Diversity Journal - Nov/Dec 2008 by Diversity Journal

Also Featuring … A Celebration of National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month • Catalyst • Perspectives

Volume 10, Number 6 nOvEMBER / DECEMBER 2008

It’s people from all walks that make the world run.

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of people, vast collection The world is a operate as. Wherever we cultures and ide e the unique rld, we embrac around the wo force ly diverse work vision that a tru nce of e broad experie brings. With th yees, we 59,000 emplo our more than ergy of ost powerful en harness the m ore, gy. To learn m all, human ener om. visit chevron.c

NoveMBer / DeCeMBer 2008 • VOLUME 10 NUMBER 6

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PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

diversity Champions CDW

HARTfORD

MGM MIRAGE

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WAKE COUNTY

WELLPOINT

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publisher’s notebook notebook editors notebook

Crisis Reminds Us that

We Stand Together

James R. Rector PUBLISHER

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the economic crisis we’re in, and I’ve come to believe that—perhaps in an odd way—the crisis only reinforces our role as a magazine in advancing diversity. I say this because we have always viewed diversity as, fundamentally, a human endeavor. We’re not like the other diversity magazines that so often are policy- and process-oriented.

John Murphy

Instead, we’re storytellers. We focus on individuals who are doing, thinking, and leading the way for others. That’s why we share your stories throughout the year, celebrate your successes, and give you a voice within our pages. What you do is powerful evidence of the commitment to diversity made by your organization, and sharing it with others is incredibly important.

Alina Dunaeva

For example, in this issue we are hearing from HR executives— diversity champions who share their stories from the front lines of hiring. Also, we recognize National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month with 5 profiles that help us learn about and appreciate the contributions and culture of peoples native to America. Catalyst reports on the value of Employee Resource Groups. And we round out the issue (and the year) with thought-provoking perspectives from our regular columnists. Marriage counselors will tell you that when communication stops, relationships die. That’s why we give you the chance to tell your own stories through a variety of editorial opportunities throughout the year. Your participation is a potent addition to your advertising message and reaffirms your organization’s stance on diversity and inclusion. We’ve got an exciting slate of such opportunities available to you in 2009, and I hope you’ll take advantage of every one of them. Our pledge to helping you share your message is as unwavering as your own determination to succeed.

MANAGING EDITOR

Cheri Morabito

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Damian Johnson

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Laurel L. Fumic

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

O verseas C orrespondent

Jason Bice

WEB MASTER

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Commentaries or questions should be

addressed to: Profiles in Diversity Journal, P.O. Box 45605, Cleveland, OH 44145-0605. All correspondence should include author’s full name, address, e-mail and phone number. DISPLAY ADVERTISING

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November/December 2008

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contents

table of contents

Volume 10 â&#x20AC;˘ Number 6 November / December 2008

features

On the Cover HR Executives as Diversity Champions

Over the years, much of the responsibility for diversity has fallen to human resources executives. We thought it was about time to meet some of these HR executives, whom we recognize as the often unsung, first champions of diversity.

avis aflac

axa

booz allen burger king

Executives

diversity Champions cdw

hartford

MGM Mirage

prudential terex sodexo

national american indian &alaska native 42 HERITAGE MONTH 42 Special Feature

National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

November is National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month. We present five individuals who share their background, experience, and attitudes with us. They offer a unique perspective on their heritage.

Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

wake county

wellpoint

And that may be the one true link that brings us all together, regardless of race, creed or color. Boeing proudly supports those courageous enough to make discrimination, history.

contents

table of contents

Volume 10 â&#x20AC;˘ Number 6 November / December 2008

departments

8 Momentum Diversity Who, What, Where and When

diversity

Leader

AWARD

2008

13 From the Publisher Introducing the Diversity Leader Award: Recognizing the Communication Efforts of Leading Companies

14 Catalyst E mployee Resource Groups: Valuable to Employees; Valuable to Business 54 MicroTriggers More Instruction Stories from Janet Crenshaw Smith

perspectives 12 T houghts Through the Office Door â&#x20AC;Ś by Carlton Yearwood, Waste Management, Inc. 16 From My Perspective by Linda Jimenez, WellPoint, Inc.

diversity

Leader

18 Viewpoint by Melanie Harrington, AIMD 20 My Turn by Shirley A. Davis, PhD, SHRM 56 Last Word by Marie Y. Philippe, PhD

Yearwood 6

Jimenez

Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal

Harrington

November/December 2008

Davis

Philippe

Some call it diversity. To us, it’s a business plan.

When you serve over 200 million weekly customers, including 13 markets outside the U.S., diversity isn’t an option. It’s not only the right thing to do – it’s the right way to build your business. Our 2 million associates need leadership in merchandising, marketing, finance, transportation and logistics. So we actively recruit leaders with diverse backgrounds, individual skills, and lots of enthusiasm. If that sounds like you, please visit us at walmartstores.com.

momentum momentum who…what…where…when

ComEd’s George Williams Elected to Underwriters Laboratories’ Board of Trustees NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has announced that George Williams has been elected to UL’s williams board of trustees. Williams is currently senior vice president of operations at ComEd, a Chicago-based unit of the Exelon Corporation and one of the nation’s largest electric utilities with 3.8 million customers in Northern Illinois. He is responsible for the coordination of operations including electric distribution, maintenance and construction, new business, and work management. Prior to ComEd, Williams held a number of other key leadership positions within the nuclear and fossil industry. He was vice president of operations at Entergy, an integrated energy company that provides electricity in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. He has also worked at PPL Susquehanna, Progress Energy (formerly Carolina Power & Light), and Exelon’s PECO, an electric and natural gas utility in Pennsylvania. Williams received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Widener University and an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University. He has completed Wharton’s Executive Development Program at the University of Pennsylvania, the Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership, and Harvard University’s program for senior executives. Williams is an active board member in numerous civic and profes8

Pro f i les i n D ive rsit y Journal

sional organizations including the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC), and Executive Leadership Council (ELC).

K&L Gates’ Martin Garza Named Latino Lawyer of the Year by Hispanic National Bar Association Dallas, Tex. – K&L Gates LLP real estate partner Martin E. Garza has been named the 2008 Latino Lawyer of garza the Year by the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA). Garza, a partner in K&L Gates’ Dallas office, was presented the award during the HNBA Annual Convention in Los Angeles, Calif. In 2006, Garza helped create the Dallas Diversity Task Force to promote hiring and retention of minorities in the city’s larger law firms. The program has served as a model for similar studies and diversity initiatives around the country. Garza and the task force members were honored earlier this year with the State Bar of Texas Presidents’ Award for outstanding legal service to the profession. Garza’s law practice includes commercial real estate development and retail leasing. He counsels and represents a varied group of clients from the development, retail and energy industries, and has extensive experience assisting gas producers in North Texas with local permitting and regulation issues. Garza is currently a director of the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association Scholarship Foundation, which he

November/December 2008

helped to found in order to facilitate the DHBA’s funding and scholarship efforts. He is also president and director of the Friends of Dallas Law Magnet High School Foundation, supporting programs and activities for high school students interested in government and the law. A 1987 graduate of Harvard University, Garza earned both a Juris Doctor degree and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996.

KPMG Names 51 New Students to Future Diversity Leaders Program NEW YORK – KPMG LLP, the audit, tax, and advisory firm, has admitted 51 new students to its Future Diversity Leaders (FDL) program, an initiative intended to provide leadership training and financial support for outstanding minority undergraduate business students. This year’s FDL class, consisting of students representing 33 schools nationwide, recently completed a two-day leadership conference in Hollywood, California. The conference provided the students the opportunity to interact and network with leaders in the profession, professors and KPMG professionals. The students also attended leadership-style courses that were co-instructed by KPMG partners. KPMG launched FDL last year as part of its continuing effort to increase and support minority representation in the fernandez accounting profession. “We are committed to helping to build the business leaders of tomorrow,” said Manny Fernandez,

national campus recruiting partner at KPMG. Upon completion of their summer internship prior to their junior year, the students will become eligible for additional scholarship money and an offer to remain in the intern program the following summer. The internship before their senior year is a “Practice Internship,” where the participants will gain hands-on experience with clients in their chosen business area. In addition to gaining work experience, students will be mentored by the FDL faculty advisor from their school, as well as by a KPMG professional. KPMG LLP is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International. KPMG International’s firms have 123,000 professionals, including more than 7,100 partners, in 145 countries.

area’s state and local, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. She will continue to serve a select group of clients. Before joining KPMG, she was the inspector general of the District of Columbia. Before that, she was mergers and acquisitions manager for New York-based Corning Inc.’s opto-electronics business group and also served as Corning’s director of internal audit. A certified public accountant, Avant is a lifetime member and three-term past national president of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and numerous professional organizations. Avant graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Virginia State University. Avant currently resides and will continue to be based in Washington, D.C.

KPMG Names Angela Avant to Lead Diversity Programs

Myrna Soto Named One of 2008’s Top Hispanics in Technology

NEW YORK – KPMG LLP has announced that Angela Avant, 49, has been named to the newly created position of partner avant in charge of diversity. Avant is currently co-chair of the firm’s national African American network and a member of the firm’s Diversity Advisory Board. She will be responsible for leading the firm’s diversity strategy and fostering an environment of inclusion that embraces diversity among KPMG’s partners, employees, vendors and clients. Avant, who joined KPMG in 1999 and was named an advisory partner in 2004, has been responsible for business development and advisory services in KPMG’s mid-Atlantic

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – MGM MIRAGE’s Myrna Soto has been named one of the “Most Important Hispanics in soto Technology” by Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology magazine (HE&IT). Soto, who serves as VP of Governance and Chief Information Security Officer, was chosen from a field of more than 1,000 nominees. To select the 2008 highestachieving Hispanics, HE&IT editors evaluated and ranked individuals who have demonstrated leadership in both the workplace and the community. Executives, technologists, and researchers in industry, government,

and academia were eligible for the award. Soto is serving as interim chief information officer. She joined MGM MIRAGE in 2004 as the corporate director of solutions with the Mandalay Bay Resort Group. From October 2005 until January 2007, she was vice president of business solutions and project management officer. Soto was recognized at the National Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Conference in Dallas, Texas, in October. She will also be featured in the magazine’s fall edition. MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM), one of the world’s leading and most respected development companies with significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 17 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi, and Michigan, and has investments in four other properties in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, and Macau. For more information about MGM MIRAGE, visit the company’s website at www.mgmmirage.com.

American Airlines Captain Dave Harris, Retired, Honored for Trail Blazing FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines will serve as the title sponsor of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) 32nd Annual Convention, where retired Captain Dave Harris will be honored for being the first African American to fly for a commercial airline. Harris, 73, retired from American Airlines in 1994 after more 30 years of service. After rejections from several of the major airlines at the time, Harris

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momentum momentum who…what…where…when

wanted to avoid any misunderstanding down the road. Following his interview with American, Harris recalls, “I felt compelled to tell (the interviewer) I was black.” The chief pilot, who conducted the interview, responded, “This is American Airlines, and we don’t care if you’re black, white or chartreuse. We only want to know, can you fly the plane?” Harris began training with American Airlines in December 1964, preparing to pilot the airline’s DC-6 aircraft. American Airlines today has one of the most diverse flight crews in the industry. American and its regional affiliate American Eagle Airlines together employ 163 African-American pilots, some of whom are African American female pilots. Several other current and former American Airlines employees also will receive special recognition for their outstanding career achievements in aviation, including Joan Dorsey, who became the first AfricanAmerican flight attendant. Dorsey retired from American Airlines in 1999 after more than 36 years of service with American. Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the mission of OBAP is to prepare young people to realize a successful future in the aerospace industry through educational opportunities, mentoring, and aerospace projects. For more information on OBAP, visit www.obap.org.

Floyd Pitts New Chief Diversity Officer at the Red Cross Floyd Pitts will join the Red Cross as Chief Diversity Officer in mid-November, according to an announcement by President and CEO Gail J. McGovern. 10

Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal

“The position of chief diversity officer is essential to our goal of better reflecting the communities we serve. That is why I am happy to tell you that we have hired an inspirational chief diversity officer to lead our corporate diversity efforts,” she announced. Pitts has more than 20 years of management experience in EEO, diversity, and equal-rights issues. For the past eight years, he has directed the diversity programs for Hilton Hotels, a company recognized by Fortune magazine seven years in a row as one of the Top Companies for Minorities, and by DiversityInc as one of its 2008 Top Companies for Diversity. Pitts is known for creating innovative programs to engage diverse partnerships and expanding Hilton’s reach into diverse communities. “I believe teamwork is the foundation to accomplishing all of our priorities, and I couldn’t be more excited about the talented team that we are building,” said McGovern.

WellPoint Executive to Receive 2008 Award for Outstanding Leadership Achievement Indianapolis, Ind. – Tonya Maxey-Fuller, staff vice president of operations strategy, will be honored as a recipient of the maxey-fuller CareerFOCUS Eagle Award for Outstanding Leadership Achievement. One of only 16 recipients nationally, Maxey-Fuller will receive the award at the National Eagle Leadership Institute (NELI) awards gala in November. This year’s winners join a network of more than

November/December 2008

250 award recipients recognized for outstanding leadership achievement since the award was established in 1993. The CareerFOCUS Eagle Award recognizes Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino professionals who excel in both corporate and community leadership. The award is presented to individuals who practice principled leadership and whose records of performance uphold the highest standards of dignity, integrity, and honor. As part of the award, Maxey-Fuller will serve a two-year appointment to NELI’s Eagle Roundtable Advisory Council through which winners are instantly connected to a national network of leaders—all of whom are past Eagle Award recipients. She will also become an advisor to NELI’s Corporate Bound Academy Leadership Challenge, where she will help college students preparing for corporate leadership.

New York Life Announces Executive Promotions NEW YORK – New York Life Insurance Company has announced that Katherine O’Brien has been promoted to first vice president and chief diversity officer; Dorothea Rodd has been promoted to first vice president in the human resources department; and Gayle Yeomans has been promoted to first vice president in the office of governmental affairs. O’Brien is responsible for identifying and implementing best practices in the areas of recruitment and training of a diverse o’Brien workforce, and the

development and promotion of culturally diverse and women employees. She joined New York Life in 1995 as a litigator and has held positions of increasing responsibility in employment litigation and benefits compliance. She was appointed chief diversity officer in 2006. O’Brien earned a JD degree from Brooklyn Law School and a BA from Wesleyan University. She lives in New York City. Rodd is now responsible for overseeing all operations and services functions in the HR department, which rodd include service delivery for employee and agent benefit plans, management of outsourced vendor relationships, data management and reporting, payroll, and budgeting as well as accounting and financial controls. Rodd joined New York Life in 1981 as an auditor trainee. She became a senior auditor in 1987, and in 1988 moved to the corporate finance department as a senior accountant. She became a director of accounting in 1989, assistant vice president in 1991, and corporate vice president in 1995. In 2003, she was elected vice president in the corporate services department, where she was responsible for procedures and systems for accounts payable, credit card administration, and financial analyses for procurement. Rodd earned an MBA from Dowling College and a bachelor’s degree from Lehman College. She lives in Manorville, New York, with her three children.

Yeomans is responsible for directing all state government relations efforts. She has broad experience in life insurance yeomans regulation and legislation, including solvency, and serves as the company’s representative to the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) Insurance Regulation Steering Committee. Additionally, Yeomans has been a key voice with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) on a range of issues. Yeomans rejoined New York Life as vice president in 2002. Prior to that, she was at the New York State Assembly, where she was the chief counsel and secretary to Minority Leader John Faso. Previously, she was with New York Life for four years in the office of governmental affairs. Yeomans earned a JD degree from New York University School of Law and a BS from Cornell University. She lives in New York City.

NMSDC Names Johnson Controls “Corporation of the Year”

Johnson Controls chairman and CEO, Steve Roell (left), and diversity business development director, Reginald Layton, accept the 2008 (NMSDC) “Corporation of the Year” award.

Milwaukee, Wis. – The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) has presented Johnson Controls, Inc. with its “Corporation of the Year” award in recognition of the company’s achievements in minority business development. Johnson Controls is the only business-to-business company to receive this honor twice since NMSDC’s founding in 1972. While many major companies are working to consolidate and reduce their number of suppliers, Johnson Controls nearly doubled its number of minority suppliers from 140 in 2006 to 276 in 2007. Johnson Controls has consistently implemented best practices recommended by NMSDC for world-class supplier diversity performance. Reginald K. Layton, diversity business development director at Johnson Controls, received the Minority Supplier Development Leader of the Year award from NMSDC in recognition of innovative supplier development activities and leadership across industry groups and across the country. Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. For more information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com. The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) network includes a national office in New York and 39 regional councils across the country. The regional councils certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations that want to purchase goods and services. For more information, visit www.nmsdc.org. PDJ

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

thoughts through the office door…

Diversity Expectations Can Change in an Instant By Carlton Yearwood

Chief Ethics and Diversity Officer Waste Management, Inc.

Comfortably watching World Series action on the widescreen in my family room, the high-def pinpointed with startling clarity a well-hit baseball carving an arc over the Philadelphia stadium’s outfield lawn. Into the stands, for sure, I thought. But, from the far corner of the screen, one of Tampa Bay’s rookie outfielders sprinted an outlandish distance to spear the ball on the fly, diving full-length at absolutely the last instant to snare a trophy in his mitt. “Wow, that kid’s a game changer!” intoned Fox Sports announcers. Hard to disagree. Again in front of the TV weeks later, I was thinking of that situation and that exclamation. But the broadcast scene was Chicago’s Grant Park on Election Day evening. As electric and emotional as any partisan sports crowd, the throng welcomed our new President and family with cheers, tears and every other emotion-on-yoursleeve. One can’t help but think whether that electric shift in our politics has changed the game for what we do, too. Or at least causes us some serious self-assessment. Take a second, step back from our professional work and look at what we do under the penetrating light of the November 4th outcomes. For a long time—for some of us, now 25 years or more—it seems we’ve lived out a fairly well tested paradigm of how to manage diversity and inclusion in business circles. We know the issues, we’re pretty good at structuring solutions, and our organizations accept and promote our results. Oh, things have evolved, but even on our best days we’d characterize that all as incremental.

“

So now we come face-to-face with a nation that, by a majority and in an instant, has both pushed the baseline for expectations about diversity and inclusion to a wonderfully higher level, and declared that, yes, we are truly a multiracial, gender-blind American society. Our country has come to a place through voter mandate where we all have tried tirelessly for years to elevate our individual companies and their cultures. What’s a diversity leader to do? Well, for one thing, I’m making a point to feel like a winner, too. There’s cause

How do we collectively take the next steps of relevancy in our profession?

”

to celebrate for a long time in this one. We’ve seen the triumph of ability, of reason, of possibility, of individual worth and potential realized. These are all things that we’ve long espoused, and we should rejoice in such an encompassing result. But this new environment raises the ante for us, too. How do we collectively take the next steps of relevancy in our profession? And what might those leaps forward be? Certainly not more of the same. Or is it exactly more of the same, with more energy, focus and higher expectations? As a profession, can we be up to defining the new challenges and even more thoughtful solutions in this captivating national environment? One can’t help but answer, “Yes … yes, we can.” PDJ

Waste Management, Inc. is the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America. The company is strongly committed to a foundation of financial strength, operating excellence, and professionalism.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

from the publisher

In January 2009, this magazine will confer the Profiles in Diversity Journal “Diversity Leader Award” to several organizations with outstanding diversity communication practices. In successive years, companies will be added to the list, and many companies that already enjoy the distinction will earn recognition for a second year, and then a third year, and so on. It could not be more appropriate for Profiles in Diversity Journal to bestow such an award on an organization. We are, after all, in the business of helping organizations tell their own success stories. We are the people side of diversity. Our mission is to give voice to diversity efforts around the world by offering a variety of editorial opportunities— totally independent of advertising, I might add—that allow companies to share their commitment to diversity. The Diversity Leader Award is given to companies who share their stories with our readers on a regular basis by taking advantage of our special features, by sharing their news releases, and by offering profiles of their thought leaders. Such ongoing communication serves as a beacon to others to proclaim their own commitment to diversity. One such opportunity is our regular feature Momentum, a report of people on the move who are championing diversity. Additionally, we regularly offer profiles of African American leaders, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans, and give them the chance around major holidays or observances to share their own thoughts

diversity

Leader

AWA R D

Recognizing the Communication Efforts of Leading Companies

2008

Diversity Leader Award™

with our readers. And, of course, our Women Worth Watching® issue is unmatched in the industry. It typically includes more than 100 gifted women whose mentoring essays inspire the next generation of leaders. You might ask, Why is communication so important? The answer is not complicated, but it is far from simple. Diversity is about building relationships between and among people of different backgrounds. Communication is at the heart of relationships, whether between a husband and wife, parent and child, or a company and its employees. In business, effective marketing communication fosters strong customer relationships that drive brand value. Similarly, in the arena of diversity, communication deepens understanding and helps broaden the acceptance and advancement of diversity. It’s not enough to be committed to diversity. You must shout that commitment to the world. Otherwise, you are like the light hidden under a bushel basket. If your company is lighting the way for others, we want to help you get the word out. Plenty of opportunities are coming in 2009. Review our editorial calendar and make the decision to shine the light of your efforts for all the world to see. Put our Diversity Leader Award symbol on all your corporate communications and press releases so that there can be no doubt about where you stand. We are proud to stand with you.

James R. Rector Publisher The Diversity Leader Award will be presented to companies whose executives have shared personal stories, thoughts, and profiles with our readers. The dots in the symbol indicate the number of issues in which the company has participated in a given year; they do not suggest any sort of ranking. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

www.catalyst.org

Employee Resource Groups Valuable to Employees; Valuable to Business

By Catalyst

For seven years, Catalyst Member Benchmarking has assessed the scope of diversity and inclusion programs, policies, and initiatives of participating member organizations that contribute confidential data. This year, the 2008 Catalyst Member Benchmarking Report expanded its global reach through the first-time participation of members of Japan Women’s Innovative Network (J-Win), Catalyst’s sister organization, which works with its member organizations to address diversity issues and advance women in the workplace in Japan. The report now provides workforce statistics for Asia, Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States derived from 212 participating organizations representing 11 industries. In 2008, the report focuses on employee resource groups (ERGs)—also known as employee network groups, affinity groups, or caucuses—and, in particular, women’s networks. ERGs serve multiple purposes. Important workforce development benefits include the advancement and retention of women, and, in particular, women of color, and the development of potential leaders. Marketplace development benefits include providing relevant insights on emerging markets, product development and design, as well as multicultural marketing. On the workplace development front, ERGs influence workplace culture by identifying unexamined assumptions, educating employees and senior leadership, and changing norms. Finally, ERGs serve an important community development and corporate social responsibility function by linking employees to their communities through donations and volunteerism.

Findings The vast majority of participating members—83 percent— had at least one employee resource group. Among members with ERGs, women’s networks were by far the most prevalent. Other popular ERGs develop and support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees and racially or ethnically underrepresented groups. At nearly one-half of responding members—45 percent—ERGs were open to all employees. In addition, senior-leadership support was strong: 91 percent of organizations with ERGs reported that their ERGs had organization-appointed senior-level champions or sponsors. Nearly all members with ERGs—94 percent—had an ERG for women. Fifty percent of these members said that the women’s ERG’s primary focus was to provide opportunities for leadership development and/or management experience. Members headquartered in Japan or Canada were more likely than members headquartered in Europe or the United States to say that the primary purpose of their women’s ERG was to provide social support to address women’s professional challenges.

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More than three-quarters (77 percent) of organizations with ERGs for women said that their women’s network had a formally stated business case linking the group to the organization’s strategy or performance. Moreover, 88 percent of respondents with women’s ERGs said that these groups were extremely important or very important to their organization’s strategy to increase gender diversity. More than a quarter—27 percent—of responding members said that their total annual organizational budget for all employee resource groups exceeded $250,000. Organizations with higher revenues, as well as Catalyst Award-winning members, tended to have higher annual budgets for their ERGs.

Less than $10,000 $10,000-$24,999 $25,000-$49,999 $50,000-$99,999 $100,000-$149,999 $150,000-$199,999 $200,000-$249,999 $250,000 or more

Of responding members who allocate a portion of their organizational budget to ERGs, 29 percent of respondents said that 11 to 25 percent of their total ERG budget went to women’s ERGs. Respondents to the survey expressed the belief that ERGs can be especially powerful when it comes to advancing women within organizations. In particular, they said ERGs would best serve women by emphasizing leadership development opportunities. While there is value in providing social support to women to help them address their professional challenges, responding members said that ERGs should make developing women leaders their top priority.

Despite the feeling that networks should be used in this way, only 19 percent of those that track network activities—31 respondents—actually measured or linked women’s network leadership with promotion and/or retention statistics. If women’s ERGs are most valuable in this respect, organizations must measure and provide more explicit links between network leadership and participation, and metrics relating to advancement, retention, performance, and accountability. PDJ

The lead sponsor for this report was McDonald’s Corporation. The contributing sponsor was HSBC Holdings plc.

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business. Visit Research & Knowledge at www.catalyst.org to download free copies of this and other Catalyst reports. While there, visit the Catalyst E-News sign-up page found under Newsroom to begin receiving our monthly email updates. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

from my perspective…

Why Diversity Matters By Linda Jimenez Staff Vice President – Workforce Diversity WellPoint, Inc.

The state of diversity is good, bad and perplexing. On the bright side, diversity and inclusion are part of the everyday language in most workplaces and initiatives to make workplaces more inclusive, inviting, and equitable are having a positive impact. The bad news, however, is that even where there are solid diversity strategies in place, there are still pockets of discrimination and harassment, recruitment remains a difficult challenge, and intolerance is still raising its ugly head in some instances of individual behavior. Most perplexing of all is that in the face of powerful statistical evidence about demographic changes in the workforce and marketplace, many people still ask the question: Why is diversity so important? Why spend resources, time and energy on diversity, when other business needs seem more compelling?” Diversity is a measure of the demographic complexity in a particular environment, and the harmony between different groups. But our idea of diversity goes one step further: we make an assumption that the relationships between diverse groups are characterized by peaceful coexistence—that is, not subject to open hostility, aggression, or the expectation of violence. Toward that end, companies have worked to recruit and retain greater numbers of women, persons of color, and individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identity. These efforts have been motivated by a range of objectives— from a compliance perspective to a desire to have workforces that reflect customer bases, to strongly felt moral imperatives of fairness and equity. I believe the three most important reasons diversity matters include: Gaining access to a changing marketplace. Today’s domestic marketplace is being transformed by powerful demographic forces.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

Maximizing and leveraging the impact of your human capital. The same diversity in the marketplace affects the pool of potential employees. It is clear that the workforce will continue to have more women, people of color, and immigrants each year. In addition, employees of all groups are expecting more from organizations: from hostile-free, nondiscriminatory workplaces to flexible schedules and benefits, child care and family-friendly policies. When employees feel valued and respected, when there is a fair, open promotional system, and when resources are spent on developing employees, they stay. What’s more, they often tell others why their company is a great place to work. Inclusion is the key. Increasing diversity is important, but we must be clear about what it does not do. Greater representation does not guarantee that members of previously excluded groups will enjoy engagement in the important work of the business or increased learning opportunities, or stronger contributions to the bottom line. Exclusion and lack of support work to undermine performance in a variety of ways. High turnover rates result in people leaving the business before they can really learn it. “Glass ceilings” block access to positions of responsibility at the leading edge. And the related phenomenon of “stacking,” where minorities and women are greatly over-represented in non-strategic areas of the business, hurts diversity efforts. Inclusion is a critical answer to the question of why diversity matters. Having a strategic management strategy grounded in inclusion is the essential answer to why diversity should be an imperative for any organization. The only certainty ahead is continued change. Responding to varied perspectives and preferences keeps an organization flexible and creative. Change is fraught with difficulty, demanding creative, serious, and continuous management by skilled leaders who understand the importance of inclusion to organizational productivity. PDJ

Linda Jimenez is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she received her BA with honors. She is also a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and has spent 20 years specializing in labor and employment law.

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Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

Ú H A L L M A R K C A RD S I NC

November/December 2008

viewpoint

The Diversity Dialogue After the Presidential Election By Melanie Harrington

President American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc.

By the time you read this article, the nation will have elected the 44th president of the United States. It will be an historic election, and there will be many who will rush to examine every aspect of the entire campaign season. There have been presidential elections where race and civil rights were major themes, but not the broader more expansive view of diversity that institutions have adopted around the globe. Some believe that our continued preoccupation about our differences will divide and weaken the country. Others feel that the national dialogue on diversity is long overdue. I believe that this election has exposed the nation’s diversity challenges. We tend to overly simplify diversity by lumping people into a very small set of diversity buckets: for race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, stated that decisions and judgments are made through “thin-slicing,” using limited information to come to conclusions. As people are less willing to be defined by those few buckets, we risk reaching dangerously inaccurate conclusions because of a lazy reliance on thin-slicing. Additionally, resolving the global economic crisis will require innovations and the skillful collaboration of leaders around the world. The diversity issues that will confront us will grow more complex and require more sophisticated and mature diversity management approaches. The call to action for diversity practitioners is to help individuals and organizations develop the capability to generate the diversity collisions 1 and broad spectrum vision.2 This will require a more sophisticated diversity management maturity and capability. According to diversity expert and AIMD founder Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., diversity maturity requires that you acknowledge being diversity challenged, recognize the costs of being diversity challenged, accept diversity management responsibility, and demonstrate contextual knowledge—that is, you are clear about your personal priorities, your organization’s priorities or your community’s priorities. 3 Diversity maturity requires us to act on the basis of requirements, not preferences, conveniences, or traditions; challenge conventional wisdom; engage in continuous learning; and become comfortable with the dynamics of diversity. 18

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November/December 2008

Diversity practitioners must prepare the public for the diversity conversations that should occur the day after the most historic presidential election in modern times. As I prepare myself and the AIMD team to meet these new challenges, I thought I would share excerpts from our preparation plan. Envision the future. I am a fan of futurists and their ability to project trends. The future perspective helps me to identify information and solutions gaps and informs my decisions on where to focus our resources. Prepare for the future. I spend a great deal of time finding great minds and practitioners in the diversity field. Many organizations limit their search for new ideas to the practices used at competing organizations. I look for new ideas from different professions, researchers, and emerging experts. These include: • Dr. Elizabeth Mannix at Cornell University; • Dr. Scott Page, author of The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies; • Dr. David Kravitz at George Mason University and his work to bridge the gap between academic research in diversity and diversity practice; • Dr. Quinetta Roberson at Villanova University and her work on organizational behavior and justice; • Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts’ work at Harvard School of Business on the social construction of identity in organizational contexts; • Diversity Collegium, a network of North American diversity experts. As we develop our diversity maturity, we become more acutely aware of other diversity dimensions, but unresolved issues around race, gender and religion cannot be forgotten. As this presidential race has revealed, there is much progress that has been made but more work to be done. PDJ 1 Joel Barker, Innovation at the Verge. (lecture). 2 Frans Johansson, (2006) The Medici Effect. Harvard Business School Press. 3 Thomas Jr., R. Roosevelt, (2005) Building on the Promise of Diversity:

How We Can Move to the Next Level in Our Workplaces, Our Communities, and Our Society. AMACOM.

Melanie Harrington is president of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public interest organization dedicated to advancing diversity thought leadership through research, education, and public outreach. AIMD works to strengthen our communities and institutions through effective diversity management. For more information, please visit www.aimd.org.

Supplier diversity isn’t just good for business.

It’s good for people.

The men and women of Lockheed Martin are involved in some of the most important projects in the U.S. and around the world. We support our customers in their efforts to improve communities. Save lives. And protect freedom. Though naturally diverse, our team shares one common thread: we are all linked to the same enterprise. Our differences make us stronger because we can draw on the widest possible range of unique perspectives. Resulting in innovative solutions to complex challenges. Lockheed Martin. One company. One team. Where diversity contributes to mission success.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

my turn

What Keeps Diversity Professionals Up at Night?

(part 4)

By Shirley A. Davis, PhD

Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Society for Human Resource Management

In this installment of the series, “What Keeps Diversity Professionals up at Night?”, I will discuss three more challenges: globalization; immigration; and religion, spirituality, and faith. These challenges have significant correlation to each other and overlapping implications. Globalization Globalization is becoming synonymous with organizational competitiveness and sustainability. It is changing how businesses operate. Global GDP is shifting as the growth rates of economies in Asia (excluding Japan) outpace GDP growth everywhere else in the world. In 2006, the United States was by far the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $13 trillion; Japan was a distant second at $4 trillion. By 2050, China will be the largest ($45 trillion), followed by the U.S. ($35 trillion), with India a close third ($27 trillion). India is predicted to become the world’s largest English-speaking country by 2010. English is the language of business.1 English-speaking companies can more easily set up and run global supply chains (which is occurring). However, success in a globalized world depends on speaking more languages than one. Few Americans speak a second language, and Americans under-appreciate what a competitive disadvantage this is. Rather than feeling threatened by the prospect of a diminished portion of the global economic pie, America will be better served by seeing the gains to be had by embracing globalization. The United States can—if it leverages its still-strong position—have a large piece of a much larger global pie. Globalization for the U.S., as for other nations, is good news. These macroeconomic shifts have numerous business ramifications. The number of middle-class consumers is ballooning rapidly, raising incomes in emerging economies. Between 2000 and 2030, per-capita income in developing countries is projected to double. As business opportunities arise from new demand, companies are increasingly taking their operations global. They are selling into global markets, setting up shop in different countries, and sourcing products and labor from low-cost nations.

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November/December 2008

Additionally, workplaces are changing as a result of globalization. SHRM research released earlier this year identified ten global trends that are expected to have a major impact on the workplace of the future:

1. Desire of companies to expand into the global market. 2. Economic growth of Asia. 3. Continued acceleration of global change. 4. Stricter cross-border policies for global business settings. 5. Cross-cultural understanding/savvy in business settings. 6. Growing economic interdependence among the world’s countries. 7. Increased off-shoring. 8. Heightened awareness of cultural differences. 9. Pressure for development of global labor standards. 10. Increased security for expatriates abroad.

Talent acquisition is becoming more global. Finding talent is seen by business executives as their most important management challenge over the next five years. And as HR managers and Diversity professionals work to find talent, emerging markets are increasingly providing access to large, skilled talent pools. Additionally, businesses’ priorities are changing as corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes more relevant. At least 80 percent of companies in the United States, Australia, India, China, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil have CSR-related practices. As companies pursue modifying their workplaces in response to global trends, diversity management will become an increasingly critical business imperative. And not just a business imperative, but one with a new set of required competencies. According to more than 100 global diversity thought leaders and practitioners, there are too few globally competent leaders that can help organizations adapt to changing demographics, a global marketplace, talent shortages, and having four generations in the workplace. The best global leaders are adaptable, fluent in the language and culture of local environments, understand how to integrate D&I into business strategies, and possess excellent communication skills. Diversity workers must cultivate these competencies through training, language immersion, and foreign assignments.

“

Globalization; immigration; and religion, spirituality, and faith. These challenges have significant correlation

”

to each other and overlapping implications. Achieving successful results amid these new global business realities will require unprecedented levels of interaction between people of diverse cultures, religions, histories, and perspectives. Diversity practitioners must understand the trends that are reshaping business and learn to manage diversity and inclusion issues for the benefit of the organization and its people. Immigration One of the challenges that immigration presents is a new, multilingual work environment. While English remains the official global language for business, 80 percent of respondents to a 2007 survey 2 said they employ English-deficient employees. Foreign-born Americans comprise more than 12 percent of the population (the highest percentage since WWI), and roughly 15 percent of the labor force. Assuming current immigration levels continue, immigrants will account for about half of the growth in America’s working age population by 2015 and will account for most of the growth through 2025. But nearly half of all non-English-speaking immigrants to the United States self-report that they are unable to speak English well. In 2006, we saw a record number of proposals introduced in the United States, trying to help employers comply with the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). Of the 570 proposals, 84 were enacted. Of that group, the largest single issue was hiring. According to a SHRM Workplace Forecast report that was released this summer, HR professionals reported that they are focused on several aspects of immigration legislation. The first is related to worries about skills shortages and involves immigration laws that affect high-skilled workers. The second is the development of any legislation that prosecutes employers for hiring illegal or undocumented workers. Giving HR professionals the tools they need to ensure that they do not hire illegal workers is therefore critically important, especially as states and cities develop their own immigration laws. As HR and Diversity professionals, we must pay attention to the changing political landscape and ensure that we plan accordingly for our organizations. So stay tuned; there is still much legislation coming to address this issue.

1 Dr. Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and host of CNN’s new show, GPS, in a speech given at the 2008 SHRM Leadership Summit on Diversity and Inclusion. 2 The Survey of Targeted Skills Training within the Firm (The Conference Board, 2007).

Religion, Spirituality, and Faith Conversations about religion, spirituality, and faith are increasing in the workplace. These cover a wide range of topics—from holidays, food, and prayer, to complaints and conflicts among employees, and affinity group organizations. Many companies with employee network groups have groups focused on individual religions or on religion and faith generally. Because of increased dialogue about faith by our nation’s highest leaders, demographic shifts, terrorism by religious extremists, and church-state conflicts in the courts, this issue has taken on greater importance about where it fits in our workplaces. Immigration will likely further expand workforce religious and faith diversity. Today, most immigrants come from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia. The trend from Europe is primarily Eastern Europe and Russia. The impact of these trends on religion in the workplace can be seen by considering the primary religions or faiths in each region. According to the 2008 World Book of Facts, Islam is the religion of 21 percent of the world’s population, topped only by Christianity at 33 percent, and Hinduism is the world’s third most common religion. Yet most Americans know little about Islam and Hinduism— and most U.S.-based businesses are unaccustomed to accommodating the customs of Muslim and Hindu employees. With an increase of religious and faith diversity, we’ve also seen an increase in complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Complaints based in part on religion increased from 2.1 percent in 2001 to 3.4 percent in 2005. Moreover, religious accommodation requests are on the rise. Summary Of course, all of these are the same issues that are keeping your CEOs up at night as well. I hope that this article has provided some additional food for thought that will help you implement solutions that will add value in your organizations. Perhaps that will allow you to sleep well and also ease the insomnia of your CEO. In the next issue, I will address the ninth challenge that keeps Diversity and HR professionals up at night: rising health care costs. PDJ

Shirley A. Davis, PhD, is Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives for the Society for Human Resource Management in Alexandria, Virginia. She can be reached at sadavis@shrm.org. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

diversity champions

HR Executives as

In January 2007, SHRM, in conjunction with the American Institute for Managing Diversity Inc. (AIMD), asked HR professionals and diversity practitioners about diversity management practices in their organizations and their perceptions of the field. The research results were published in the 2007 State of Workplace Diversity Management Report. It contains the thoughts and perceptions of SHRM members, nonmember practitioners, diversity experts, and many others. In all, more than 1,400 people were surveyed for the study.

aflac

cdw burger king booz allen axa avis

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

hartford

Over the years, much of the responsibil-

toward business success, and help build a

ity for diversity has fallen to human resources

diverse network of people who want to connect

executives. Diversity practitioners and HR

with each other.

professionals who took part in the SHRM/

We thought it was about time to meet some

AIMD study agreed there are several significant

of these HR executives, whom we recognize as

strengths in the field of diversity, such as greater

the often unsung, first champions of diversity.

visibility, an emphasis on strategic benefits, and

In the pages that follow, representatives from

an increase in the amount of information and

13 companies share their experiences with us

expertise available. But they also report the field

through answers to questions we put before

is, unsurprisingly, filled with challenges.

them. We think their stories are instructive, in-

Long gone is the notion that the job of HR

formative, sometimes entertaining, and usually

is to simply fill seats. Today, the job is to place

thought-provoking. If you work for one of these

the right person in the right seat, help them

proud organizations, go ahead and hug your

become as productive as possible, tailor a role

HR executive. We give you permission. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re

that matches their strengths, lead the team

doing a great job as Diversity Champions.

Diversity Champions

MGM Mirage

prudential terex wellpoint sodexo wake county Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Eric Seldon Vice President, Support Services Aflac, Inc. Concerning diversity and inclusion (D&I), what challenges have you had to overcome during the last 10 years?

Aflac has continued to be a leader in diversity within the workforce. The company has been repeatedly recognized as a corporation providing some of the best career opportunities for minorities. Now, with the continued help of HR, we are seeking to expand that success into the supplier diversity realm. While we have started to become recognized for our supplier diversity efforts over the past few years, we continue to seek ways to implement easy and efficient processes and procedures for certified minorityowned businesses to become suppliers with Aflac. We also continue to seek the best ways to educate and encourage small companies to become certified suppliers. We are committed to identifying smaller companies to help mentor and challenge them to meet certification requirements. Our goal is to help minority-owned companies obtain a great level of success in which they can apply for business opportunities not only with Aflac, but other Fortune 500 companies that seek the services they offer.

Aflac, Inc. Headquarters: Columbus, Georgia Web site: www.aflac.com Primary Business: Voluntary benefits sold at the worksite. Employees: 5,000 corporate headquarters employees and 70,000 independent field force agents.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Aflacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HR department has successfully implemented diversity and inclusion within the workplace as a part of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall corporate culture, which extends to supplier diversity. Over the last ten years we have sponsored business development educational opportunities and mentoring programs, provided financial support to attend networking events, and provided corporate sponsorships for agency events promoting supplier diversity. Our programs are dedicated to encouraging, educating, and enriching these growing operations to help them achieve a great level of success. Today, more corporations recognize that diversity can have a positive impact on a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom line. Companies will not only be required to have a diverse workforce, but also corporate initiatives like supplier diversity, to better reflect the communities in which we do business. Aflac understands that providing opportunities to diverse suppliers is important to the growth and success of its business. Last year alone Aflac spent over $30 million with diverse suppliers. We continue to look for opportunities in which we can do business and support these growing companies.

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions Mark Servodidio Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer

Concerning diversity and inclusion (D&I), what challenges have you had to overcome during the last 10 years?

Avis Budget Group

Our biggest challenge has been to maintain consistent initiatives to address diversity and inclusion across the company in an ever-changing corporate structure. Avis Budget Group has undergone multiple ownership and structural changes since 1998, including the acquisition of Budget Rent-A-Car in 2002 and our establishment as a stand-alone company in 2006 from former corporate parent Cendant Corporation. As a result, Avis Budget Group has faced the challenges both of integrating its D&I programs into new parent companies, and having to integrate new employee populations into these programs. Earlier this year, the company’s board of directors encouraged management to place an even higher level of priority on the actions we are taking to support all diversity efforts. We want to ensure we are recruiting the most talented individuals, sustaining employee satisfaction, and reflecting the customers we serve. Another challenge over the years has been in complying with evolving airport leaseholder and supplier diversity requirements. In addition to partnering with disadvantaged-, minority- and women-owned business enterprises, we also attend trade fairs and market directly to those organizations to develop mutually beneficial business relationships. What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

Greater emphasis will be placed on companies to find resources to support all diversity audiences, including evolving ethnic minority groups, and changes in workplace demographics. Understanding and supporting evolving societal norms relating to gender identity will continue to be a challenge. It is critical that we as human resource leaders adapt those changes to current policies, guidelines and training, as well as find additional ways to support those groups of individuals. The corporate culture is constantly shifting, and understanding how we have to shift along with those changes is critical.

Avis Budget Group Headquarters: Parsippany, New Jersey Web site: www.avisbudgetgroup.com Primary Business: Car rental Employees: 30,000

What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Our supplier diversity program continues to be a strong and integral part of our diversity efforts. We have been recognized by several national organizations including AARP, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the Women’s President’s Education Organization, DiversityBusiness magazine, and MBN Magazine. In February 2008, the company formed our Diversity Steering committee to provide further support towards creating a culture that respects all individuals in the communities in which we live, work, and serve our customers. The initiative has received undying support from our board of directors and our executive leaders. We recently signed on with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to participate in the UNCF Corporate Scholars Program, where we will provide internships to students attending historically black colleges and universities. In addition to our partnership with UNCF, we support the Tom Joyner Foundation, After School All Stars, the Achilles Track Club, and various gay and lesbian events. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Jennifer L. Blevins Executive Vice President and Director of Human Resources AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company

What have been your most significant diversity and inclusion (D&I) successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company Headquarters: New York City Web site: www.axa-equitable.com Primary Business: Financial services – financial protection and wealth management. Employees: AXA Equitable has over 11,000 employees and sales personnel throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

Demonstrating to our employees that the company is committed to a diverse and inclusive culture, and that it comes from the top. AXA Equitable’s CEO, Christopher “Kip” Condron, has been very vocal about how he sees diversity and inclusion (D&I) as business critical, and he’s active in fostering an inclusive culture. At his direction, in 2005, the company created a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council (DIAC). The DIAC comprises 15 individuals from across the company. It meets quarterly with the CEO and Executive Management Committee (EMC) members. DIAC’s role is to advise and support senior management in driving business excellence through D&I, serving as the voice of employees. The diversity and inclusion office and DIAC facilitate an employee-driven culture of inclusion through networking events and initiatives that bring a heightened sense of engagement, awareness, and acceptance of people from all backgrounds. These activities provide a forum for employees to interact with their peers, share their backgrounds and build relationships with people who are different from them. The diversity and inclusion office created a D&I education program for company officers and manager-level employees. The program promotes an understanding of why D&I is a compelling business issue, provides an opportunity to deepen individual understanding of D&I and its link to leadership effectiveness, and explores steps leaders can take to leverage D&I as a competitive advantage in their areas of responsibility. Every EMC member and the majority of officers have completed this program. How important has D&I become to your company’s business goals over the last 10 years?

For AXA Equitable, D&I is business critical. The greatest percentage of growth in income over the next 20 to 30 years is going to come from non-white households. Our goal is to build an organization and local branches that are reflective of the communities we serve, and to provide excellence in each and every client experience, taking into account changing demographics, while leveraging the talents of all of our people through a culture of inclusion. We have an enterprise-wide initiative called Ambition 2012, a global goal set by Henri de Castries, CEO of AXA Group, to be the preferred company in the industry for our customers, shareholders, and employees. There are tangible measures around this, but it will also be measured on how the company arrived there—through employee engagement and customer centricity. Embracing and engaging professionals and customers of all backgrounds is not just the right thing to do; it is essential to maintaining our competitive position in an increasingly diverse marketplace, and to remaining a preferred company where talented people build a career. November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions Betty Thompson Vice President, People Services Booz Allen Hamilton

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

If we only measure diversity the way we do today—using traditionally acceptable categories such as ethnicity and gender—we will not fully leverage, focus on, or value diversity of culture, physical ability, perspective, thinking style, etc. As a result, we face the challenge of establishing new means of tracking progress, identifying gaps and opportunities, and developing effective strategies to address emerging dimensions of diversity. In addition, changes in the way we work—social networking, remote delivery, non-traditional schedules—require us to think about how our way of working can impact the value of diversity, and develop strategies to maximize the benefits and overcome challenges. Although companies have seen progress using established measures within traditional work environments, we must avoid complacency when there is more work to be done. What have been your most effective diversity training strategies?

Diversity training has always been central to our efforts to increase diversity awareness at Booz Allen. In addition to our traditional classroom and virtual training modules, we have a new take on mentoring. Our Mentoring Circles Program—in which senior leaders from across the business come together to learn from one another—creates a safe space for leaders to confront day-to-day diversity issues, along with hypothetical situations that force them to carefully consider how they would respond to specific diversityrelated challenges. Since its inception, the program has become more than a think tank of leaders speculating about what they might do in a given situation. Rather, it’s become an arena to foster widespread understanding, empathy, and true diversity championship. The program has been so successful that we are rolling it down through all levels and across all teams, creating a model that can be replicated in any office and across any team.

Booz Allen Hamilton Headquarters: McLean, Virginia Web site: www.boozallen.com Primary Business: Strategy and technology consulting. Employees: 20,000

What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

At Booz Allen, we celebrated a major milestone when we successfully embedded diversity as a core value. We’ve worked hard to weave diversity into everything we do, and we hold our staff accountable for having the ability to embrace diversity and value differences, as well as the ability to foster a diverse environment. Our programs have been quite successful in raising our staff ’s overall diversity awareness across levels, regions, and business units. Our board diversity initiative (BDI), a manager led and supported business approach to diversity, has proven very successful at helping us raise the bar. Our last People Survey indicated that our programs have helped increase the firm’s diversity awareness to an all-time high of 91 percent across our employees. That’s up 21 percent in just two years.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Pete Smith Chief Human Resources Officer Burger King Corporation What have been your most significant D&I (diversity & inclusion) successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

burger king CORPORATION Headquarters: Miami, Florida Web site: www.bk.com Primary Business: Fast food hamburger restaurants Employees: 1600 corporate & field employees worldwide (above restaurant level). In the U.S., there are approximately 1100 corporate employees (above restaurant level).

Burger King Corp. has successfully undergone a major turnaround within the last five years. Our U.S. restaurant business was the priority “patient on the operating table” during our turnaround. We realized that beginning our diversity and inclusion journey would help make Burger King an employer of choice and a truly wonderful place to work. At the beginning of our turnaround initiative, we had to first understand and identify where we were on our diversity and inclusion journey. We engaged a consulting firm to conduct a survey of our corporate employees. The survey garnered a 90 percent response rate and provided us with very clear direction on what we needed to do. Our next step was to get our top-level executives involved. They participated in an in-depth, off-site session for a day and a half. We discussed our employees’ feedback and our executives recommended areas of inclusion that they wanted to focus on and ultimately stand for as an organization. From that, we established four Inclusion pillars: Workforce, Guests, Operators and the Community. Executive team members are responsible for pillars. Additionally, a team is assigned to work with the executive leadership on each pillar. We are now in our second year of designing objectives and work streams against our Inclusion pillars. Performance against these pillars are linked to compensation. How do you measure the results of your inclusion initiatives?

Our CEO and executive team understand and are passionate about the Inclusion journey we’ve embraced. HR is responsible for updating the pillars and measuring performance objectives against them. When our employees develop and perform against the metrics set in their objectives, compensation is tied to their results. All officers and directors are required to set inclusion objectives relevant to their function; employees are encouraged to develop performance objectives around their community outreach, hiring practices, and supplier management. Concerning diversity and inclusion, how has your HR role changed during the last 10 years?

I have worked in an international environment for most of my career. Generally, there are no regulations in place to help drive diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In most environments outside the United States, people often wonder why we need to be concerned about diversity or inclusion. We have embraced inclusion not only for business reasons, but because our management genuinely cares about people. We believe that the word “inclusion” defines our customers and employees, both in the United States and internationally. For example, we are very focused on recruiting more female executive leaders globally. Our Inclusion journey is borderless and impacts everyone we touch.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

PepsiCo Celebrates the Life of Edward F. Boyd 1914 – 2007 Edward F. Boyd helped place Pepsi in the hearts and hands of many Americans. And in doing so, he became an innovative leader and true pioneer in marketing. It’s been 60 years since Ed was hired to form the very first team of African-American marketers, opening up African-American communities across the nation. He defined target marketing — the way many businesses today meet consumer needs with products and services. Brave, distinguished and endearing, Ed Boyd helped move America and business to greater racial equality. Today, his spirit still inspires us. To learn more about Ed Boyd and all his accomplishments, read The Real Pepsi Challenge by Stephanie Capparell or visit careerjournal.com, go to the left column under Article Search and type in: Ed Boyd.

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Melissa Donaldson Senior Manager, Inclusion Practices CDW Corporation

CDW Corporation Headquarters: Vernon Hills, Illinois Web site: www.cdw.com Primary Business: Provider of technology solutions for business, government and education. Coworkers: 6,900

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

The most important thing we can do to secure the future success of the company is to develop a solid pipeline of diversity champions that inspire coworker engagement. Developing this leadership pipeline is a major challenge, not only for our organization, but for business in general. Recent studies have shown that customer loyalty is a byproduct of coworker engagement. Emerging leaders will need to be savvier about how to inspire, encourage, and lead a truly diverse global workforce. Those same leaders must be capable of also setting strategy for obtaining talent from a much wider talent pool, talent they may not be comfortable or familiar with. To strategically set these expectations and groom our future leaders we need to: • support the continued education of all HR leaders to help them sharpen their skills for cross-cultural competence; • ensure they understand the ins and outs of inclusive selection; • teach them how to provide feedback, especially when difference is present; and • align coworker engagement with global customer expectations. As we look to the future, the business world will depend on leaders who can stave off competitive threats by increasing customer and coworker loyalty. The time to train those future leaders is now. How do you help connect coworkers with one another who share similar or different interests and goals?

We have implemented the common diversity best practice of utilizing coworker resource networks as strategic business resources. Our networks, called Connections Nodes, are designed not only to connect coworkers with like interests, challenges, and perspectives, but also to establish a greater connection between coworkers and the business overall. Unlike many companies who are planning for the Baby Boomer exodus, our organization is heavily populated with sharp and talented Generation Xs and Ys who value relationships and contribution. We offer the connections nodes as a resource to assist them with building a support network, professional development, expanding their contribution to the success of the business, and as a means to give back to causes greater than themselves. Concerning diversity and inclusion, how do you define or measure success?

We operate under the belief that if you get the feel of the organization right, the look will follow. Therefore, while we most certainly invest in and track the demographic makeup of the organization at all levels, we also focus on coworker engagement and fostering an inclusive environment where all coworkers can excel. To that end, we monitor the impact of career mobility systems, such as mentoring, performance management, and promotions. Through our efforts, we have seen engagement and retention both increase, which resulted in cost savings at the bottom line and increased coworker satisfaction. Melissa Donaldson speaks during the company’s first CDW-HACE Latino Recruitment Series—a career fair co-hosted by the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. 30

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions Peggy Anson Vice President, Workforce Engagement and Inclusion

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

The Hartford recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusion (D&I) as a means of generating different points of view and fueling the creation of innovative solutions that secure a successful future. Chairman and CEO Ramani Ayer has communicated his vision of the value of a diverse workforce. Although D&I is a core value at The Hartford, it is interpreted in various ways across the enterprise. This ‘diversity of definition’ creates a potential risk that our efforts will become diluted. The Hartford is proud of the diversity of its businesses, with more than 40 business units in the company; however, this dispersion of businesses reinforces more of a vertical, siloed view of diversity and inclusion, as opposed to an enterprise-wide view, which would leverage best practices across the organization. Concerning diversity and inclusion, how has your HR role changed during the last 10 years?

The Hartford has grown tremendously over the last ten years, and now has operations in Canada, Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Japan, in addition to a strong domestic presence across the United States. The Hartford’s employees bring a diversity of background, experience, and talent to the company. To address this growth, the company recently introduced a new organization: Workforce Engagement and Inclusion (WE&I). The three key focus areas of WE&I include employee engagement, contemporary work practices, and building out the employee brand. This work identifies the linkages between the business goals and objectives, and D&I as a lever to business success. One current initiative, for example, identifies how contemporary work practices help transcend geographic limitations in attracting top talent. The WE&I team partners with generalists, recruiters, talent management, compensation, employee relations, compliance and other key constituents within HR, and business leaders to ensure that our business rationale for D&I continues to be at the forefront of strategic business decisions. In general, HR professionals at The Hartford have become more strategic and consulting in their roles, sharing market competitive knowledge, facilitating organizational change, and identifying change readiness with even greater skill.

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. Headquarters: Hartford, Connecticut Web site: www.thehartford.com Primary Business: Financial services. Employees: 31,000

How do you help connect employees with one another who share similar or different interests and goals?

A company such as The Hartford establishes its strong reputation by delivering on its promises. Recognizing that the company is only as a strong as the employees which represent it, The Hartford encourages and supports its employees in their networking and career development efforts. The Hartford currently has five diversity networks, which are open to all employees. Each network has an executive sponsor who helps set direction and identifies resources for the network’s goals. The networks engage employees through event sponsorship, having forums on topics of common interest and featuring speakers of interest; and engage the community through mentorships, tutoring at local schools, and inviting the community to events. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Debra Nelson Vice President of Diversity, Communications and Community Affairs MGM MIRAGE Concerning diversity and inclusion (D&I), what challenges have you had to overcome during the last 10 years?

The new paradigm for diversity must embrace everyone. Corporations must approach diversity with an inclusive philosophy. Diversity is acknowledging human dignity, allowing people to give 100 percent of who they are and embracing their differences including race, ethnicity, age, class, gender, sexuality, disabilities, religion, and spirituality. Communicating and tying measurable outcomes to all diversity initiatives is a constant mission. At our company, we are fortunate to have three strong pillars in place to undergird our efforts: 1. Commitment 2. Complexity 3. Communications. What have been your most effective diversity training strategies?

MGM MIRAGE Headquarters: Las Vegas, Nevada Web site: www.mgmmirage.com Primary Business: Hospitality Employees: 66,000

At MGM MIRAGE we strive to create a culture that inspires 100 percent involvement from all of our employees. Through our “Diversity Champion” training, we are creating high-performance teams and transforming the way we do business. The training is a voluntary, three-day course that immerses participants in the dynamics of transcending racial and cultural stereotyping in a culture of inclusion. Personal responsibility, the passionate pursuit of excellence, and accountability are the touchstones of our workplace. Diversity Champion training has created more than 6,000 ambassadors of diversity throughout our organization who personify the core values of our initiative: value others, be respectful, be inclusive, be understanding, be considerate, be first and best. What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Addressing diversity as a cultural competence has allowed our company to achieve success by: • developing a greater understanding of diverse customer needs to better serve diverse markets, • gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace, • attracting and retaining the best talent in the labor pool, • effectively using the talent of diverse associates for increased productivity by enhancing teamwork and reducing interpersonal conflicts, • increasing employee satisfaction, morale and commitment to organizational goals, • enhancing communication.

Nelson (on right) with Patricia Norman, MGM MIRAGE Director of National Diversity Relations, at the 2008 Annual Diversity Report. 32

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

[ BANK OF THE WEST ]

WANT TO WORK FOR A TRULY GREAT BANK?

AT BANK OF THE WEST, WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE WELL SERVED BY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WELL SERVED. Different perspectives generate fresh ideas. That’s why at Bank of the West, we value diversity and equal opportunity for all our employees. Year after year, we continue to grow stronger thanks to our unique blend of people. After all, in today’s competitive banking environment, it is our employees with innovative ideas that keep us a step ahead of the rest.

www.bankofthewest.com

Bank of the West and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers. M/F/D/V

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Ronald K. Andrews, SPHR Vice President, Human Resources, U.S. Businesses Prudential Financial Concerning diversity and inclusion (D&I), how has your HR role changed during the last 10 years?

Ten years ago I was responsible for providing HR support to a group of asset management businesses. Diversity had always been an important priority for the company and my clients as well. I viewed my role as making sure we reached our objectives in the right way. At the time, I supported plenty of diversity programs that focused on building awareness and creating sensitivity. In fact, I created a number of them to support broader company efforts to increase diversity representation and create a culture that would help sustain it. Now, 10 years later, my role has changed dramatically. I now lead human resources for all of Prudentialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s U.S. businesses. My role as it relates to diversity has likewise evolved in two important ways. First, I spend less time trying to convince clients of the very clear business case for diversity. More of my time is spent measuring results for which I hold leadership accountable. Ten years has taught me that in business, good results are better than good intentions. To drive results in my own organization, I created an approach that measures the net change in a variety of company diversity metrics over time. This reveals the impact of leaders on key outcomes. It focuses accountability for results and facilitates the kind of pointed discussion between HR and leaders, and leaders and their teams that produces traction and progress. Secondly, my personal mindset has evolved from being a supporter of making progress to being a full partner with leaders in ownership for diversity outcomes. For me, this eliminates the option of settling for good faith efforts and instead drives me to challenge businesses when results lag. And just as with other business priorities, managing talent, of which diversity is a part, is a bottomline issue.

Prudential Financial Headquarters: Newark, New Jersey Web site: www.prudential.com Primary Business: Financial services Employees: 20,000 in U.S.

Ronald Andrews delivers remarks at one of Prudentialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2008 Black History Month events. 34

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

DIVERSITY... the one thing we all have in common

WWW.ROHMHAAS.COM

> SIMPLY STATED, DIVERSITY MEANS DIFFERENCES

At Rohm and Haas, we know that understanding, valuing and leveraging diversity will result in a healthier, more enriched workforce, maximized profitable growth and sustained competitive advantage. This is our priority. Leading the way since 1909, Rohm and Haas is a global pioneer in the creation and development of innovative technologies and solutions for the specialty materials industry. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technologies are found in a wide range of industries including: Building and Construction, Electronics and Electronic Devices, Household Goods and Personal Care, Packaging and Paper, Transportation, Pharmaceutical and Medical, Water, Food and Food Related, and Industrial Process. Innovative Rohm and Haas technologies and solutions help to improve life every day, around the world. Based in Philadelphia, PA, the company generated annual sales of approximately $8.9 billion in 2007.

Visit www.rohmhaas.com for more information. imagine the possibilitiesâ&#x201E;˘

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Peri Bridger Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer Sodexo

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

The battle for talent is a tremendous challenge. Our competitive advantage is our people, and attracting and retaining the best talent to serve our clients is essential to our success. That is why Sodexo has made recruiting diverse and highly skilled talent a cornerstone of our diversity and inclusion initiative. In fact, 91 percent of our candidate slates contain gender or ethnic diversity. Our focus to become the employer of choice is driven by a recruiting strategy which includes using multiple communications channelsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including social mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and new technologies to reach potential employees. This year we will be launching a military sourcing team to identify and recruit former military personnel. Sodexo also depends on a variety of career fairs, a robust internship program, and aggressive recruiting strategies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Asian Serving Universities. In addition, we have instituted a diversity-focused recruitment team to develop and manage relationships with diverse schools and associations. What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Sodexo Headquarters: Gaithersburg, Maryland Web site: www.sodexousa.com Primary Business: Food and facilities management services Employees: 120,000

Just over six years ago Sodexo launched its diversity and inclusion strategy and embarked on a journey of organizational and cultural change. Not only have we successfully sustained that strategy, we have built on it by weaving diversity and inclusion into all aspects of our approach to business. As an organization, we now recognize and embrace our differences as our strongest competitive advantage. And we hold ourselves accountable by measuring our progress through an innovative scorecard that tracks both qualitative and quantitative results. How do you help connect employees with one another who share similar or different interests and goals?

Employee Network Groups (ENGs) and mentoring are both strong catalysts at Sodexo for ensuring a fully inclusive and open environment that provides opportunities for personal and professional development. Our six ENGs, with more than 2,260 members, 48 regional chapters, and 8 local chapters across the country, have brought our culture of diversity and inclusion to life. Members receive networking and learning opportunities and have the possibility to acquire project management skills by organizing professional development workshops and community involvement work. Officer and committee member responsibilities provide hands-on leadership development that goes beyond regular job responsibilities. Sodexoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spirit of Mentoring initiative demonstrates our commitment to developing employees and supports cross-functional communication, teamwork, and learning. The initiative is designed to prepare employees, at all levels of the organization, for future leadership roles. This initiative underscores the value Sodexo places on the development, success, and retention of our talent. Peri Bridger giving remarks at a Sodexo recognition event last March. 36

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November/December 2008

Diversity &Inclusion drives innovation and success Kodak’s commitment to diversity and inclusion touches customers, consumers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and more. While our vision is global, we focus upon the distinctive cultures and communities in which we live and work. We champion diversity as a business imperative to help drive innovation. Working together, we create technologies and services that unleash the power of pictures and printing. Become part of our picture—and join us on our journey to enrich people’s lives.

www.kodak.com/go/diversity © Eastman Kodak Company, 2008

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Amy George VP Talent Development, Diversity and Inclusion Terex Corporation

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

I think the biggest challenges we will need to face are globalization and the need to demonstrate cultural competence. Our ability to grow depends on our ability to be successful in developing markets around the world. We need to be able to understand other cultures so that we can operate effectively in other countries. This will require increased global business acumen, as well as cultural competence. It means that our current workforce must be willing to be open, nonjudgmental and adaptable. It means we must seek new talent that is mobile and embodies these attributes, as well. It also means that we need to build strong local talent, so that decisions are not made by people who are far removed from marketplace realities. What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Terex Corporation Headquarters: Westport, Connecticut Web site: www.terex.com Primary Business: Diversified global manufacturer of equipment used in the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, surface mining, shipping transportation, refining and utility industries. Employees: Approximately 21,000

I have been deeply involved with diversity and inclusion for roughly the past six years. During that time, my most significant accomplishments have been helping others understand the value of diversity and inclusion to themselves and the organization. Personally, I find the greatest reward when I am able to facilitate a personal “aha” moment, where an individual gains additional understanding and, most importantly, changes his/her behavior. Change like that doesn’t happen overnight and there are a myriad of ways to help drive it. First and foremost, I found that I needed to increase my own expertise in this area to become an effective change agent. That meant reading extensively, talking to experts in the field, and exploring my own biases so that I could come to others from a knowledgeable and aware place. How have you personally changed as a result of being involved with D&I?

Being involved in diversity and inclusion has taken me on a very personal journey that has helped enrich me beyond the workplace. It has led me to expand my thinking, enhanced my cultural awareness, and stimulated my intellectual curiosity. It has caused me to explore my own diversity characteristics and better understand the influences that have made me who I am today. Fundamentally, I think and behave differently than I did 10 years ago. I am a more vocal proponent of fairness, and I strive to be far less judgmental. I try to live by the tenets I teach: assuming positive intent, seeing the world through others’ eyes, being open to that with which you are unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable. I am conscious of being a positive role model to my children, have grounded them in principles of respect and have taught them that different is not necessarily bad or good… just different.

Far Left: George with Terex Director of Diversity and Inclusion Rueben Stokes, at the Sanhe facility in China, where Terex manufactures mini-excavators. Left: Speaking at the Terex Annual Leadership Conference in Paris in January 2008. 38

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

Thanks to you, Winona is as confident about her future as she is about her past.

At WellPoint, you can be addressing tomorrow’s health care issues, today. Significant issues, like being culturally sensitive and meeting the health care needs of the Native American and Alaska Native communities. WellPoint educates and enables associates through comprehensive diversity training to create solutions that improve health care and the quality of life for all of the communities we serve. Working to better people’s lives is not something you do every day. But it can be – at WellPoint.

Better health care, thanks to you. Visit us online at wellpoint.com/careers and wellpoint.com/diversity Contact us at diversityrecruiting@wellpoint.com EOE

HR Executives as

diversitychampions

Teresa Lynn Cunningham-Brown Director of Recruitment and Retention Wake County Public School System What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

Closing the achievement gap that exists between the academic performance of minority students and their Caucasian peers is the greatest D&I challenge that educators are addressing, both now and in the future. Research suggests that one of the root causes of this gap is that minority students perform better when they are taught by teachers of color. Unfortunately, the diversity of educators in public schools is not reflective of their student populations. In fact, in the Wake County Public School System, 84 percent of the teachers are white, while only 54 percent of the students are white. School superintendents will need to demonstrate their commitment to closing the achievement gap by implementing diversity recruitment plans strategically designed to target the hiring of male and minority teachers. What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

Wake County Public School System Headquarters: Cary, North Carolina Web site: www.wcpss.net Primary Business: Education Employees: 9250 Certified Staff (Teachers)

Recently, I became the first educator in North Carolina to earn Cornell University’s credentials and certification as a Cornell Certified Diversity Professional. Earning this certification required a rigorous year-long program with extensive coursework, a successful diversity-related work project, and passing an examination. I also developed the first comprehensive diversity recruitment plan in my district, which included creating a Teacher Education Diversity Roundtable with district HR leaders and representatives from HBCUs. The goals of the roundtable are to facilitate the hiring of minority teachers, to build stronger relationships with college career centers, and to encourage minority candidates to enter into the education profession. We are now using the feedback from the roundtable to enhance our diversity recruitment efforts. Another significant accomplishment is securing a $2 million federal grant to “Grow Our Own” teachers. As a member of a three-person grant-writing team, I have been able to contribute to the design of the program that targets paraprofessionals who wish to become teachers. The first cohort of 21 includes eight minority teaching assistants who will be certified to teach in low-wealth schools by June 2009. Concerning diversity and inclusion, how has your HR role changed during the last 10 years?

In the beginning, my responsibilities were geared toward recruiting, hiring, and retaining teachers in critical needs areas such as math, science, and special education. Very little concern or planning was devoted to our faculty’s demographics. Capitalizing on my passion for diversity recruitment, my supervisors have increasingly expanded their view of effective recruitment to include diversity initiatives. Reaffirmed by a system-wide curriculum audit, recruitment efforts are now targeting minority candidates, male candidates, and candidates who will succeed with low wealth populations. Cunningham-Brown as an HR team captain with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), where she has volunteered for several years. 40

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HR Executives as

diversitychampions Randy Brown Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Human Resources Executive Management

What will be the biggest diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenge you and/or your peers will have to face in the future?

WellPoint, Inc.

Although we have made a lot of strides, not just at WellPoint, but in our communities, we still have a lot to do. Our affiliated health plans work with numerous business partners, and they will be doing more to reach out to an ethnically diverse customer base, which represents a disproportionate number of the uninsured. We also need to address disparities in health care. Many of the causes of disparity are related to understanding our cultural differences. WellPoint has developed a toolkit available to providers to help them communicate with diverse patients. We are also finding ways to retain the talent and knowledge of baby boomers as they “age in” to retirement years. These associates bring significant knowledge and understanding of WellPoint, and the industry in general. We have altered our benefit packages to provide more flexibility for part time workers and medical benefits, which are key concerns for this group of associates. What have been your most significant D&I successes or achievements during the last 10 years?

One of our most significant achievements has been to develop an inclusive conceptual clarity on diversity. We do not define diversity as simply gender, race, and ethnicity. We include diversity of thought, which means each associate is defined as a uniquely diverse and talented individual, and associates don’t feel as though they have to “check their identity” at the door. In 2007, WellPoint’s board of directors appointed Angela Braly as president and CEO. Today, WellPoint is the largest company in the Fortune 500 led by a female CEO. Additionally, 57 percent of WellPoint management and 39 percent of WellPoint executives are female. In 2003, under a three-year, $750,000 key sponsorship from WellPoint’s affiliated health plan in Indiana, Indianapolis became the first city outside Atlanta to launch the Diversity Leadership Academy. The academy is a communitybased leadership development program committed to equipping business, civic, and community leaders with effective diversity management leadership skills. With the support of Mrs. Coretta Scott King at the inaugural launch of the academy, we brought the nation’s leading diversity authorities to our city.

WellPoint, Inc. Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana Web site: www.wellpoint.com Primary Business: Health benefits Employees: 41,700

How do you help connect employees with one another who share similar or different interests and goals?

WellPoint has connected associates to its diversity initiatives through the establishment of resource groups and culture ambassadors. Associate resource groups represent grassroots groups of associates that come together united by a dimension of diversity: race, gender, cultural background, disabilities, sexual orientation, work status, etc. Diversity and workplace culture ambassadors focus on raising awareness and engagement among our associates. WellPoint has more than 200 ambassadors who represent different business units, job levels, and geographic locations and reflect the diversity of our associate population. Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

national american indian &alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Heritage month celebrations have become more common, but as a country, we still appreciate too little the contributions and culture of peoples native to America. In his proclamation to the American people that established the heritage month, President George W. Bush referred to the unique spiritual, artistic, and literary contributions of native peoples. Without question, their vibrant customs and celebrations enrich our country. In the pages that follow, we present five individuals who share their background, experience, and attitudes with us. Each offers a unique perspective on their heritage. We think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll enjoy meeting them, and welcoming them into a Nation of Leaders.

national american indian & alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Who are/were your mentors? What were the lessons learned from them?

What is your philosophy of life?

I had strong parents and grandparents who taught me that all things in life are possible if you have faith, if you don’t forget or compromise who you are and where you come from or those who helped you along the way.

A complete life is made up of public and private moments, and taking the time to appreciate both is crucial. I see my life as pages of a photo album—you see graduation ceremonies, parties, reunions, promotions, anniversaries, time spent with family and friends, and moments of religious reflection.

Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

I feel a strong sense of responsibility to develop, motivate, and emotionally support others as they forge their own path in life. These words have helped me: “Expect more than others think is possible; dream more than others think is practical; risk more than others think is safe.” Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

My parents and my grandparents. My grandfather, who grew up in abject poverty in Indian Station, Oklahoma, and escaped from a German POW camp during WWII, taught me perseverance. My grandmother taught me the philosophy of the Daylily, which most people consider weeds. But in her mind they were beautiful flowers. She taught me to see the Daylilies in all people. What are your two favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career and personal life?

The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter. I read it as a child. It is the story of a Cherokee boy who lived with his grandparents after his parents died. They taught him how to hunt and survive and see the beauty in life. I related to Little Tree’s lessons of life’s cruelty and how you have to learn to persevere to succeed. Good to Great, by Jim Collins. How leaders can take companies from good to great and how life is about what you bring to the table.

Trudy Fountain Senior Vice President Contract and Business Management

ACS

What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

Spearheading an Adopt-A-Town program in Tunica, Mississippi—a model job readiness program that emphasizes life skills training for minorities. By 2003, it had changed the lives of over 1,000 Delta residents. The impact of this program is felt community-wide and will continue for generations. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

I would have pushed a little harder, laughed a little louder at myself and told my grandparents before they died that I loved them and thanked them for making me who I am.

How are you involved with your community?

I support the Dallas Voluntary Attorney Program where I help poor people and minorities receive legal guidance. If you were to have lunch with the President of the United States, what would you ask or suggest?

As our leader, what fundamental facts does this nation have to face to ensure we prevail in the end, and how will you prevail?

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l

November/December 2008

national american indian & alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Who are/were your mentors? What were the lessons learned from them?

Ed Feiman, previous branch manager for the Great Lakes Branch of Sedric Audas AXA Advisors. Ed taught me many things about Executive Vice President being a leader. I believe AXA Advisors’ I adopted his manageGreat Lakes Branch ment skills and style. I also learned how to adapt to new situations and have the ability to be tough but fair. Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

No. I try to be consistent across the board, whether mentoring or not. Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

My mother. She was the one who was always in charge of discipline and taught me the values of hard work and determination. What are your two favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career and personal life?

Jacked Up, by Bill Lane—an unauthorized biography of Jack Welch. It gave me insight on attention to detail. High Hopes, by Gary Barnett. High Hopes taught me how to dream big and that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.

Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

How are you involved with your community?

I am a founding member of the Okemos Community Business Alliance; former President of the Michigan State University Downtown Coaches Club; and a former President of the MSU Varsity Alumni “S” Club. I am a member of the Saginaw Symphony Orchestra board of directors, and also a member of the Okemos Education Foundation. I also serve on the executive committee for the Mid-Michigan Area Eight Special Olympics. If you were to have lunch with the President of the United States, what would you ask or suggest?

I would suggest he resolve the financial crisis as soon and as painlessly as possible. What is your philosophy of life?

Do your duty and history will do you justice. What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

Raising children. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

Nothing.

I AM

Terry Bradley, SPHR Manager, R&D Recruitment GlaxoSmithKline Member since 1993

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

And no one knows that better than Terry Bradley. When Terry prepares for a critical public speaking engagement, SHRM is her ultimate resource for all the facts on workplace trends.

08-0757

www.shrm.org keyword: Trends

national american indian & alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Who are/were your mentors? What were the lessons learned from them?

David Herbert Daniel Vice President, IT Delivery, Latin America

IBM Global Services

I feel it is important to have several different types of mentors. The most important lessons I have learned are to be true to myself, never compromise my integrity, and to stand firm for my own beliefs and principles. Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

I do try to pass this same lesson to those I formally mentor. Mutual respect for one another and having an open mind towards other viewpoints with a calm, rational, and factual discussion can be a mutually beneficial experience for everyone involved. Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

My parents gave me my work ethic and the realization that nothing comes easily without hard work. Setting goals and maintaining the perseverance to achieve those goals was instilled in me at an early age. What are your two favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career and personal life?

Two very recent books come to mind, but for different reasons. The first is 1491, by Charles C. Mann. His presentation of history is a thought provoking and wonderfully different interpretation of our Native American history and our culture.

The second book is Shift – Inside Nissan’s Historic Revival, by Carlos Ghosn. He explains how an outsider with a different cultural perspective can bring a different viewpoint to management and personally make a difference in the business by challenging tradition-bound thinking. How are you involved with your community?

I serve as a trustee on the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Foundation and have been active in AISES for many years as a Sequoyah Fellow. For the past 7 years, I have served as the executive cochair of IBM’s Native American Executive Task Force, supporting IBM’s Diversity focus on the Native American Constituency. In my local community, I participate in many STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) for middle and high school students. I also have served as an IBM Diversity Campus Executive, working with the University of Oklahoma and Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. If you were to have lunch with the President of the United States, what would you ask or suggest?

I would ask why is it that we, as a country, will spend over $20 billion dollars on foreign aid this year and yet only $2 billion on programs internally for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. While the foreign aid budget grew 12 percent year to year, there was a decrease of 4.4 percent to support the 1.7 million Native Americans in this country. What is your philosophy of life?

I have a great reverence for the gift of life, and I believe we are all bound together in a common journey. What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

My most rewarding accomplishment will be seeing my two children mature into adults with their own respective personalities and individualism. Imparting ones values, beliefs, and morals to your offspring and then seeing them start their own life’s journey as an adult is the greatest accomplishment I can imagine. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

I really do not truly regret any decisions or actions I have taken. Even those which may not have been the wisest, served as a good lesson or education, which only made me stronger over time. David Daniel (3rd from left), along with members of the IBM Diversity team and others, meet with teachers and pre-schoolers at a Sandia Pueblo School in New Mexico. 46

Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

IDEAS PEOPLE WANTED US LOCATIONS Shell people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all the same And we like it that way. After all, the more different perspectives we have on board, the more great ideas we can come up with. With a presence in more than 130 countries, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned for ourselves that being an inclusive business is an advantage. Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for more people who can bring fresh thinking to the energy challenge, including: s 3ENIOR #OMMUNICATIONS -ANAGER 5 s 5TILITIES 2ELIABILITY )MPROVEMENT 0ROG -GR !MERICAS 5 s #ONTROL 3YSTEMS 4ECHNICIAN !ZUSA #! 5 s #2) 3TYRENE 2 $ 0ROGRAM -ANAGER 5 s %NSURE 3AFE 0RODUCTION 0ROCESS &OCAL 0OINT 5 s 4EAM ,EADER 0ROCESS %NGINEERING 5 s 3TAFF 0ROCESS %NGINEERING 5TILITIES 5 s 4URNAROUND 3AFETY #OORDINATOR 5 s 0ROJECTS 3AFETY #OORDINATOR 5 &IND OUT MORE AND APPLY ONLINE AT www.shell.com/careers/usjobs. Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer

national american indian & alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Who are/were your mentors? What were the lessons learned from them?

I’ve had a number of mentors throughout my career, and still do. For me, it’s critical that there is Kathy Hannan diversity among my mentors; that diversity Midwest Area Managing Partner, Tax provides me powerful KPMG LLP insights and a range of perspectives. Generally, I’ve learned that people want to feel they can make a difference in or have an impact on the career or life of others. Also, what works for one situation and time may not for another, so always refresh your thinking. Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

One of the keys to being a good mentor is understanding that you can learn as much from your mentees as they can learn from you. Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

One of my aunts; she was a widow, a mother, and also had a career. She taught me the importance of personal strength and determination. What are your two favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career and personal life?

I can’t say that I have any one favorite book or author. I read the works of several Native American and eastern European authors. I love history, fiction, and particularly golf books—I need all the help I can get. How are you involved with your community?

I serve on a number of civic, educational, and diversityrelated boards and advisory councils, including the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE), the American Indian Council (AIC), and the Anti-Defamation League, to name a few. I strive to connect my roles within

Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

KPMG to my involvement in the community. Being involved in the community is critical, not only so we can give back but also to create visibility about what is possible. If you were to have lunch with the President of the United States, what would you ask or suggest?

Tell me about your personal understanding of the challenges of the Native Americans and how did you arrive at that understanding? I would suggest that there is so much more that must be done to make things right. What is your philosophy of life?

Take risks; challenge yourself. Know that you will not always succeed, and that you can learn as much from your failures as you can from your successes. Help others see the possibilities by sharing experiences that can help them succeed. Give credit away, and never assume you ever will know it all. Never take yourself too seriously, and don’t forget to laugh! What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

I can honestly say I’ve had a number of rewarding experiences. One recent accomplishment would be that I ran the New York City marathon on a dare and finished! But broadly speaking, I’m very proud of the impact I’ve had on KPMG’s culture of diversity and inclusion. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

Nothing. I have NO regrets. I do however hope for as much time as possible as there are so many things I want to do and experience. One of my dreams is to play golf at Augusta!

In a time of rapid change for our company and for our industry, we believe that the unique perspective of each Pfizer employee is vital. Why? Because the tough health care challenges people are facing today call for new, different, and diverse ways of thinking. That’s why we’re implementing a global strategy to ensure Pfizer’s culture not only respects, but also leverages each individual employee’s background, character, and life experiences. We’re putting those unique perspectives to

work to find new, innovative solutions for patients, and better ways of working with our customers, our partners, and the communities we serve. At Pfizer, we believe diversity means an inclusive and empowering work environment. The result? A happier, healthier tomorrow for us all.

www.pfizer.com

national american indian & alaska native HERITAGE MONTH

Who are/were your mentors? What were the lessons learned from them?

I actually have several. Sandy Shaw, our VP of Talent Development, has always given me room to dream about the fuDavid L. Miles ture while balancing it with a good dose of Senior Director, Talent Development honest feedback. Sodexo My current boss, Gerri Mason-Hall, market VP of human resources, has such a natural talent for mentoring. I am glad she has come into my career path at this point in time. I don’t know that I was mature enough to work with someone of her caliber before now. Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

I recently recommended a book I had read to someone and told them, “After you read it, I would be more than happy to discuss it with you, but don’t look for me to provide guidance around the content.” The book touched me at such a core level; I couldn’t possibly hope to pull off acting like I had the concepts mastered. Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

I would have to point to my mother. My mother and I did genealogy research when I was in elementary school. We used to take long hikes in the woods and up to the base of the mountain behind our home. Friends are amazed when I walk by a tree, plant or flower and call it by name. She instilled a natural curiosity in me that stays alive to this day. What are your two favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career and personal life?

Lost Between Lives, by Daniel Holden. This book literally changed my life. It literally helped me give myself permission to show up fully and embrace who I am and why I am here.

Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany, by Hans Massaquoi. This book shook the very foundation of all that I thought I knew about discrimination. I am of Chickahominy descent, and on the official census records, my ancestors were not afforded the dignity of registering their names. Each was listed only as “Chickahominy woman.” Their given names were lost to my family. How are you involved with your community?

I do some volunteer work at the Washington National Cathedral, have just recently applied to be a courtappointed special advocate for children in Arlington County, and I volunteer for the local election commission. If you were to have lunch with the President of the United States, what would you ask or suggest?

This one is easy. I would suggest that it is time that we, as a nation, overhaul our educational system. Our public education system was engineered in another time and is woefully inadequate for today’s kids. What is your philosophy of life?

I have actually adopted an excerpt from a quote from Marianne Williamson. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

My family and friends. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

Take a bite of humble pie and share some of the big mistakes I made in life with my daughter earlier in her life.

At UnitedHealth Group, unique is everywhere. In our approach to health care. In each segment of our business. In every professional. In the career opportunities we offer. As a global leader in health care, UnitedHealth Group is committed to creating a workforce of unique individuals. Their unique perspectives bring about innovative ideas. It is the unique backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs our professionals bring to their work that fuels innovation, creates a healthy environment and drives us towards our goal of creating a better health care system. Founded in 1974, UnitedHealth Group has since grown into a Fortune 100 company. Our family of businesses work tirelessly to advance the quality and access to care while making services more affordable and easier to use for everyone. Our work impacts the lives of nearly 55 million people and helps coordinate care for more than 20 million more. As unique as the many businesses that unite to form UnitedHealth Group, are the career opportunities they offer. From accounting to marketing, clinical to claims, the employment experience at UnitedHealth Group is second to none. Regardless of their unique talents, our professionals are united to improve health care for everyone.

Let us hear your unique voice in these careers available nationwide throughout our family of businesses.

• Business Analysts • Customer Care Professionals • Financial Analysts • Information Technology • Inside & Field Sales • Product Associates • Underwriting Analysts Through innovative leadership in health care, UnitedHealth Group provides ongoing career opportunities for diverse individuals, enriching the employment experience and creating a healthier atmosphere for all. UnitedHealth Group is an equal opportunity employer and employs individuals based on job-related qualifications regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, or other protected characteristics. M/F/D/V.

To view current career opportunities, and to apply online, visit our CAREERS page at www.unitedhealthgroup.com.

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Shell Oil . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..47 www.shell.com 52

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

stories microtrigger stories editors notebook

Have You Experienced These Kinds of Triggers?

“It’s not overt nor something I can easily describe, The Frustrated Manager but it’s there. For example, people will over-explain I am the Diversity Manager for my company and a concept or idea as if I haven’t been working for 15 realize that I represent diversity for my organization years. Sometimes I think it’s because they are trying at all times. However, I get triggered whenever to prove they know more, but other times I think it’s individuals are talking about race or gender, and they simply patronizing. I’d like to stay at this company, look directly at me and say, ‘diversity.’ but I feel I may have to leave to get respect for my “It triggers me on a couple of levels. First, professional experience and my current capabilities.” diversity is defined so narrowly. Second, it’s the same as when the topic turns to the black Ode to Canada market, someone looks at me. The I am a Canadian who has “I became concerned diversity conversation has become abroad, in the Middle so sensitive that whenever the word when she started talking lived East and Asia. A comment is spoken, everyone stares at me. about people…feeling that triggers me and fellow I don’t see this, when for example, is when people the budget is discussed. No one as though they are the Canadians automatically look at us and stares at finance as if they are the assume we are from the United ‘lowest man on the only individuals vested in the States. Similarly, we are driven budget conversation.” totem pole.’” crazy when we hear those from the United States refer to their Memo to Diversity Trainers homeland as ‘America.’ We I was recently working with all come from America, be it South America, Latin a fellow co-worker delivering a piece on diversity. America, Central America, or North America.” PDJ Her presentation was quite insightful, but I became concerned when she started talking about people feeling displaced and feeling as though they are the ‘lowest man on the totem pole.’ This is a real MicroTrigger for me, because, as an American Indian, I know there is no hierarchy on these poles. In fact, they are story boards or simply mark a person’s property! Janet Crenshaw Smith is president of Ivy Planning Career 911 Group LLC, a consulting I started out my professional career at the same and training firm that organization I’m at now 15 years later. However, I specializes in diversity can’t get rid of the label of the new kid that doesn’t strategy and leadership. know what she’s talking about. Even though I now Her book is titled, MicroTriggers: 58 Little am at the same level as my older counterparts, I still Things That Have a BIG Impact. Have a MicroTrigger struggle to get the same degree of high expectation story to share? Send it to: JSmith@ivygroupllc.com. that indicates I’m a professional.

“

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

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last word

Riding the Wave of “Doing More with Less” A practical approach to keeping Diversity Initiatives alive in tough financial times By Marie Y. Philippe, PhD

Corporate Vice President, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness The Lifetime Healthcare Companies

Regardless of industry, there is increasing pressure these days from management to tighten the belt. When competing priorities exist, the initiatives considered “soft”—despite their solid business case—receive the short stick either through budget and resources reduction, or in senior leaders’ time allocation and focus. If you happen to be left with the short stick, there is hope, but it means tapping into your creativity. Here are a few ideas that have helped change-management professionals do more with less, particularly in the world of inclusion building. To keep community connections alive, think “in-kind.”

Often, community-based organizations look to their partners in the diversity and inclusion office for financial support. Rather than saying your budget does not allow you to participate, offer instead the direct services of your organization. The trick is to have built internal relationships within your organization that will allow you to call on them for a timely collaboration. For example, instead of sponsoring an educational program for teenage fathers about savings, responsibilities, etc., invite fathers in the organization to select a topic for delivery and present the educational series, rather than sponsoring it.

To access the learning from important conferences and maintain a presence at out-of-town critical events, think “Technology.”

Not attending conferences may be a solution when travel funds are limited. However, you can still have access to the learning through technology. Ask about the sale of the workshop audio tapes or CDs in which you are interested and selectively purchase these. Another increasingly popular alternative is Webinars. Employees at their work desks can benefit for a small fraction of the cost of having someone there in person. To sustain the connection with universities and colleges when hiring or internships are temporarily suspended, think “Long Range Visibility.”

Just because students do not see you on campus to interview for internships or open positions does not mean they forget your company. Surveys have shown that students want to be associated with corporations that make them feel special. One approach that works relatively well is to offer a contest—perhaps a marketing campaign proposal for a new toothbrush—resulting in an award, trip ticket, logo brief case, or a meeting with a senior company executive for the winner. Publicity comes from putting posters in all the high traffic areas on campus and on your Web site. In summary, diversity initiatives can and do survive in difficult times. The idea is to find ways to keep your strategy in the implementation mode, even if the methodology shifts a bit. Being flexible and creative will help you through the rough waters. PDJ

To offer a Lunch-and-Learn program without lunch, think “snacks.”

Do employees run to the presentation to hear the topic being discussed or for the free pizza, or perhaps both? If free food is no longer part of the equation, attendance could drop. Try sharing snacks as you would in a potluck dinner, or make it a BYOL (bring your own lunch) to preserve the social aspects of the program.

Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal

November/December 2008

Marie Y. Philippe, PhD is well known for her leadership contribution in corporate culture transformation through strategic diversity initiatives and organizational change management. She can be reached at marie.philippe@lifethc.com.

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