of private prisons argue that this perverse profit
fund dollars was spent on corrections. 1987–2007 motive—which often overrides basic human rights and
PERCENTAGE
CORRECTIONS AS A PERCENTAGE OF POINT needs—leads private prisons to cut corners on drug reha-
TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, 2007 CHANGE bilitation, training, counseling and literacy programs.
OREGON 10.9 +4.6 “Profits by no means created the machinery of mass
FLORIDA 9.3 +3.6
incarceration, no more than defense contracts invented
VERMONT 9.3 +5.2
war, but the huge profits to be made by incarcerating
COLORADO 8.8 +5.1
an ever-growing segment of our population serves the
CALIFORNIA 8.6 +3.8
TEXAS 8.6 +4.2 system very well,” says Judith Greene, a policy analyst
ARIZONA 8.5 +0.8 with Justice Strategies, a nonprofit sentencing-reform
MONTANA 8.3 +2.4 advocacy group in New York. “Profits oil the machinery,
OKLAHOMA 7.8 +4.1 keep it humming and speed its growth.”
ARKANSAS 7.7 +5.1
MARYLAND 7.6 -1.5
LOUISIANA
MISSOURI
7.5
7.4
+1.7
+3.7
Low Wages, No Training
Over the years, there have been numerous
DELAWARE 7.1 +1.9
cases where private prisons have been cited,
OHIO 7.0 +2.5
SOUTH DAKOTA 7.0 +3.1
fined or shut down for stinting on food, cloth-
IDAHO 6.9 sawStates in red
+3.8 ing, education and medical treatment for
a decrease
UTAH 6.9 in the percent- +2.5 inmates, including juveniles in detention.
SOUTH CAROLINA 6.7 age of their
general fund
+0.8 “Money is the top motive and … there is an incentive
VIRGINIA 6.7 dedicated to -8.1 to cuts costs,” Black says. “You hear stories of maggots
WISCONSIN 6.7 corrections.
+4.0 in the food, people with really bad stomach conditions
NEW HAMPSHIRE 6.6 +2.5 because of the food. A lot of complaints about the food.”
NEVADA 6.4 -2.1
One big area where for-profit prison firms skimp is on
PENNSYLVANIA 6.2 +4.1
labor costs, according to Paul Wright, the founder and
IOWA 5.9 +2.6
WASHINGTON 5.9 +2.4
editor of “Prison Legal News,” a prison advocacy tabloid.
NORTH CAROLINA 5.7 +0.9 While employees at state-run prisons get union-scale
KANSAS 5.6 +1.3 salaries, private-prison guards typically earn a meager
TENNESSEE 5.6 -2.0 $7 to $10 per hour.
GEORGIA 5.4 -0.5 “They have low wages and high turnover and very
MISSISSIPPI 5.4 +1.5 little in the way of benefits or training,” says Wright,
ALASKA 5.3 +2.0 who was once a prisoner himself, serving 17 years of a
INDIANA 5.3 +0.3 25-year term for killing a cocaine dealer he was trying
NORTH DAKOTA 5.3 +3.7
to rob. Today, the 43-year-old father is an advocate for
ILLINOIS 5.2 +0.8
KENTUCKY 5.2 prisoner rights and over the years has filed numerous
+1.8
NEBRASKA 5.2 +1.1
legal challenges against the industry and won. “The
MASSACHUSETTS 5.1 +1.9 private-prison industry is marked by corruption,” he
NEW YORK 5.1 -2.0 says. “Their premise is they can run prisons cheaper
NEW JERSEY 4.9 +0.7 than the government, but taxpayers don’t realize any of
RHODE ISLAND 4.9 +1.4 those savings. Any savings the private-prison industry
WEST VIRGINIA 4.6 +3.3 obtains is basically profits for their shareholders.”
CONNECTICUT 4.4 +2.0 Advocates say there have been repeated instances
NEW MEXICO 4.2 -0.5
when detainees are shuffled around from state to state,
MAINE 4.1 +0.4
WYOMING 4 away from their families and communities and any legal
+0.1
HAWAII 3.8 +1.3
services that may be able to support them. Often, they
MINNESOTA 2.7 +1.0 don’t have access to working phones to call for legal
ALABAMA 2.6 -2.4 assistance.
NATIONAL AVERAGE 6.2 +1.7 “They are often very isolated,” says Black. “People
are moved on average two to three times. We’ve heard of
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers, “State Expenditure Report” series;
Percentage point increases are based on a reanalysis of data in this series. cases of people moved 11 times all over the country, and
Note: Michigan does not have a comparable figure because of the state’s general
fund definition.
68 DiversityInc
AD SPACE DONATED BY DIVERSITYINC
Prison
The
Industrial x Presidential
Comple Pressure
For about 50 years before 1972, the rate of imprisonment in the United States was steady.
But in the 1960s, rising crime rates, urban riots and social tensions triggered tough-on-crime
policies that would alter the size and racial composition of the prison system.
Here are major players in this movement and the role they played in satiating the
public and political hunger for law and order.
BARACK OBAMA
In August, Obama signs new
law reducing the crack/powder
cocaine disparity in sentences.
He has also pledged to push for
immigration reform.
Justice Department files lawsuit
to block Arizona’s tough new
immigration law.
70 DiversityInc
WINDS OF AVOID THE RUSH.
OPPORTUNITY REGISTER EARLY.
2010 More than 8,000 attendees and over 250 companies,
organizations and universities seeking Hispanic talent!
CHICAGO
Join the event geared for Hispanic
MBA students and professionals to:
» Connect with peers, employers and resources
» Attend cutting-edge professional development seminars
» Capitalize on tailored career management services
» Take advantage of volunteer opportunities
NATIONAL
SOCIETY OF
HISPANIC McCormick Place
MBAS
CONFERENCE
& CAREER EXPO
October 21−23
www.nshmba.org/conference
or call 877-467-4622
72 DiversityInc
WE HAD
TO STRUGGLE
WITH THE
OLD ENEMIES
OF PEACE--
business and financial
monopoly, speculation,
reckless banking,
class antagonism,
sectionalism,
war profiteering.
HAVE THEY
THE
B
efore the recent disaster at BP’s have performed many human-rights impact assessments
Deepwater Horizon drilling plat- (HRIAs) in other parts of the world, typically in coun-
form, one could assume that no tries that are economically underdeveloped. BP has a
BP executive imagined that our “fisher- human-rights guide on its website supporting, but not
man” with the inedible catch might be an mandating, operational managers to respect those rights.
American, let alone a Gulf Coast resident. Its personnel have analyzed human-rights concerns
To the extent that BP’s leaders contem- affected by its business interests in Colombia, Georgia,
plated any environmental mishap in Turkey and Azerbaijan. BP’s HRIA of its Tangguh LNG
the Gulf, it’s likely that they didn’t think they were project in West Papua is referenced in U.N. reports as an
flirting with human-rights violations. It is fair to ask, early example of the HRIA genre.
“Why not?”
The suffering of the Gulf population results from
human-rights violations. Since the dawn of the human- MISCALCULATION OR MALEVOLENCE?
H
rights idea 60 years ago, international norms have estab- ow, then, did BP executives fail to grasp the
lished as fundamental human rights the opportunity for human-rights implications of drilling activi-
an adequate standard of living, to gainful employment, ties in the Gulf? Furthermore, had they evalu-
and to health. Our entitlement to a clean environment is ated the human-rights implications of their conduct,
a human right that is 30 years old and well established. might there have been a different outcome? It will
BP’s leadership is not unaware of these rights. They require lengthy investigations by the executive branch of
September/October 2010 75
?
HUMAN RIGHTS
76 DiversityInc
Signs on the front lawn of a home
in Grand Isle, La. The BP oil spill
that began April 20, 2010, has
resulted in oil washing up on the
shores of Louisiana.
BP
and other major oil companies did lim- of avoiding comparatively small costs, or perhaps just
ited environmental assessments prior to through miscalculation, BP has made itself inimical to all
launching deep-water drilling operations, stakeholders—investors, customers, employees, inhabit-
assessments that have been called deeply flawed: “All the ants, government and regulators. Have BP executives
companies operating in [the Gulf ] had, like BP, been risk- disregarded their responsibility to their company and the
ing a blowout that they had no technical means of dealing people surrounding it on the assumption that balloons
with, should it occur,” states The Economist. and ponies might compensate? DI
September/October 2010 77
A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL REPORT : PART 1
TAKING Supplier
Diversity to the
Next
LEVEL Despite shrinking budgets and
more stringent regulations, corporate
supplier-diversity programs are thriving.
Here’s how several companies are making
a significant economic impact through
leadership commitment, more efficient
practices and innovative ideas.
BY GAIL ZOPPO
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLENDIMAGES.COM
78 DiversityInc
September/October 2010 79
A DiversityInc Special Report
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level
BEST
PRACTICE
Have Top-Down
{1} Commitment
K
ey to supplier-diversity success is (MBEs) and 11 percent with women-owned
unwavering leadership commitment. business enterprises (WBEs).
Among The DiversityInc Top 10 The reason: MWBE procurement has
Companies for Supplier Diversity, all: a direct and positive economic impact on
• Have CEOs who personally sign off the communities where corporations do
on supplier-diversity goals and met- business, as diverse suppliers tend to hire
rics, compared with 86 percent of the more Black, Latino and other underrepre-
DiversityInc Top 50 companies sented employees than their white, male
• Audit their supplier-diversity numbers counterparts.
• Mandate that supplier-diversity For locally driven companies, such as
metrics be included in every request for service provider Cox Communications, “hav-
proposal (RFP) ing a diverse vendor base in the communities
These leaders spend an average of 13 per- we serve has tremendous value for us,” says
cent of their Tier I (direct contractor) spend George Richter, vice president of supply-
with minority-owned business enterprises chain management. Cox Communications
80 DiversityInc
“PG&E” refers to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. ©2010 Pacific Gas and Electric Company. All rights reserved.
The heart of PG&E is a diverse workforce of more than 20,000
people representing a remarkable range of backgrounds and
life experiences. Our diversity allows us to anticipate, understand
and respond better to the needs of our 15 million customers.
We are proud to have been recognized nationally for our
diversity accomplishments.
RANKED NO. 2 ON THE 2010 DIVERSITYINC TOP REGIONAL UTILITIES
Find out more about careers with PG&E and about our supplier
diversity efforts. Visit us on the Web at www.pge.com
A DiversityInc Special Report
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level
Top-Down Commitment
(continued)
82 DiversityInc
SEEKING (adjective)
SUPPLIERS TO INCREASE
, PROVIDE (noun)
PRODUCTS (adjective)
www.cargill.com
©2010 Cargill, Incorporated .OURISHING )DEAS .OURISHING 0EOPLE
A DiversityInc Special Report
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level
BEST
PRACTICE
Set Metrics to
{2} Ensure Accountability
A
mong The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for
Supplier Diversity, all audit their supplier-diversity WOMEN
PRESIDENTS’
numbers and have the head of supplier diversity EDUCATIONAL
report to the chief of procurement to ensure accountabil- ORGANIZATION’S DR.
ity. At Marriott International, for example, targets are set MARSHA FIRESTONE
and measurements are reported quarterly to a board-level
committee.
To avoid the cookie-cutter approach, Cox Communications sets individual goals that differ
for each of its business systems based on size. “Then we incent [through performance bonus-
es] against those supplier-diversity targets, which are reported monthly and quarterly,” says
Richter, noting that the supplier-diversity department, which he oversees, shares the report
with the diversity council that President Pat Esser sits on. Beyond mandating that supplier
diversity be part of the competitive-bidding process, Cox has created a sophisticated scorecard
that “makes sure we’re putting the appropriate weighting as it relates to … diverse vendors …
to measure the benefits of selecting them,” he says.
BEST
PRACTICE
Integrate Supplier Diversity
{3} Throughout the Organization
T
WELLPOINT’S
WELLPOINT’S
his is standard operating procedure for all of The DiversityInc Top 10
SUPPLIER
BRENDA Companies for Supplier Diversity. Take PG&E’s “line-of-business champion”
DIVERSITY
BURKE
DIRECTOR
program: After each business-unit leader establishes realistic annual goals
BRENDA that are signed off by senior executive leaders, an internal champion for each unit
BURKE ensures that supplier diversity is integrated throughout the team. This way, “we
have an entire officer corps with supplier-diversity commitments,” says Kerr.
In addition to working hand in hand with the sourcing team, Indianapolis-based
WellPoint’s supplier-diversity department works closely with sales and marketing
throughout the RFP process. Also, WellPoint (No. 50 in the DiversityInc Top 50)
has begun identifying enterprise-wide commodity champions “who will serve as the
eyes and ears of supplier diversity,” says Supplier Diversity Director Brenda Burke.
“They will keep their finger on the pulse of opportunities, serve as liaisons between
[the supplier-diversity department] and their commodity stakeholders and assist
with diverse spend targets for those areas.”
To raise awareness and understanding, Eastman Kodak Co. provides internal
employee supplier-diversity training; all individuals who are involved in making pur-
chasing decisions go through the program. WellPoint—which has set annual supplier-
84 DiversityInc
Diversity &Inclusion
© Eastman Kodak Company, 2010
www.kodak.com/go/diversity
A DiversityInc Special Report
PEPSICO’S
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level CHRIS
KNOX
BEST
PRACTICE
Invest in MWBE
{4} Education/Training
P
G&E is strengthening its investment in its suppliers and helping them gain a competi-
tive edge by educating MWBEs about sustainability. The utility includes MWBEs in not
only new green-building project opportunities but also in sharing information about
green trade shows and providing online and in-person environmental courses to reduce their
carbon footprints. “These are the kinds of requirements that corporations are putting in their
RFPs and scorecards,” says Kerr. “PG&E has set an internal goal for 75 percent of RFPs to have
a green component.” PG&E sees this as an investment to make sure MWBEs “aren’t getting
left behind,” says Kerr. “Sustainability is a global trend … and it will very soon become a table
stake.”
Some companies sponsor select suppliers to attend executive-education programs, avail-
able at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business or Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of
Management, or Lean Six Sigma seminars. After PepsiCo invested $4,000 to send two suppliers
through Six Sigma, the companies have seen a benefit of $1.2 million in savings.
BEST
PRACTICE
Share In-House Expertise
{5} With MWBEs
K
odak’s suppliers have free access to the know-how of
its quality engineers, who will review vendors’ pro-
cesses and make money-saving recommendations.
Cox experts, working through the Georgia Minority Supplier
Development Council, offer member vendors workshops on,
say, the best ways to respond to RFPs or what to know about
legal contracts. Chicago-based Health Care Service Corp.
HEALTH CARE
(HCSC) began providing marketing and procurement soft- SERVICE CORP.’S
ware training to its suppliers, among other things. “One of the MALINDA BURDEN
86 DiversityInc
What If It Only
Came In Gray?
Motorcycles drenched in smokey gold.
Lava red sunglo. Flames. And Flecks. Our company
wouldn’t be the same without diversity.
Neither would our world.
©2009 H-D
A DiversityInc Special Report
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level
challenges … they were having was providing the right feedback when they were bidding for
a particular job,” says Director of Supplier Diversity Malinda Burden. Since initiating the pro-
gram, seven new MWBEs have been awarded contracts from HCSC (No. 20 in the DiversityInc
Top 50) in the past year.
BEST
PRACTICE
Protect Your Investment,
{6} Provide Financial Support
M
any companies nowadays are adjusting payment terms from 30 days
to 45, 60 or 90 days to keep suppliers in business. Until lawmak-
ers pass some version of the Small Business Bill, companies such as
Minneapolis-based Cargill are coordinating loans with MWBEs so they can
secure additional lines of credit.
“We’ve had some diverse suppliers that, unfortunately, didn’t make it through
the financial crisis,” admits North American Procurement Leader Roger Larsh.
“So one of the things we’ve had to do is put more rigor around … putting stronger
plans in place to successfully … support our suppliers and help them grow with
us.” Over the past year and a half, the agribusiness has worked closely with a new
WBE to develop a strategic plan that’s helped it expand to the point where it’s
now doing $2 million a month in business with Cargill and employing between
30 and 40 people.
Financial support can also come in the form of expertise. At Atlanta-based
CARGILL’S
ROGER LARSH
Cox Communications, as part of the one-year Georgia’s Mentor Protégé
Connection program, an MBE has been paired up with Cox’s finance and
accounting teams with the goals of improving the company’s financial infrastruc-
ture and sharing metrics.
BEST
PRACTICE
Tap Suppliers
{7} for Solutions
B
y listening to advice from one of its hardware suppliers, Cox was able to improve the
way in-store customers are directed to the next service representative when waiting in
line. Similarly, PepsiCo gets cultural feedback from MWBEs during taste tests to deter-
mine flavoring preferences among various racial/ethnic groups.
Many companies report that Tier I vendors will often make suggestions to use Tier II
diverse suppliers, and Cargill is heeding the call. This year, Cargill reached out to these suppli-
ers and brought a mix of new MWBEs into the fold, representing $8.5 million to $9 million in
new spend. “Hopefully, these second tier will turn into first tier,” says Larsh.
DiversityInc’s upcoming event in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 8–9 will offer more advice on evolving
diversity-management strategies. For information, go to www.DiversityInc.com/events
88 DiversityInc
Lifting communities by working together.
The mission of Blue.
At Blue Cross and Blue Shield, we respect a culture of diversity and value the different talents, perspectives, and
experience that contribute to our company.
In our communities we provide vital health and wellness services like our Care Vans that travel to underserved
areas, partnering with health care providers to offer immunizations and screenings. In addition, we support myriad
charities and organizations, educational programs and initiatives, while ensuring the use of minority suppliers.
If you are a diverse supplier interested in doing business with HCSC, visit our website at;
www.hcsc.com/commitments/supplier-diversity.html to learn more.
Expe e e e e Ee ee ™
BEST
PRACTICE
Consider
{8} Consortiums
O
ften, MWBEs don’t individually have the clout to win large contracts, but when com-
bined with other MWBEs, they do. And supplier-diversity consortiums help them
build capability so they can take on larger contracts. Companies often host supplier-
diversity events to help vendors form collaborative contracting relationships, and purchasing
managers can tap contracting consortiums. Example: When 23 information-technology com-
panies wanted to bid for portions of the U.S. Air Force’s $24-billion NETCENTS 2 contract,
they joined forces under the Minority Information Technology Consortium (MITC), whose
members are classified as either an SBA 8(A), HUB zone, business owned by veterans with
service-acquired disabilities, WBE, small disadvantaged business or veteran-owned business.
Although the deal is still pending, the consortium has opened the doors of opportunity for
these businesses.
“A company would have great difficulty winning a contract even twice its annual revenues,
[but] a consortium translates into strength in numbers and is a way of formalizing how we
pool our collective capabilities,” says Dr. Randal Pinkett, chairman and CEO of MITC-member
company BCT Partners and the fourth-season winner of “The Apprentice.”
BEST
PRACTICE
Partner With Regional or
{9} Industry-Focused Groups
S
everal years ago, HCSC partnered with in the United States. FSR-SD is creating a
Chicago United in the Five Forward supplier-diversity spend accounting stan-
Initiative, a local MWBE-development dard to help better benchmark the financial
commitment to work with five companies industry, and it has hosted a capital summit
over a five-year period. As a result, the initia- to facilitate relationships with private equity
tive has helped HCSC bring aboard a new and venture capital firms, among other
law firm and staffing agency—and moved its initiatives.
supplier diversity to the next level. In addition, Cargill, which spent close to
Industry-focused groups such as the $300 million with North American MWBEs
Financial Services Roundtable Committee this past year (or 15 percent of total spend),
on Supplier Diversity (FSR-SD) also move regularly hosts the local supplier-diversity
the dial. This 10-year-old peer group of council events at its facilities while sharing
National Minority Supplier Development information about its sourcing initiatives.
Council (NMSDC) members consists of 43 “This is much more productive than saying
of the largest financial-services companies ‘Go look at our website,’” says Larsh. DI
90 DiversityInc
Who makes our company tick?
Perhaps the better question is
who doesn’t?
MINORITY-OWNED
Women/Minority-Owned Business Growth BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
(2002–2007)
2007
Number
1.9 2.3 1.6
7.8
13%WOMEN-OWNED
Percent
of firms
(millions)
60.5% 43.6% 40.7% 20.1% increase BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
2002
1.2
Black-
1.6
Latino-
1.1
Asian-
6.5
Women-
11%
owned
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
owned owned owned
Best
Practice
Minority Women-Led Businesses The DiversityInc Top 50
Companies for Diversity
60%
companies headed by women from
traditionally underrepresented
groups (Black, Latina, Asian) $165 billion
revenues they generate annually
Source: Center for Women’s Business Research
in 2005
VS.
With no paid
employees
79.9%
92 DiversityInc
A DIVERSITYINC SPECIAL REPORT : PART 2 DiversityInc recently convened a roundtable of heads
of supplier diversity at four companies that have made
supplier diversity a crucial part of their business growth.
THE
Business A DIVERSITYINC ROUNDTABLE
CASE
Supplier Diversity
FOR
BY BARBARA FRANKEL
THE PANELISTS
ADRIENE BRUCE ADRIENNE TRIMBLE TYRA PAYTES THERESA BARRERA LUKE VISCONTI BARBARA FRANKEL
Manager of supplier Manager of supplier Manager of Vice president of CEO, DiversityInc Senior vice president,
diversity, Ameren diversity, purchasing strategic sourcing supplier diversity and executive editor,
division, Toyota (No. and supplier diversity, associate resource DiversityInc
36 in the DiversityInc Cox Communications groups, Walmart
Top 50) (No. 21 in the
DiversityInc Top 50)
94 DiversityInc
Corporate Supplier Diversity
Let’s talk
wellsfargo.com
© 2010 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.
Member FDIC. ECG-337705
A DiversityInc Special Report
The Business Case for
Supplier Diversity
96 DiversityInc
Partners in the Promise
www.coke.net/supplierdiversity
©2010 The Coca-Cola Company. “Coca-Cola,” the Dynamic Ribbon and the Contour Bottle design are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.
A DiversityInc Special Report
Taking Supplier Diversity
to the Next Level
98 DiversityInc
Thanks to You,
A beautiful day at the park feels
like a lifetime of sunshine.
At WellPoint, diversity is more than just the 'right thing to do.' It's the way we
approach business, how we interact within our communities, how we mobilize
our employees and, more than anything, why we appreciate moments like this.
For more information, visit: www.wellpoint.com/diversity
Adriene Bruce,
Ameren (left), and
Theresa Barrera,
Walmart
in the last several years. What’s Detroit automakers, so as they BRUCE: For Ameren, the spe-
been particularly difficult for us at went through a lot of challenges, cific challenges are related to our
Toyota is that for several years, we that impacted the rest of us and we reducing our supply base. We’ve
were in the growth mode and we lost quite a few of them. Our plan done a lot of restructuring. We
were adding plants and product to is to continue looking at how we went from 33,000 suppliers earlier
North America. That gave us lots of source strategically, making very this decade to roughly 9,000 sup-
opportunities to add new suppliers. deliberate decisions on where we pliers today, and we are trying to
Now our production is stable want to include new suppliers and shrink our supply base further.
in North America, so we don’t making sure that we have specific We want to do more business with
have as many opportunities. On targets and goals that will allow us our current supply base so they
top of that, we have a very strong to add new suppliers as we need are sustainable but the shrinking
supplier-relations philosophy to to. Right now our goal is 10 percent base is a constraint on many of
grow our current supply base. So for minority outsourcing, and we’re the smaller suppliers. That’s why
for instance, we have a plant in ensuring we have as much as that we launched in 2009 our second-
Mississippi that’s scheduled to captured on the Mississippi plant. tier program. We require all of
open in 2011. We’re looking to grow our prime contractors to create a
our suppliers and add procure- VISCONTI: What kind of strength do business plan when they’re in the
ment opportunities for them and you put on the setting of goals? middle of the bid process on what
we know we won’t have that many they’re going to do to help us get to
opportunities to add beyond 2011. TRIMBLE: In our company, what gets those goals. DI
We share our suppliers with the measured gets done.
100 DiversityInc
DIVERSITY INCLUSION
C EMPLOYMENT LAWC
For in-depth research on effective leadership, legal issues and more, visit
www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com
102 DiversityInc
Age Discrimination
Employees must work well with others.
In Frank v. Lawrence Union Free School District, the court has allowed an
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) case to proceed to trial on the “per-
ceived disability” of obesity. A probationary math teacher, weighing 350
pounds, received good evaluations and the recommendations for permanent
appointment from his direct supervisors and principals. An assistant super-
intendent overruled the recommendation, denying further employment.
Evidence showed the assistant superintendent had made remarks about the
teacher being “too big and sloppy” and that his size and weight would interfere
with his duties and were not conducive to learning. These comments about his
weight significantly impairing job duties led the court to believe there was a
perceived disability under the ADA. The assistant superintendent’s attempted
Family &
defense, that the teacher had poor performance and ineffective teaching meth- Medical
ods, was rejected as pure pretext in light of the uniformly good performance
evaluations and positive recommendations of several people who regularly
Leave Act
Federal FMLA grants eligible full-
observed him in the classroom (E.D. NY, 2010).
time employees (those who have
worked at least 1,250 hours during
a 12-month period) at organizations
Shift change may be a reasonable accommodation for with a workforce of 50 or more up
employees who cannot drive to work. to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the
birth and care of a newborn; the
U nder the ADA, an accommodation usually focuses on on-the-job items to
assist a person in performing duties. In Colwell v. Rite Aid Corp. (3rd Cir.,
2010), however, the employee could perform all duties well. But when she
adoption of a child or foster child; the
care of an immediate family member
with a serious health condition; and
developed blindness in one eye, she could no longer drive to work at night. It personal medical leave because of a
was also shown that alternative transportation was unavailable. The company serious health condition.
informed the employee that getting to work was her responsibility and did
not explore a change to the day shift. She resigned and then sued, claiming Walt Disney World is
constructive discharge. The court agreed with the plaintiff, finding that the not the proper place
employer apparently failed to engage in the interactive process and consider for FMLA.
a scheduling accommodation. The ADA specifically states that “reasonable Just days after being counseled
accommodation can include a modified work schedule.” for poor performance, a sheriff’s
department investigator was
diagnosed with cytomegalovi-
Doctor could not safely treat patients. rus and then stayed off work for
Bob Gregg, partner in Boardman Law Firm, shares his roundup of diversity-
related legal issues. He can be reached at rgregg@boardmanlawfirm.com.
To read more legal articles from Gregg, visit www.DiversityInc.com/legal.
104 DiversityInc
THEINSIDEVIEW
C AFFIRMATIVE ACTION C
Debunking
3 Myths BY WELDON LATHAM
diversity in the workplace. But they treatment to protect the interests of programs to protect corporate
miss the point. Black, Latino and other underrepre- interests—in the workplace.
sented employees when it has a
As noted above, Weber and “strong basis in evidence” that the The Obama administration is
Johnson are still as vibrant as they employer would otherwise be liable emphasizing aggressive enforce-
were 30 years ago and have not been for disparate-impact discrimination ment of corporate workplace
undercut by subsequent cases. They (in this case, as the result of work- fairness in staffing and funding its
expressly allow race- and gender- place testing). In Ricci, the facts did key agencies. The EEOC’s 2010
conscious employment decisions, not justify the otherwise permissible budget of $367 million increased 7
where the facts so justify. action in favor of the “minority” percent over 2009; the Office of
firefighters. Federal Contract Compliance
The two Michigan cases not only Programs’ 2010 budget of $109
restated well-established law (Gratz, Federal law has actually been million increased 33 percent; and
no “quotas”), but actually expanded expanding the rights of Blacks, the Justice Department’s Civil-
affirmative action by announcing for Latinos, Asians, women and other Rights Division 2010 budget of $109
the first time that the demonstrated protected classes in the workplace million increased 12 percent. To
need for diversity in admissions (as over the past two decades—from quote Attorney General Eric Holder,
compared with historic discrimina- the Americans with Disabilities Act the DOJ will “fight discrimination
tion) is a compelling basis for (1990), Civil Rights Act of 1991 and and inequality as fiercely as the
race-conscious policies (Grutter). Family Medical Leave Act (1993) to Criminal Division fights crime.”
The Seattle Schools case was rightly the ADA Amendments Act (2008), To those who say the unavoid-
decided on the facts and law: the the Genetic Information able trend in the law is away from
school board’s policy clearly violated Nondiscrimination Act (2008) and diversity and inclusion in the
most of the fundamental require- the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act workplace, the evidence—case law
ments articulated in the Supreme (2009). Many of these statutes and statutory—is demonstrably to
Court precedent set forth in Grutter were passed expressly to reverse the contrary. DI
v. Bollinger, and thus was deserving the limiting interpretations of
of reversal. The Ricci white-fire- Supreme Court cases. These Special thanks to Jackson Lewis
fighters case, while often cited as a federal statutes and associated Corporate Diversity Counseling
blow to affirmative action, was not regulations have supported and Group Partner John M. Bryson II
for his assistance in this article.
even an affirmative-action case. expanded, not abridged, the rights
The Group is also preparing a substan-
Moreover, it held that an of protected classes—and thus, the tially more detailed scholarly treatment
employer may engage in differential importance of active diversity of this subject.
WELDON LATHAM
is a senior partn
partner in the Washington, D.C., regional office of Jackson Lewis LLP, chair of the firm’s
corporate diversity counseling group, and counsel to the PepsiCo Global Diversity and
Inclus
Inclusion Governance Council and the Omnicom Group Diversity Development Advisory
Com
Committee. He is also a professor teaching corporate diversity at the Georgetown
Un
University Law Center.
This is not and should not be relied upon as legal advice; as with any legal question, consult a qualified attorney.
108 DiversityInc
IT’S A GREAT PLACE
TO FIND EMPLOYEES!
PUT US TO KEY STATISTICS:
EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS.
for Twin Cities job seekers; the
Sunday Jobs section and
StarTribune.com are cited as the
ADVERTISE TODAY BY CALLING first and second resources used
YOUR STAR TRIBUNE REPRESENTATIVE when looking for a job.*
OR 612-673-4617.
3252903/4/08 *Source: Scarborough Research Custom Study 2007 R1, Minneapolis-St.Paul CBSA.
C EDUCATION C
Is There
a Black
BUILDINGAPIPELINE
or Latino
Doctor
in the
House?
Rutgers University’s
ODASIS program is
helping to close the
racial/ethnic disparities
gap within healthcare
and other STEM
(science, technology,
engineering and
mathematics)
professions.
BY GAIL ZOPPO
I
n the fall of 2005, Alister Martin seemed the most Still, Black, Latino and American
Indian med students are rare.
unlikely candidate for Harvard Medical School. Laid Three years ago, more than 40,000
up in the hospital with “my face so swollen my mother people applied to medical school
didn’t recognize me,” he says, the high-school senior in the United States, with Blacks,
Latinos and American Indians
was recovering from a brutal gang attack. The situation had
making up only about 15 percent
escalated to a point that law enforcement advised Martin’s of the applicant pool, reports the
mother, a Haitian immigrant, to pull her son from Neptune Association of American Medical
(N.J.) High School to avoid further trouble. Colleges (AAMC), while com-
prising about one-third of the
So Martin’s mom secured a $15,000 loan and sent her son to Bollettieri population. That same year, only 8.7
Tennis Academy in Florida, where he completed his GED online. Martin’s percent of doctors were from these
drive and unwavering desire to become a physician pointed him to Rutgers underrepresented groups, accord-
University’s Office for Diversity and Academic Success in the Sciences ing to a study published in the
(ODASIS), whose Access-Med program prepares promising Black, Latino and “Journal of Academic Medicine.”
other undergrads from underrepresented groups for careers in medicine. The latest AAMC data shows
Four years later, Martin graduated from Rutgers with a 3.85 GPA and will only slight improvement: Among
begin Harvard Medical School this fall. “A miracle happened,” says Martin. the 42,269 med-school applicants
Each year, ODASIS serves roughly 500 at-risk undergrads, and more in 2009, only 16 percent were Black,
than 800 have graduated since the program’s founding in 1985. Among the Latino or American Indian. And
ODASIS class of 2009, 86 percent were accepted to medical school, up from this disparity extends beyond the
70 percent in 2007. physician pool—a mere 6.9 percent
PEACE THROUGH
BUSINESS:
AT&T
Empowers
Women in
Afghanistan,
Rwanda BY SAM ALI
112 DiversityInc
G
rowing up on a farm in Oklahoma, planting and harvesting wheat
and cotton, entrepreneur Terry Neese learned early about the value
of taking risks. “You are dependent on things you can’t control, like
weather and insects,” she says.
“You plant the seeds and you never know what you are going to harvest community and to profoundly
because you don’t know what is going to happen. Being a farmer is true impact the economic prosperity
entrepreneurship.” and progress of women in develop-
So when she got a cold call from the State Department in 2006 asking ing countries.
if she would be interested in designing a program to help women business
owners in Afghanistan, the farmer in Neese kicked into high gear. Leadership
Neese, a successful small-business owner herself and the former national Development &
president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, had Mentoring
spent the bulk of her career advocating for and empowering women small- In June, 24 women business own-
business owners all over the country. As founder of the nonprofit Institute ers in Afghanistan and Rwanda
for Economic Empowerment of Women, she was a nationally recognized who successfully completed an
motivational speaker and published author on the topic of economic expan- eight-week training course in
sion and empowerment of women business owners. Kabul, Afghanistan, and Kigali,
Still, Neese admits the prospect of going to Afghanistan in a 50-pound Rwanda, came to the United States
flight jacket on a military plane flanked by body guards threw her for a loop. for three weeks of leadership
But after giving it some more thought, Neese had a change of heart. “My development and mentoring. This
motivation was to build peace and bridges in Afghanistan,” she says. involved high-level business lead-
Today, Neese’s Peace through Business program is entering its fourth ership and public-policy training
year, training women entrepreneurs in war-torn countries on basic business at Northwood University in Cedar
practices. Hill, Texas.
After leadership develop-
Promoting Gender Equality ment, the Afghani and Rwandan
Research shows that education is a key ingredient when it comes to pro- women spent about 10 days with
moting gender equality across the globe. The impact is felt not only American women busi-
in women’s lifetimes but also in the health, education, productiv- ness owners in matched
ity and economic well-being of future generations, Neese says. professions, living in
With generous donations from major corporate sponsors their homes and going
such as AT&T, No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Terry to work with them
Neese
Diversity®, and financier T. Boone Pickens (a personal friend each day. This year,
and “fellow Okie,” according to Neese), the program has grown for example, the pro-
to include not only Afghani women but Rwandan women as gram matched a dairy
well. Neese says they hope to add a third country next year. farmer from Rwanda
“It is so rewarding for us to have the opportunity to connect with a woman dairy
women on a global level,” says AT&T Senior Vice President of Talent farmer in North Carolina and
Development and Chief Diversity Officer Cindy Brinkley. “No matter who a bee keeper from Afghanistan with
we are—Afghan, Rwandan or American—we all have to start somewhere as a woman bee keeper with 600 hives
women in the business world. Our challenges—and opportunities—are more in upper Michigan.
similar than one might expect.”
The AT&T Foundation donated $100,000 in 2010 to help support Empowering &
the program. The company says it became involved because it provided Educating Women
an opportunity to shape AT&T’s reputation in the worldwide diversity Afghan student Sakina Ibrahimi,
35, a businesswoman and women’s-
OPPOSITE PAGE: Sarah Mukundutiye, a Rwandan dairy and fruit farmer, is expanding rights activist who attended this
her business, thanks to the educational assistance of Peace through Business. year’s program, says she hopes her
U.S. training will empower her to
expand her shoe factory into more
The 2009 Peace through Business graduation class in Rwanda (left) and Afghanistan (right). The top 30 women graduates
were selected to travel to the United States in August for further training.
114 DiversityInc
Finding graduates with real world qualifications can be difficult. But at COSDonline.org,
there are more than 1,500 college students with disabilities who have degrees of all levels.
These valuable grads await your job postings and recruiting activities at COSDonline.org.
So start looking today and let Career Gateway be your helpful resource of choice
when seeking employees with disabilities.
Thanks to our sponsors, we are able to offer this valuable resource at no cost.
Please join us for a unique experience of education and networking in the arena of recruiting
college students and recent graduates with disabilities. The conference is a rare opportunity to
network with large employers seeking this population and with higher education representatives
working to prepare the students for recruitment by employers like your company.
Connect with colleagues representing some of the following employers expected to attend:
AT&T
Bank of America
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Cisco Systems
CIGNA Insurance
Dow Chemical
ExxonMobil
Internal Revenue Service
Lockheed Martin
Merck
Microsoft
Northrop Grumman
Procter & Gamble
Shell Oil
Walmart
Also at the conference: Employer Best Practices Panel, Higher Education Best Practices
Panel and Keynote Speakers addressing the most current issues affecting diversity and
disability in the workplace. Plus, special guests will make this year’s conference
a must-attend event.To learn more, visit COSDonline.org.
How are the DiversityInc Top 50 companies effectively recruiting from traditionally underrepresented
groups? What best practices do they use? Find out at www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com/recruitment
118 DiversityInc
I
n today’s multicultural and multigenerational workplace, we experience
chasms and conflicts that result from disconnects. A recently published study
of more than 20,000 emerging-star employees over the past six years found
that 21 percent were “highly disengaged” at the end of 2009, up from 8
percent at the start of the recession in 2007.
How can you re-engage employees The cultural and societal address (street address, city, state,
and unleash the power of a diverse settings in which we grow up and country); the Chinese begin with
workforce? Can history offer live greatly impact our values, the largest (country, province, city,
new insight on valuing differences? thinking, perceptions, behaviors street address). Americans express
Yale law professor Amy Chua and even our approaches to time by hour, day, month and year;
examined the rise and fall of seven problem-solving. For example, a the Chinese view time by year,
hyperpowers that dominated world neuroscience study conducted at month, day and hour.
history in her book, “Day of Peking University indicates that By seeing problems differently
Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to while the American perspective is (perspective) and looking for
Global Dominance—and Why They typically more “object” driven (e.g., solutions in different ways (heuris-
Fall.” Her conclusion: Embracing individual self ), the Chinese tics), we better understand the
difference and multiculturalism are perspective is more “context” merits of both approaches, opening
quintessential factors in reaching oriented (e.g., both the self and the door to the best solutions and
global economic success. Empires close others). innovative breakthroughs.
rose because of their acceptance of
“different” groups, openness to Other fundamental differences
foreign ideas and willingness to between western and Growth Through Bridge-
welcome and empower talented eastern cultures include: Building
immigrants who enabled them to • Values: American culture centers Subconsciously, many of us prefer
harness the world’s human capital. on individual initiative, while the people to think or behave as we do.
Conversely, empires declined when Chinese culture centers on the Difference can be disruptive and
their assimilative capacities group and collective goal. For uncomfortable. But we should
faltered and lapsed into intolerance example, Americans put their purposefully put ourselves in some
and exclusion. We can apply these personal name first and family uncomfortable situations to learn to
historic lessons to today’s challeng- name last; the Chinese place family navigate through difference and reap
ing business environment. name first and personal name last. its full value. When we challenge
• Thinking styles: American ourselves to be more comfortable
culture is more analytic, from close with the uncomfortable and less
Respecting Differences up to wide angle; Chinese is more comfortable with the too comfort-
Leads to Solutions holistic, from wide angle to able, we create room to grow.
To thrive in a tumultuous and close up. This growth can only occur in an
fiercely competitive economy, we • Communications: Americans inclusive environment where each
must welcome and respect differ- start with the smaller unit in an individual feels proud to celebrate
ent perspectives, ideas,
experiences, styles and back-
grounds. By understanding that
each individual possesses the seeds “Continuous dissatisfaction with the
of unique contributions and
solutions, we position ourselves to
status quo is the best way to keep growing
transform those differences into a as an individual and an organization.”
driving force for increased produc- AUTHOR JAMES KILTS
tivity and profitability.
1 5
COMMUNICATE THE COMMON GOAL TO PRACTICE PERSPECTIVE “SHIFTING” TO
MOTIVATE OTHERS. Caring leaders motivate LEARN FROM OTHERS. Use first-person
people by building a sense of inclusiveness. They perspective to identify your own blind spots and
are not only thoughtful and decisive but also bias. Then, shift to second-person perspective to
humble. They shape a vision, helping people to see the scenario through the lens of others
make sense of the past, imagine the future and involved. Next, move to third-person perspective
forge their own path. to understand the situation from a distance—a
rational assessment.
2
CHAMPION COLLABORATION TO FOSTER
6
TRUST. Collaboration coaxes us out of silos into ADVOCATE CRITICAL THINKING TO STRETCH
working together to discover quality solutions. PEOPLE. Encourage discursive conversation
Inspire colleagues to bring their best to the table and ask probing questions to understand the
and invite them into the problem-solving and rationale behind difference. Also, sincerely
decision-making process. welcome critiques of managerial styles and
“best work.”
3
CONSCIOUSLY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE,
especially those who are different from you, to
solicit their perspective. Dig deep to ignite fresh
and creative ideas while calling for a quantity of
7 USE OPPOSITE-THINKING STYLES TO
MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL. Become a master of
both divergent thinking (generating creative ideas
ideas. Practice the Zen principle of “beginner’s by exploring many possible solutions) and
mind” to observe with a truly open mind. convergent thinking (following a particular set of
logical steps to arrive at one “correct” solution).
When people are valued for their contributions, inspired with purpose, trusted with meaningful work, equipped
with tools and developed through quality opportunities, an inclusive culture is created. Capitalizing on the power and
richness of differences, as global empires have done in the past, can put us back on the trajectory to success. DI
120 DiversityInc
AD SPACE DONATED BY DIVERSITYINC
CGIVING BACKC
VETERANS
122 DiversityInc
H
elping to raise funds for the restoration of the
National World War II Memorial in Washington,
D.C., is just one way AT&T gives back to those who
fought for our freedom. Here’s how to get involved
and what else AT&T is doing to aid service members.
Situated between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington
Monument in the center of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is
one of the most significant symbols of the preservation of American
freedom—the National World War II Memorial. Opened in 2004,
the National World War II Memorial recognizes the 16 million who
served in the war, the more than 400,000 who died and the millions
who supported the effort from home.
The memorial “is all about diversity of representation … of indi-
vidual support for American beliefs … and of diversity of thinking,”
says Cathy Martine, a Friends of the National WWII Memorial
board member and the executive vice president of small-business
solutions/alternate channels at AT&T (No. 3 on The DiversityInc
Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list).
“Clearly, what people fought for in this campaign represented a
legacy that many generations continue to study,” she says. “And it
represented the beginning of the industrial revolution.”
In addition to the telecom’s $3-million donation to the memorial
over the years, AT&T’s Martine, whose father is a WWII veteran,
was selected to sit on the board. Their mission: to help raise a
sustainable revenue stream of at least $1 million each year through
corporate and individual sponsors for the much-needed restoration,
upkeep and events held at the memorial. To jumpstart the spirit of
giving back, AT&T has committed $25,000 over the next five years.
Besides fundraising, Martine would like to help establish educa-
tional opportunities that would supplement the teaching of the war
beyond the textbook, “so it comes alive for kids,” she says. Martine
also hopes to start using more social media and build online tools
for people doing research on WWII.
“The memorial has such significant representation across mul-
tiple cultures and generations,” she says.
The first survey focuses on millennial women believe they will have rewarding careers online survey of 1,000 millennial women
in the United States, a particularly important balanced with fulfilling personal lives. ranging in age from 22 to 35 who are
group, because women now comprise half of employed full-time in the United States.
the US workforce, and millennials—our future The research also generated the Accenture
leaders—currently represent one-third of the Millennial Women Workplace Success Index, Almost all of the respondents—94 percent—
working population. The second study, the which identified two primary qualities as key believe they can achieve a balance between
results of which we released in conjunction to workplace success—the ability to balance a satisfying professional life and a gratifying
with our observance of International Women’s personal and professional lives and a job in personal life. Similarly, when asked to list
Day 2010, examines the perspectives of 500+ which they can make a difference. Ultimately, typical qualities of a successful female
senior executives in 20 countries on resilience more than half of the respondents define business leader, seven in 10 (70 percent)
as a primary quality of leadership. We also success as doing meaningful work, while cited “maintains work/life balance,” followed
surveyed these leaders on the actions they are maintaining balance between their personal by “is flexible” and “is able to make an
taking, during a period of economic uncer- and professional lives (cited by 66 percent impact” (reported by 66 percent and 64
tainty, to prepare women for leadership roles. and 59 percent, respectively). Other factors percent, respectively).
of workplace success include stable employ-
Millennial women in the US are ment that provides financial security, a At the same time, almost six in 10 (59
overwhelmingly positive about positive work environment, open and honest percent) reported being at least somewhat
career prospects communication with supervisors and oppor- negatively affected by the current economic
Against a backdrop of economic volatility, tunities to grow professionally. downturn, and one-third (33 percent) are
Accenture research, conducted in late 2009, more concerned with keeping their jobs
found that the vast majority of young Accenture’s Millennial Women Workplace than achieving work/life balance.
professional women in the United States Success Index is based on the results of an
Accenture Research
The vast majority of young professional women
believe they will have rewarding careers and fulfilling
personal lives
Q: Do you think creating a
balanced work/life is achievable? No
6%
94%
Yes
ADVERTORIAL
“In pursuing a satisfying career and personal Some traditional gender barriers
life, millennial women will benefit from setting are falling
priorities and regularly monitoring their progress Perhaps fueling confidence in their future,
along the way,” said LaMae Allen deJongh, respondents reported that barriers to profes-
Managing Director, US Human Capital and sional success are changing. When asked to
Diversity, Accenture. “At the same time, to rank barriers to their careers, just 12 percent
LaMae Allen deJongh, attract, develop and retain high-performing cited marriage, and 19 percent mentioned
Managing Director, US Human employees, leading companies will strengthen maternity policies, compared to 30 percent
Capital and Diversity, Accenture their counseling and mentoring programs and who cited pay scale for women.
offer innovative training and flexible benefits
to help these individuals achieve their goals.” Respondents also reported that women
are increasingly joining the ranks of senior
executives. Fewer than one in 10 (7 percent)
Millennial women are divided on whether they would
reported that fewer women are being
give up personal time for more money or money for appointed to C-Suite positions and boards
more personal time of directors than five years ago. Almost half
(46 percent) said that more women are being
Q: Which is closer to your view? appointed than five years ago. Only one in
five (20 percent) reported a lack of women
in the C-Suite and on boards of directors.
If it meant spending more time on
my personal life, I would be willing 46% Additionally, role models do not appear to be
to give up some of my salary If it meant making more money, important to these respondents. In fact, when
54% I would be willing to sacrifice
time spent on my personal life asked to identify what is most helpful in driving
professional success, few cited “women in com-
pany leadership” (that is, C-Suite, boardroom)
and “having female role models at my company”
While almost half of respondents (46 percent) (reported by 16 percent and 18 percent, respec-
reported that they currently have an equal tively), compared to more than half who cited
balance of work and personal life, they were “a good work atmosphere” and “open and honest
divided on whether they would give up personal communications with supervisors” (59 percent
time for more money or money for more per- and 52 percent, respectively).
sonal time. Almost half (46 percent) said they
would be willing to give up some of their salary However, gender barriers have not disappeared
if it meant spending more time on personal completely. According to respondents, ongoing
life, while slightly more than half (54 percent) gender obstacles include a corporate culture that
said they would be willing to give up time favors men, general stereotypes/preconceptions
spent on their personal life for more income. and sexism (reported by 28 percent, 26 percent
ADVERTORIAL
and 22 percent, respectively). In addition, or women are more resilient (53 percent programs specific to women remain
approximately one-quarter of respondents reported women are very to extremely intact. Just under one-half (48 percent)
reported that several workplace issues are resilient; 51 percent reported men as very to of all respondents reported making no
major obstacles to success, notably a lack of extremely resilient), 60 percent are providing changes in the past year to leadership
motivation, being deceived by a co-worker women with career enhancing assignments, programs for women, and 48 percent did
and insufficient health care benefits, each and 40 percent are preparing women for not alter coaching and mentoring pro-
cited by 26 percent of respondents. senior management roles. grams specific to women.
C-Suite executives The survey of more than 500 senior execu- “Resilience—the combination of adaptability,
agree that resilience is key tives—including CEOs, COOs, CFOs and flexibility and strength of purpose—may be
to keeping your job CHROs—of mid- to large-size companies the new criterion for professional advance-
Corporate leaders around the world believe in 20 countries in Europe, Asia, North ment,” said Nellie Borrero, Global Human
that resilience—the ability to overcome America and Latin America also found Capital and Diversity Lead at Accenture. “In
challenges and turn them into opportuni- that, despite the economic downturn, the current world of economic uncertainty
ties—is vital to keeping your job. These many corporate professional development and intense competitiveness, organizations
leaders view women as slightly more
resilient than men, and they are providing
their female professionals with a variety Resilience, or adaptability, is an important factor
of programs aimed at developing resilience, 32% in determining which employees are retained
according to Accenture research conducted
at the end of 2009. Q: Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is not at all important and 5 is
71%
extremely important, how important would you say adaptability/resilience
is in determining which employees to retain?
The research, “Women Leaders and 39%
Resilience: Perspectives from the C-Suite,”
found that more than two-thirds (71
percent) of corporate leaders report that 5 - Extremely important
resilience is very to extremely important 18% 4
3
in determining who to retain. While respon- 6% 2
dents are divided about whether men 5% 1 - Not at all important
ADVERTORIAL
that instill resilience in their up-and-coming associate resilience and adaptability most • Level of confidence: Four in 10 respondents (44 percent)
leadership will have a clear advantage.” frequently with seniority; they said senior in North America reported that Baby Boomers have the most
managers are most resilient, followed by self-confidence. Their counterparts in Latin America, Europe and
Few executives reported eliminating middle managers and, last, by employees Asia Pacific, however, say the same of Generation X (reported
leadership curricula, mentoring activities or below manager (reported by 77 percent, by 46 percent, 43 percent and 35 percent, respectively).
minority leadership programs (cited by just 55 percent and 36 percent, respectively). • Level of productivity: Again, four in 10 respondents (46
3 percent each). At the same time, 18 per- percent) in North America rank Baby Boomers first in terms
cent said they made moderate to extensive “Like other critical skills, resilience can of productivity vs. executives in Latin America, Europe and
increases to leadership programs, 22 percent be learned,” commented Borrero. “Leading Asia Pacific, who rank Generation X first in this area (reported
said they had augmented their mentoring organizations will provide high-performing by 37 percent, 44 percent and 38 percent, respectively).
programs, and 17 percent noted they had women with a variety of experiences, includ- • Degree of flexibility: Respondents from all regions—North
enhanced their minority leadership programs. ing training, mentoring and ‘stretch’ roles, America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific—reported
to increase their resilience and confidence that Generation Y is the most flexible (reported by 35 percent,
The survey also asked respondents what to prepare them to succeed in senior 55 percent, 43 percent and 41 percent, respectively).
Not only has CVS Now at CVS Caremark, Casey says he’s excited about
Caremark won a vet- “being able to come in and help a company not start
eran diversity leader, the from scratch but take diversity management to the next
210,000-employee drugstore level.” To accomplish this, he has been collaborating
and pharmacy-benefits-management company gained a with colleagues over the past several months to develop
veteran U.S. Marine Corps service member who served a strategic plan that includes improving workforce
in Operation Desert Storm. Like other military person- representation, creating a corporate-wide culture of
nel, Casey brings valuable resources, including time- inclusion and expanding outreach efforts to all constitu-
management skills, technical acumen, adaptability and ency groups, such as active-duty and veteran service
the ability to make level-headed decisions under crisis. members. For example, employees have begun collecting
“Having driven through a mine field not knowing DVDs and CDs to send to overseas troops, and Casey has
if I’d make it out alive,” he says, “some of the things a “personal stake” in helping to launch CVS Caremark’s
we tend to take as insurmountable challenges in our first veteran employee-resource group shortly, of which
lives don’t seem so problematic.” That experience he will serve as executive sponsor.
has served Casey well throughout his career, which “We’re also going to spend a lot of time this year com-
included serving as vice president of workplace culture municating and getting conceptual clarity of diversity
and chief diversity officer at WellPoint (No. 50 on The management,” says Casey.
DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list). BY GAIL ZOPPO
When Aude Zieseniss de Thuin heard the saying “I have been blessed
“Women hold up half the sky,” she wondered with strength,” she says.
why women weren’t making half the contributions “Physically, I am tall and
to society. have red hair. My presence in a
“I am sure three years ago, if there were 50 percent meeting room has often been seen
women in the financial area, the crisis of the time would as unusual because I am a woman and
not have existed,” she says. people often think I am the president’s assistant. I turned
De Thuin, who is French, may be the woman who actu- my experiences and my look into success, reminding
ally changes all that. In 2004, she created the WEFCOS them I was the head of the company. I played the part—
company to manage the Women’s Forum for the Economy but always with a smile.”
and Society, which is a high-level international forum One of her first companies, the International Direct
(think Davos) that brings together leading corporate, Marketing Week, which ran the direct-marketing profes-
government, scientific, media and artistic leaders to debate sional forum, was a huge success in Europe and was
and create action plans for women’s visions to build a more sold in 1993. She created another company, the garden
balanced world. DiversityInc is a media sponsor of the show “L’Art du Jardin.” When she decided to launch the
October event in Deauville, France. Women’s Forum, she thought male bankers wouldn’t
She urges young women in particular to be confident agree to finance it, but they were impressed and thought
© 2010 DIVERSITYINC
in their ability to lead, as well as have a personal life. In the risk worth taking, so she sold the second business
her younger years, her experience was quite different. and invested in the forum.
Her mother, a widow, expected her to follow a traditional “In an ideal world, the women’s forum would not
role, but de Thuin, a psychologist by training, created her exist, but in this world, it’s necessary,” she says.
first company while still in her 20s. BY BARBARA FRANKEL
130 DiversityInc
Jim Wall
Deloitte
No. 25 in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®
Jim Wall’s world has consistently become larger as fate—and an open mind—
have given him remarkable opportunities to make a difference.
Today, Wall is global managing director, talent, and chief diversity officer at
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. He’s also a member of the board of directors for Deloitte
Central Europe.
That’s a far cry from growing up as an Irish boy in Boston, which he says was then
“an isolated and predominately homogenous area.” Fortunately, his parents instilled
inclusive values in him, which came into play when he attended St. Michael’s College
in Colchester, Vt., where he worked with rural, poor people. Graduate work in educa-
tion at Michigan State University led to positions recruiting Black and Latino students
and administrative posts, culminating in his appointment as dean of students.
Wall thought he’d have a permanent career in higher education, but then his wife, Sue, got a “killer opportunity”
for a job in the Boston area. So they relocated and he saw an ad for a director of recruiting at Touche Ross & Co., one
of the predecessor firms of Deloitte. The rest, as they say, is history. After 12 years as the national managing director
of human resources for Deloitte & Touche USA, Wall assumed his current role in 2004. The global focus has changed
him as well as the firm. “If you looked at my bookcase before, and looked at it now, you’d see a huge difference. I look
more like an anthropologist now than an HR professional … You walk the streets of Soweto in Johannesburg and all of
a sudden ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandela has a lot more relevance to you,” he says.
Wall, who has two adopted children from Korea, says the greatest challenge is enhancing cultural awareness
among Deloitte professionals serving global clients. The organization has made a conscious choice to grow local tal-
ent, but there will always be a certain amount of mobility.
“You can’t get on the plane in Chicago and get off in Shanghai and just assume that things work the same way,” he
says. BY BARBARA FRANKEL
Christine Cadena
Walt Disney Studios
No. 33 in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity®
With the ink still wet on her bachelor’s degree in communications from UCLA,
Christine Cadena landed her first job at Nordstrom, where the relationship-
building, product-development, consumer-marketing and sourcing skills she
honed paved the way for a successful 20-year career at The Walt Disney Co.
“The commitment to guest service was also the ideal she says. Reporting a strong
training ground for my career at Disney,” she recalls. Her box-office opening weekend, “our
Disney career began at Disney Store and led to expanded Hispanic campaign definitely played a role.”
marketing, merchandising and creative responsibilities. Beyond her customer-driven talents, what makes
In January, Cadena was appointed to the newly cre- Cadena ideal for this diversity-management role is her
ated position of senior vice president of multicultural diversity of thought and experience. “I see myself as
initiatives at Walt Disney Studios, responsible for strat- more than a Japanese-American woman,” says Cadena.
egy, measurement and implementation of diversity and “I’m a working mom, raising biracial kids, the daugh-
inclusion initiatives across all of the studio’s functions. ter of immigrants and a product of inner-city public
This includes HR, creative development, marketing, schools.” This “adds value to our work and, ultimately,
theatrical productions, music, and home-entertainment our guest experience.”
products, as well as distribution “where we really touch In addition to serving on Disney’s multicultural-
© 2010 DIVERSITYINC
the customer,” she says. Although still in the strategic- marketing task force, Cadena mentors colleagues
planning stages, one of her first multicultural initiatives through formal and informal relationships. “As a
was an integrated Latino marketing campaign of “Toy woman of color, it’s key to helping them find their own
Story 3” that “not only spanned publicity, we looked at unique talents and then finding good matches for them
every aspect of the business to create unique messaging,” within the company,” she says. BY GAIL ZOPPO
Elaine Ho
U.S. Internal Revenue Service
One of The 2010 DiversityInc Top Federal Agencies for Diversity
Elaine Ho seems destined to serve her country. Following the footsteps of her
father, a Chinese immigrant who was a pharmacist for the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs (also on The 2010 DiversityInc Top Federal Agencies list),
she signed up for the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps after
earning her J.D. with honors from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law.
Serving for more than four years as a criminal prosecutor in Okinawa, Japan, and
Washington, D.C., Ho took a private-sector detour at a prestigious law firm where she gained
valuable corporate diversity-management expertise. But in 2007, Ho returned to the federal government as director of
the Office of Workplace Diversity & Inclusion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she was responsible for
promoting diversity at the 100,000-employee agency.
Today, as the recently appointed permanent director of diversity and inclusion at the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service, Ho continues her critical work at a similarly sized agency “that does so much more than just taxes,” she says.
Ho is responsible for implementing the IRS’s diversity strategies, from leadership development and employee engage-
ment to succession planning.
“The IRS is very data-driven—and that translates well into the diversity realm where we’re all about numbers,” she
says, noting the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s goal: for all federal agencies to have at least a 2
percent representation of people with targeted disabilities by 2010. “Because it’s a tangible goal, that’s something the
© 2010 DIVERSITYINC
132 DiversityInc
Women’s Forum
Global Meeting
6th Edition
14-15-16 October 2010
Deauville, France
Change : Make it happen
• CHANGE IN POLITICS : HOW TO THINK AND ACT COLLECTIVELY
IN A WORLD OF MISTRUST ?
• CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY : WHAT DO WE NEED
NOW FOR TRUE INNOVATION ?
• CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT : HOW TO MAKE
THE GREEN ECONOMY A KILLER APP FOR BUSINESS
AND A REALITY FOR ALL ?
• CHANGE IN GLOBAL HEALTH : HOW TO COMBAT
MALNUTRITION ?
• CHANGE THROUGH THE WOMAN FACTOR :
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES, YET HOW FAR ?
In partnership with
Angela Buonocore
ITT Corp.
Angela Buonocore has always had a way with words, speaking fluent Italian
before English and writing short stories at age 5. Largely influenced by her
Italian-born mother, she says, “If you have a command of language and an
ability to use that to influence people, it’s a very powerful thing.”
134 DiversityInc
Women’s Forum
Global Meeting
6th Edition
14-15-16 October 2010
Deauville, France
Change : Make it happen
• CHANGE IN POLITICS : HOW TO THINK AND ACT COLLECTIVELY
IN A WORLD OF MISTRUST ?
• CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY : WHAT DO WE NEED
NOW FOR TRUE INNOVATION ?
• CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT : HOW TO MAKE
THE GREEN ECONOMY A KILLER APP FOR BUSINESS
AND A REALITY FOR ALL ?
• CHANGE IN GLOBAL HEALTH : HOW TO COMBAT
MALNUTRITION ?
• CHANGE THROUGH THE WOMAN FACTOR :
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES, YET HOW FAR ?
In partnership with
Dan Buriak
Pfizer
LEADERSHIPPROFILES
Dan Buriak’s message is simple: Innovation often comes from the fringes, not
the center. To that end, he’s using diversity and inclusion to drive innovation
in Pfizer’s Global Manufacturing Group by capitalizing on the ideas of senior
managers as well as those from deeper in the organization.
Buriak, senior He started his career working for the U.S. Food and
director of diversity, Drug Administration and has been a member of Pfizer
inclusion and colleague Global Manufacturing’s supply-chain management lead-
engagement for Pfizer Global ership team as well as its human-resources leadership
Manufacturing, is leading the team. “I’m very focused on the practical … where is it
group’s diversity and inclusion council by creating rota- that managers are looking to manage their bottom line?
tional positions across the globe and from every level. For me, that means translating diversity and inclusion
The council’s mission is to create the framework for a directly to business values,” he says.
culture shift for the manufacturing group. Pfizer’s values encourage him to be open about who
He runs a “boot camp” where Pfizer trains diversity he is—a gay man—and to invest in his community. Buriak
and inclusion ambassadors around the globe. “This has been involved in his local New Jersey town as a
involves a local interpretation of what diversity is and councilman, planning-board member and government
what fuels innovation. There’s a common global vision, liaison to schools and the historic-preservation commis-
but there’s strong local differentiation,” he says. sion. “It’s very difficult to tear apart work and commu-
Buriak says his 13-year tenure at Pfizer reflects who nity,” he says. “Pfizer has invested a significant amount in
he is: “Pfizer enables me to promote curiosity and intel- my leadership development. To use that training at the
lectual ability at work, to connect diversity and inclu- community level benefits everyone.”
sion with education.” BY BARBARA FRANKEL
Patricia Lee
Wyndham Worldwide Corp.
One of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies
Patricia Lee is a quintessential Jersey girl. She was born, raised and schooled in
New Jersey and has spent her entire human-resources career working at com-
panies based in New Jersey, including KPMG, Unilever, Liberty Travel and now
Wyndham Worldwide Corp.
“If New Jersey wanted to make a commercial about New Jersey, they should come inter-
view me,” says Lee, who joined Wyndham Worldwide Corp. as senior vice president of human
resources four years ago.
The one time she ventured out of state: when she attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
“I studied archaeology and the classics. I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up,” Lee says. “But once I got
into human resources, I went back to Rutgers University to get my master’s degree in human-resource management.”
During her more than 20 years as a human-resources professional, she has “never held a title solely
dedicated to diversity and inclusion,” she says. “But a good 75 percent of the time, I was touching, influencing or involved
with diversity.”
Lee lives with her partner of 21 years. “Although I can’t say I’m totally out to the world, I have shared my personal
experiences and life with many friends and coworkers,” she says. “It hasn’t stood in my way and it continues to give me
the opportunity to further understanding of what diversity is and how it impacts individuals.”
Lee first joined Wyndham Exchange and Rental in March 2004 when it was still a Cendant company, she says. In
2006, Lee asked to join Wyndham Worldwide in her current role when the company was spun off in August 2006.
Wyndham employs 25,000 employees globally and operates in more than 100 different countries.
Lee has always had a passion for diversity issues because she knows “the power of unleashing talent, of removing the
barriers of someone being constrained by their perceptions of difference or the reality of bias in the workplace.”
“It’s freeing, energizing and empowering,” she adds. “That’s when people can really make a difference.” BY SAM ALI
136 DiversityInc
DiversityInc
WEBINAR
WEBINAR CALENDAR
2010
Nov. 16 Lessons Learned From the
DiversityInc Top 50/
Employee Engagement
SERIES
Dec. 14 Supplier Diversity
2011
Jan. 25 Talent Development
Feb. 22 Retention
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March 22 Work/Life RELEASED!
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June 21 DiversityInc Top 50
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July 26 Generations in the Workplace 2 Diversity metrics you need to strengthen your company’s
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Aug. 23 Global Diversity
Sept. 20 Employee-Resource Groups 3 Data about diversity in business—without leaving your office
Oct. 18 Diversity Councils Opportunities to ask questions live via web chat during the
Nov. 15 Lessons Learned From the
DiversityInc Top 50
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Dec. 13 Supplier Diversity
WWW.DIVERSITYINC.COM/WEBINARS
Born in Trinidad, Dr. Kamal Khan had parents who placed a high priority
on academics. That’s what prompted Khan to finish his senior year of
high school in New Jersey, where his uncle, a family physician and role
model, ran a private practice.
But after earning his master’s degree in public health from Rutgers University,
Khan quickly discovered that “as a foreign student, you have limited opportunities
in the United States if you want to go to medical school.” So Khan got his M.D. from
University Eugenia Maria De Hostos in the Dominican Republic and then returned to
the United States to dedicate his life to helping Black, Latino and other underrepresented
students pursue careers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
In 1985, while serving as an instructor at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Khan cofounded Rutgers’
ODASIS, whose Access-Med program prepares promising undergrads from economically and/or academically disad-
vantaged groups for STEM careers with emphasis on health-allied professions. Today, Khan’s program serves about
500 at-risk undergrads annually, and in 2009, 86 percent were accepted to medical school.
“It’s all about increasing the numbers,” says the associate director, noting that the year ODASIS began, only one
Rutgers student had gone into the medical profession.
When Khan isn’t pushing undergrads to “give it their all,” he’s creating a feeder pool of potential STEM students by
working with local students as early as ninth grade through four separate college-prep programs. A tireless and char-
ismatic leader, Khan also serves as faculty adviser to Rutgers’ Islamic Society, the West Indian Student Organization
and the Department of Africana Studies.
Last year, Khan was recognized with the AspiringDocs.org Recognition Award from the Association of American
Medical Colleges for helping to close the disparities gap in the med-school application pool.
BY GAIL ZOPPO
Nicole Dean
Belk
Nicole Dean, the vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer at
Charlotte-based department-store chain Belk, has a few principles that govern
her life—taking initiative, for example. Don’t just walk over the napkin that’s on the
floor, she always reminds her two sons, ages 9 and 7. Bend down and pick it up.
“You need to raise your hand because if you have initia- “‘Our customers have been
tive, people will teach you,” she says. “If you come to the loyal to us, but clearly they are
table smart but you don’t have initiative, you will miss out.” shopping elsewhere for their foundation and pantyhose
It’s the reason why Dean is now the chief diversity officer because we don’t offer their hues,’” Dean recalls saying
at Belk, the largest privately held department-store chain to company executives. “‘But if I can help you under-
in the United States. She asked if she could take a shot at stand that if we get their pantyhose and foundation
the job when the diversity officer left. shades, more of their wallet share would stay at our store
Dean, who was hired four years ago as vice president [and] you would be more inclined to hire people like me
of internal audit, is a CPA by trade and was in charge of who can identify that this is a gap in this store.’”
risk-mitigation strategies for the 125-year-old retail giant. Dean says she has always been drawn to diversity
Dean, born in Brooklyn and raised in Philadelphia, issues, even when she worked as an accountant at
graduated from Clarion University in Pennsylvania with Deloitte, No. 25 on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies
an accounting degree. She worked at Deloitte and Mays for Diversity® list. “[Deloitte] had a national diversity
© 2010 DIVERSITYINC
Department Stores before joining Belk. initiative, but we had nothing going on in the Pittsburgh
For Dean, diversity is “a sales-driving initiative.” For office at the time, so being the go-getter I am, I raised my
example, more than 30 percent of Belk’s customer base is hand and said, ‘I’d love to be our delegate for the Deloitte
Black, Dean says. Yet the company’s marketing materials conference on diversity,’” she says. “I’m always raising
and in-store visuals did not reflect that. my hand.” BY SAM ALI
138 DiversityInc
Companies are indexed to the page where they are first mentioned in an article or
ad in this issue. Advertisers are highlighted in red type.
A HighGround ................................................................................................ 66 Pfizer...................................................................................82, 22, 136, 140
AARP ................................................................................................................... 40 Howard University............................................................................. 142 PG&E ...........................................................................................................81, 82
Accademia Europea per le Relazioni Policy Development Group......................................................... 66
Econimiche e Culturali ............................................................... 134 I PricewaterhouseCoopers .............................................................. 19
Accenture............................................................... 19, 47, 42, 124-129 IBM................................................................................................... 46, 41, 134 PRIMER......................................................................................................... 143
Accor Hospitality ................................................................................. 143 Institute for Economic Prison Legal News ................................................................................ 68
ADP ........................................................................................................................... 5 Empowerment of Women ........................................................ 113 Procter & Gamble ................................................................................ 134
Adweek.............................................................................................................. 82 Institute for Supply Management ..................................... 143 Provident Bank ....................................................................................... 143
Aetna ................................................................................ 19, 14, 34, 40, 43 International Centre for Human Rights and Prudential Financial ............................................................................39
Alzheimer’s Association................................................................. 40 Democratic Development........................................................... 75 PSEG .................................................................................................................. 143
Ameren .............................................................................................................. 94 ITT Corp. ...................................................................................................... 134
American Express ................................................................................. 24 R
American Legislative Exchange Council .................... 66 J Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital............ 138
Asian American Government Jackson Lewis LLP ............................................................................108 Rutgers University.................................... 61, 69, 110, 138, 140
Executives Network ....................................................................... 142 JCPenney .................................................................................................7, 142
Association of American Medical Colleges.....138, 110 Johnson Controls ................................................................................. 142 S
AT&T ......................................................................................... 112, 123, 140 Johnson & Johnson .......................................................23, 111, 140 Selig Center for Economic Growth.............................17, 82
Justice Policy Institute .....................................................................65 Silberman College of Business ................................................ 54
B Justice Strategies.................................................................................... 66 Sodexo ................................................................ 19, 28, 142, Cover IV
BASF....................................................................................................................... 11 StarTribune ................................................................................................109
BCT Partners .............................................................................................. 90 K
Belk ...................................................................................................................... 138 Kaiser Permanente ............................................................................... 47 T
Big Brothers Big Sisters ................................................................ 134 Kellogg NA Co. ........................................................................................... 15 Target .................................................................................................................. 30
Blend Images ............................................................................................105 KeyBank ............................................................................................................27 The Coca-Cola Co..................................................................................97
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida ..........26, 47, 42 Kings College in London ................................................................58 The Economist........................................................................................... 77
Boardman Law Firm ....................................................................... 104 KPMG ......................................................18, 14, 22, 33, 30, 136, 143 The New York Times .......................................................................... 16
BP ............................................................................................................................. 75 Kraft Foods........................................................................................... 22, 32 The Pew Center on the States .................................................. 62
Bureau of Justice Statistics The PhD Project........................................................................... 29, 143
Correctional Surveys....................................................................... 64 L The Walt Disney Co. .......................................................................... 131
Burger King Corp. .................................................................................. 31 Liberian Humanitarian Foundation ............................... 142 Toyota Motor North America .......................................94, 101
Liberty Travel .......................................................................................... 136
C Library of Congress .............................................................................. 16 U
Career Opportunities for Students Los Angeles Times.................................................................................65 UNCF ...................................................................................................................63
with Disabilities (COSD)................................................ 115–117 Unilever .......................................................................................................... 136
Cargill......................................................................................................... 83, 88 M United Jewish Appeal ....................................................................... 40
Catholic Charities ................................................................................. 40 Marriott International ......................................................... 80, 132 United States Trade Representative .................................. 16
Cengage Learning .................................................................................. 16 MasterCard Worldwide...................................................................... 3 University of Florida ........................................................................ 134
Center for Women’s Business Research ....................... 92 Mays Department Stores ............................................................. 138 USA Today ..................................................................................................... 66
Center for Work-Life Policy........................................................39 Merck & Co...................................................................................... 111, 140 US Business Leadership
Centers for Medicaid and MetLife ..................................................................................................... 38, 54 Network (USBLN) ................................................................ 137, 143
Medicare Services ...............................................................................39 Mineral Management Services................................................ 76 U.S. Air Force .................................................................................. 90, 132
CIA ....................................................................................................................... 142 Minority Information U.S. Census Bureau ............................................................. 17, 82, 92
Cornell Companies ...............................................................................58 Technology Consortium .............................................................. 90 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ............... 16
Corrections Corporation of America ................................58 U.S. Department of Agriculture ........................................... 132
Coverplay ........................................................................................................ 80 N U.S. Department of Health & Human Services ...... 16
Cox Communications ................................18, 80, 91, 94, 142 National Alliance for Caregiving .......................................... 40 U.S. Department of Homeland Security ........................59
CVS Caremark .........................................................................................130 National Archives ................................................................................... 16 U.S. Department of Justice ..................................................16, 59
National Association for Multi-Ethnicity U.S. Department of Labor ........................................................... 143
D in Communications......................................................................... 142 U.S. Department of State...................................................... 16, 113
Deloitte.................................................. 9, 22, 45, 52, 131, 138, 142 National Association of Black Accountants............ 143 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs............................... 132
Department of Homeland Security ................................... 60 National Association of State Budget Officers ....... 68 U.S. Food and Drug Administration ................................ 136
Detention Watch Network ...........................................................59 National Association of Women U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .........59
Business Owners ................................................................................. 113 U.S. Internal Revenue Service.................................... 132, 134
E National Baseball Hall of Fame ............................................... 16 U.S. Marine Corps ...............................................................................130
Eastman Kodak Co. ..................................................................... 82, 85 National Council on Aging............................................................39 U.S. Marshals Service ........................................................................ 64
Educational Opportunity Fund Central Office .....111 National Domestic Violence Hotline ............................. 143 U.S. Navy .............................................................................................. 25, 142
Eli Lilly and Co. ...................................................................................... 142 National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce... 86
COMPANYINDEX
Elizabeth Detention Facility...................................................... 62 National Grid ................................................................................140, 143 V
Ernst & Young ....................................................................................13, 24 National Hispanic Corporate Council .......................... 133 Verizon Communications........................................................... 143
National Immigration Law Center ...................................... 16
F National Institute on Money in State Politics..........67 W
Fairleigh Dickinson University .............................................. 54 National Minority Supplier Walmart .................................................................... 94, 118, Cover III
Federal Bureau of Prisons .............................................................59 Development Council .................................................................... 90 Walt Disney Studios ........................................................................... 131
Financial Services Roundtable Committee National Organization for Women ................................... 134 WEFCOS .......................................................................................................130
on Supplier Diversity ...................................................................... 90 National Society of Hispanic MBAs ....................................71 WellPoint....................................................................................84, 99, 130
Ford Motor Co........................................................................................... 24 New Jersey City University .........................................................53 Wells Fargo & Co. ....................................................................................95
Friends of the National WWII Memorial ................. 123 Node Research .......................................................................................... 50 Women Presidents’ Educational Organization .... 82
Northwood University .................................................................... 113 Women’s Business Enterprise
G Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. ............................................ 19 National Council ...........................................................82, 121, 140
GEO Group.....................................................................................................58 Women’s Forum for the
Georgetown University .................................................................108 O Economy & Society.............................................................. 130, 135
Georgia Minority Supplier Omnicom Group ...................................................................................108 Women’s Venture Fund................................................................. 143
Development Council .................................................................... 86 World Bank Group...............................................................................141
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis ....................................... 76 P W. Stanton Smith LLC .......................................................................52
PBS ......................................................................................................................... 66 Wyndham Worldwide Corp. ................................................... 136
H Peking University..................................................................................119
Harley-Davidson......................................................................................87 Pepsi Bottling Group ........................................................................ 134 Y
Harper’s Magazine ................................................................................65 PepsiCo.........................................................................................86, 93, 108 Yahoo Finance ............................................................................................58
Health Care Service Corp....................................................86, 89 Pew Research Center.......................................................................... 51 Yale University .........................................................................................119
140 DiversityInc
STEP students with Rutgers’
Dr. dt ogilvie and DiversityInc’s
Carolynn Johnson
(second row, far right).
STEPHEN DUNMORE was management of the organization’s created to increase the capabili-
recently appointed president of top clients. Deloitte is No. 25 in the ties of existing offices responsible
Sodexo’s school-services division DiversityInc Top 50. for promoting diversity and equal
and is responsible for oversee- opportunity within the agency.
ing the company’s operations and
strategic growth at public-school Eli Lilly and Co. appointed SHAUN
districts throughout the United HAWKINS chief diversity offi- DIANNE EARLEY has been
States. Dunmore held key leader- cer. He will drive the company’s promoted to vice president of
ship positions at Johnson Controls, diversity and inclusion strategy. Cox Media Virginia, Cox’s adver-
where he piloted teams providing Previously, as director of Lilly’s tising division. She has more
facilities-management solutions to Private Equity Ventures, he built than 25 years of media sales
Fortune 500 clients. Sodexo is No. investment syndicates and new and sales-management experi-
1 on The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 entities to accelerate the develop- ence in radio, broadcast and
Companies for Diversity® list. ment of early-stage innovation. cable television. Earley serves
Hawkins serves on the board of the as president of the mid-Atlantic
Liberian Humanitarian Foundation. chapter of NAMIC (the National
Chief of Naval Operations Eli Lilly is one of DiversityInc’s 25 Association for Multi-Ethnicity
ADMIRAL GARY ROUGHEAD Noteworthy Companies. in Communications) and sits
was honored with the Outstanding on the Board of Visitors of the
Public Service Award from the John H. Johnson School of
Asian American Government CIA Director Leon E. Panetta Communications at Howard
Executives Network during its appointed senior officer GERALD University. Cox Communications is
11th Annual Awards Banquet. Last P. HAMILTON to lead the agen- No. 21 in the DiversityInc Top 50.
year, he signed a memorandum cy’s diversity programs, including
of understanding with the Naval its public-outreach efforts. “As a
Officers Mentorship Program to seasoned leader, Gerry has a clear JCPenney has hired KELLEY
develop, implement and improve understanding of how crucial JOHNSON as inclusion and
strategies for mentoring diverse a diverse workforce truly is,” diversity manager. She is respon-
generations of future officers. Panetta said. Hamilton heads the sible for associate engagement,
The U.S. Navy is one of The 2010 new Employee Resource Center, development and recruitment.
DiversityInc Top Federal Agencies
for Diversity.
142 DiversityInc
ROSE STUCKEY KIRK NEREIDA (NEDDY) PEREZ MAGGIE ROFFEE BERNIE J. MILANO
Johnson previously managed separate awards. Perez received Association of Black Accountants
diversity and corporate communi- the 2010 Highest Leaf Award, Legend Award for his dedica-
cations at Accor Hospitality, help- presented by the Women’s tion to the KPMG Foundation
ing to expand its formal mentoring Venture Fund. Santos was named and commitment to increasing
program, community outreach by National Grid as the 2010 the diversity of business-school
and women’s leadership initia- Jefferson Awards Champion for faculty by attracting more Blacks,
tive. JCPenney is No. 46 in the his voluntary contributions. Latinos and American Indians to
DiversityInc Top 50. the profession. When The PhD
Project was formed about 15 years
MAGGIE ROFFEE, a senior ago, there were only 294 such pro-
ROSE STUCKEY KIRK was pro- executive from the U.S. fessors in business schools; today,
moted to vice president of public Department of Labor’s Office of there are 1,043—a 255 percent
relations for corporate reputation Disability Employment Policy, increase. KPMG is No. 15 in the
at Verizon Communications, No. 11 has joined the US Business DiversityInc Top 50.
in the DiversityInc Top 50. She is Leadership Network (USBLN) as
leading the strategic implementa- senior corporate-relations man-
tion and measurement of commu- ager. Roffee brings more than The Institute for Supply
nications, focusing on corporate 30 years of disability policy and Management (ISM) honored
responsibility and sustainability program employment experience DEBORA CSONTOS, procure-
initiatives. Kirk is also chair of the to USBLN, a DiversityInc partner ment analyst for PSEG’s Fossil
board of directors for the National organization. The organization Procurement Organization, with
Domestic Violence Hotline. recently launched a certification the “Innovation/Creativity Person
program for businesses owned by of the Year” award at ISM’s 95th
people with disabilities. Annual International Supply
National Grid’s NEREIDA Management Conference. Csontos
(NEDDY) PEREZ, vice president spearheaded efforts to educate
of inclusion and diversity, and BERNIE J. MILANO, president affiliate members about ISM’s
MIGUEL SANTOS, a Buffalo, of the KPMG Foundation and Certified Professional in Supply
N.Y.–based consumer advocate, president/cofounder of The PhD Management credential.
were each recently honored with Project, received the National
Ask the
A
This is a good question—and a common theme course—we’ll send a Muslim. Oh, oh—now WE look and
in diversity management. The answer goes act like the Taliban.
back to defining values. History demonstrates that you can win the war by
Our culture is increasingly demanding respect for projecting power kinetically, but you win the peace by
people’s orientation. As Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman projecting values. What is more of a recruiting aid to
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in the congressional al-Qaeda: upholding our human rights, or our side tortur-
hearing on DADT, “No matter how I look at the issue, I ing people and bending the law with “flights of rendition”?
cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in We help extremists when we are hypocritical.
place a policy which forces young men and * This is not meant to give license to be
women to lie about who they are in order rude. Do you prefer modest dress? No
to defend their fellow citizens.” He did a “I’m not problem, we’ll dress modestly. Don’t drink
magnificent job in expressing the crux of alcohol or eat pork? No problem, we’ll serve
this matter. President Obama recently put a
different you halal meals and we can skip the beer
deadline on ending DADT. It’s just about than you, today to be hospitable. Is it Ramadan? No
over; our country’s values have been problem, we won’t have a business lunch.
expressed. Many gay and lesbian troops
I’m different Sexuality shouldn’t typically come up in
have served in the two wars we’ve been like you.” business. It’s not acceptable to make out with
fighting for the past eight years (as they or fondle someone in a meeting, or a squadron
have served since our Revolution). We are picnic, in the cockpit, on the firing line, or out
at the threshold of finally respecting our service people on patrol. Now if you ask about someone’s family, you may
and veterans as whole people. hear something that is different than what you do (in my
In my opinion, it is damaging to change our values to case, my wife and I adopted children that are not our race).
conform to other people’s values.* The minute we cede our That’s OK—as a reader recently wrote, “I’m not different than
values, we put ourselves on a slippery slope. What’s next? you, I’m different like you.”
Their culture doesn’t allow women to be in positions of One last thing: Our constitutional protections on
authority (outside the house)? OK, women won’t serve in religion mean that the end of DADT and a religion’s rights
this area. Hmm, what about Secretary Clinton (or are separate. Our Constitution protects your church,
Secretary Rice, before her)? No problem, we’ll send a man. synagogue or temple from ever having to marry two men
Don’t like Christians, Hindus, Buddhists or Jews? Of or two women. Those are our American values. DI
144 DiversityInc
Creative spark
At Walmart, diversity is the doorway to creativity,
opportunity and excellence. Inclusion is the key
that unlocks that door.
The “Spark” Design ( ), Walmart and Save Money. Live Better. are marks and/or registered marks of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ©2010 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR.
TOP
2010
50
DIVERSITY