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Here are several innovative programs designed to advance diversity

and inclusion from our top award-winning companies.


Is there an idea here for your company? by Damian Johnson

Best Buy’s Women’s Leadership Sodexho’s Annual Diversity &


Forum (woLf ) Inclusion Report
The Women’s Leadership Forum In November 2004, Sodexho
(woLf ) is about Best Buy being introduced its Annual Diversity
able to better appeal to female & Inclusion Report to raise
shoppers through the products awareness, expand grassroots
they carry, services they offer, efforts, and encourage dialogue about diversity.
talent they recruit ... and leaders they develop. Sodexho’s diversity office recognizes the importance
The program is designed to aid recruitment and of building diversity awareness throughout the com-
retention efforts and to solve business challenges by pany, and the report carries out that strategy.
having teams of women and men at all levels of the By telling employees about the progress and impact
organization work together. In October 2005, 1,200 each group is making within the organization, the
individuals from Best Buys across the nation filled report serves a dual purpose: It helps make the
the State Theater in Minneapolis to learn how they business case for diversity, and it celebrates employee
could become part of woLf. accomplishments.
Only one year into the program, more than Since its inception, the annual report has
700 individuals have fostered support throughout the organization and
asked to participate in the expansion of grassroots efforts of thousands of
woLf program, and more employees who are committed to creating an
than 200 are members inclusive workplace. The report has helped Sodexho
of woLf packs. In addition, expand new business opportunities, retain its existing
hundreds of other clients, and
employees plan to open the
participate in community door to new
give backs, participate as product
Network woLves, or partici- offerings
pate in annual woLf events. that add
“What it’s about is paying it forward,” says Brian value for its
Dunn, chief operating officer. “Paying it to those clients.
around you and, together, making a huge difference.”
This year Best Buy plans to launch 21 new woLf packs.

66 Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006


Ford Motor Company’s Principal The Home Depot’s Relationship
for a Day Program with the Hispanic Association
The goal of Ford’s Principal for a on Corporate Responsibility
Day program is to establish In 2004, The Home Depot joined
a relationship between the the Hispanic Association on
Detroit Public Schools and Corporate Responsibility
corporate and community (HACR). The company hosted
leaders. For its pilot program, the Hispanic Summit and joined
Ford chose five area schools for HACR’s coalition members to brainstorm ideas in
what it hopes will be a long and rewarding community affairs, hiring, merchandising, and mar-
relationship. keting. The first major initiative began in 2005 with
Marcos De Olivera, executive director of medium the announcement of unprecedented hiring partner-
and large front wheel drive vehicles, described to ships between The Home Depot and four stakehold-
elementary school children how the company designs er groups within the Hispanic community: the
and builds its products. Ann O’Neill, executive Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
director of the customer service division, told (HACU); The ASPIRA Association; the National
children at another school how Ford develops Council of La Raza; and SER—Jobs for Progress
vehicles for the physically challenged. At a third National, Inc. These hiring partnerships have created
school, Jim Bright, executive director in the chief a pipeline of eager talent for the company and career
of staff ’s office and Ford volunteer corps, presented a opportunities for individuals from the Hispanic com-
journalism program to a group of middle school munity. Says Gloria Johnson Goins, vice president of
students. Rosalind Cox, director of diversity and diversity and inclusion at The Home Depot, “These
worklife at Ford Motor, said, “The program was partnerships helped further The Home Depot’s com-
designed to broaden the executives’ understanding mitment to create a high-performing, diverse work-
of the accomplishments of and challenges faced by force that meets the growing needs of its customers
the students, teachers, and principals in Detroit. It and the communities it serves.” In addition, the
also reinforces the concept that the entire community Hispanic Summit resulted in a new line of products,
has a stake in the current and future success of do-it-yourself workshops in Spanish, and bilingual
Detroit’s schools.” in-store signage—important steps to make The
Home Depot the Hispanic Community’s retailer of
choice.

Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006 67


American Airlines Finds Success HCA’s Multicultural Symposium
Using ERGs to Reach Business When HCA felt the need to
Objectives educate its leaders about
About 2,100 employees communities near its facilities,
are involved in the company brought together
American Airline’s external expertise and internal resources. In April
14 Employee Resource 2004, HCA kicked off its Multicultural Symposium,
Groups (ERGs) which were formed in 1993. Until a a one-and-a-half day program designed to educate as
few years ago, the primary focus had been on social many facility leaders as possible about the many
and community service activities. In 2003 the cultures in East Florida. The company also wanted
company invited the ERGs to participate in business to integrate its strategic business goals with the needs
planning, believing that their backgrounds and of nearby multicultural communities and patients.
experiences could help solidify existing business and The company used local speakers to present specific
reach untapped potential. By involving the ERGs in market data on the multicultural communities it
business planning, American Airlines has captured serves. Each facility was analyzed by identifying the
new customers, gained new flight routes, and saved predominant ethnic groups, and examining the data
millions of dollars. In addition, many ERG members by ethnicity, gender, and other patient-physician
gained the opportunity to work in areas of the information.
business outside their normal scope. Others have The program helped HCA employees to become
been tapped for board positions in the community; more educated about the multicultural patient, to
all have developed leadership and analytical experi- hear and understand the vision and plan of the
ence. ERG members participated in letter writing diversity message, and to identify activities that would
campaigns to support the airline’s petition for a best serve various communities.
route to China, which was awarded in 2005. The The Multicultural Symposium helped HCA
group also provided guidance in food and cultural develop diversity strategies, share best practices
issues within Chinese business communities, systemwide, and better address the needs of the
saving American Airlines thousands of dollars in multicultural patient.
consulting fees.

68 Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006


Lehman Brothers’ Partnership
Solutions Group: Institutional Entergy’s Fossil
Client Relationship Management Diversity Council
for Women- and Minority-owned Entergy’s Fossil Diversity Council
Firms coordinates diversity and inclusion
Established in May 2004, programs via an inter-company Web
Lehman Brothers’ page. The Web page supports the activities contained
Partnership Solutions in Entergy’s Diversity and Inclusion Scorecard. The
Group (PSG) focuses on developing business Fossil Diversity Council
opportunities with minority- and women-owned utilizes the Web page
financial services firms while creating and increasing to support management
wealth in diverse communities. The PSG creates long- and union personnel at 29
lasting relationships within this potentially lucrative power generation facilities,
and growing market. The PSG serves as facilitator, giving access to the site to over
business partner, distribution channel, and a source 14,000 employees. The page allows the council chair
of referrals, ultimately helping the company broaden to share diversity events, post performance metrics,
its client base and increase revenue. As a result, new store meeting minutes and newsletters, and support the
relationships have been developed with 15 broker diversity video/DVD electronic checkout program
dealers, three commercial banks, and 15 private equity from one location.
firms. In November 2004, Lehman Brothers acted as Since its conception, Entergy’s Fossil Diversity
co-manager on the issuance of $750 million worth of Council has placed counters on various pages of the
seven-year, fixed-rate notes for a large, diversified con- Web site to track how often the site is utilized. The
glomerate. The transaction was the largest minority-led company can also see which of its recently published
taxable deal in history. Lehman Brothers was the only newsletters have been viewed or downloaded, and track
non-minority-led firm on the deal, with two minority- requests for DVDs from members in other subsidiaries.
owned securities firms acting as lead managers and
bookrunners.

Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006 69


Ottawa Police Service’s Blue Cross of
Community Outreach Recruitment California’s Agent
Champion Program Incubator Program
The Community Outreach Recruitment Champion Established in May 2004,
Program began in 2003 after the Ottawa Police Service the Agent Incubator Program’s
recognized the need to step up its recruitment efforts commitment was to address
due to an increasingly competitive labor market. The California’s problem of having 6.4 million uninsured
Police Service knew that a diverse organization would residents. The program developed an agent force of
enable it to better 10 field agents recruited from histor-
serve its diverse ically uninsured and underserved
community. geographies throughout California.
During the These agents were trained to educate
program’s initial the uninsured and convert them into
phase, police got insured clients.
community members involved by having them provide The Agent Incubator Program reports
input during consultation, participate in decision- that more than 75 percent of their agents’ sales are
making, and directly aid in the recruitment process. to members who were previously uninsured. What’s
Administered by a steering committee, this program more, Blue Cross agents are cultivating an
brought people together from across the community. understanding of diversity among their fellow
Through a rigorous application and screening process, insurance agents and with previously underserved
22 Community Recruitment Champions were communities.
qualified in November 2004.
Since the inception of the program, recruitment
classes have gone from being 85 percent white male
to having a significant representation of all groups,
ages, socio-economic backgrounds, education,
religions, and cultures.

70 Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006


Credit Suisse’s New York Life BNSF Railway’s
Elder Care Insurance BOLD Initiative
Initiative (ECI) Company’s (Business
The ECI is an expansion Advancing Opportunities
of the Credit Suisse’s Diversity for Leadership
Parents’ Network. It To foster a “level playing Diversity)
provides members with field” based on merit In August 1999, Rob Krebs, former CEO
access to information on issues related to regardless of race, gender, age, sexual of BNSF, met with nine other CEOs in
eldercare through regularly scheduled orientation, or any other protected status, the Dallas/Fort Worth area and launched
discussion groups, New York Life created a the BOLD Initiative, a program designed
a speaker series, diversity office and to promote inclusive
and an internal appointed a chief leadership by identify-
information center. The diversity officer. The ing and staffing diverse talent at senior
discussion groups allow employees to goal of the diversity office is to ensure levels. Today, the BOLD Initiative is a
develop relationships with colleagues that the representation of all qualified employees unique consortium of 20 partner companies
contribute to a spirit of community, at the senior level through the implemen- and the city of Forth Worth devoted to
feelings of goodwill, and loyalty to Credit tation of diversity initiatives. New York advancing diversity leadership at each of
Suisse. The ECI speaker series features a Life expects to achieve positive results its members by locating, screening and
variety of guest speakers from local organ- both within and beyond the confines of qualifying diverse talent. Since its inception,
izations specializing in eldercare, and the diversity. The new office and its goals are 50 BOLD applicants have been placed
information center offers a wide range of strongly supported by the company’s with the partner companies. BNSF has
resources including a lending library, links board of directors, its chairman and CEO, placed 14 of them in mid- and senior-
to external Web sites relating to eldercare, and the executive management committee. level positions throughout several different
and information on the Bank’s Employee “New York Life is a great company business units. “BOLD’s purpose is to
Assistance Program. because it doesn’t rest on its laurels,” attract diverse professionals with leader-
states Sy Sternberg, chairman and CEO. ship potential to North Texas and
“Management continually works to to find opportunities for them with local
improve all facets of our business, and corporations,” said Matt Rose, chairman,
diversity is yet another area where we president and CEO of BNSF Railway.
cannot be complacent.” “It has turned out to be an excellent
two-way investment.”
PDJ

Profiles in Diversity Journal May/June 2006 71

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