Diversity Journal - Nov/Dec 2010 by Diversity Journal

CEOs Profiles + Interviews • Featuring Twenty ThoughtLeaders • National American Indian Heritage

[ Bank of the West ]

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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.

12.95 U.S.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2010 • VOLUME 12 NUMBER 6

AT BANK OF THE WEST, WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE WELL SERVED BY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WELL SERVED.

Volume 12, Number 6 NOVEMBER / DECEMber 2010 Kudos Not Criticism $ PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

WANT TO WORK FOR A TRULY GREAT BANK?

s r e ad e L y t i e h s t d r n e A Div ers Are... n n i W d r a Aw

s + CEO Action in

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

TOM KING

Dennis swan

PETER VOSER

Diversity & Inclusion A t

achieving

W A s t e

M A n A g e M e n t

Jan Tratnik Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

A company that is making a

success

Laura Coy Public Affairs Manager

difference in your world and the

together

Erin Ptacek Director, Corporate Brand and Reputation

We’re proud of Grainger’s Philanthropy Team, who have made a world of difference world around you.not only at Grainger, but in the communities we serve. Their hard work and commitment have helped our 1.8 million customers around the globe get their jobs done.

every day.

Kellie Harris Public Affairs Manager

Elizabeth Valdez Executive Assistant, Corporate Communications

Waste Management is a Fortune 200 company that is changing the world for the better. We are strongly committed to promoting diversity and inclusion and empowering our employees. We are working with the communities we serve to fuel innovative change—and we need your help. www.wmcareers.com

From everyday collection to environmental protection. Think Green.® Think Waste Management. www.thinkgreen.com

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud of Graingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Philanthropy Team, who have made a world of difference not only at Grainger, but in the communities we serve. Their hard work and commitment have helped our 1.8 million customers around the globe get their jobs done.

notebook from the editor P editors notebook

Our Source of Pride: 54 Companies Earn Diversity Leader Award

Profiles in Diversity Journal is proud to honor 54 companies with the 2011 Diversity Leader Award. We recognize these fine organizations for sharing their diversity success stories with our readers all over the world by participating in our editorial features during the year. Yes, that is how important we think it is to continually preach the gospel of diversity! These organizations are led by visionary CEOs whose commitment to diversity and inclusion was not shaken by a rough economy. These leaders know that this magazine is a trusted resource that has been trumpeting diversity for more than a dozen years. We are proud to feature their stories in our pages. Last year 38 companies were recognized with this award. If you have not availed yourself of our editorial opportunities, what are you waiting for? Each issue of the magazine is tailor-made to showcase your company’s efforts, and I am sure you could find at least three or four features to participate in throughout the year – features, which, by the way, are entirely independent of advertising. You see, we, too, have a commitment to diversity. Telling your story is our burning desire, because we know that just living your diversity values is sometimes not enough. Some people need more than just a powerful example; they find encouragement by reading about your successes. I’m reminded of something St. Francis of Assisi said in the 12th century: “Preach the gospel always. If necessary, use words.” We’ll help you find those words by giving you a variety of editorial opportunities throughout the year. I applaud the organizations we recognize with this year’s award, and I encourage each of them to proudly display the award symbol on all of their corporate communications, press releases, newsletters and internal communications with employees. Let there be no doubt among your stakeholders where you stand when it comes to diversity. This issue of the magazine closes out our publishing year for 2010. It has been a good year, and we’re extremely optimistic about 2011! We’re detecting a very real excitement around diversity. Companies have righted themselves after the financial shocks that began in 2008, and they are forging ahead with big dreams and bold programs. I want you to know that you have a true communications partner in Profiles in Diversity Journal. Together, we can help your diversity goals become a reality and – by telling your story to others – inspire them to redouble their own efforts toward achieving a diverse workplace and community. John Murphy Managing Editor 2

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James R. Rector

PUBLISHER/CEO

John Murphy

MANAGING EDITOR

Damian Johnson

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Paul Malanij

ART DIRECTOR

Laurel L. Fumic

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Alina Dunaeva

O v erseas C orrespondent

Jason Bice

WEB MASTER C ontributing W riters

Pamela Arnold Michal Fineman Linda Jimenez Marie Philippe, Ph.D. Craig Storti Nadine Vogel Trevor Wilson LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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contents

table of contents

Volume 12 • Number 6 November / December 2010

features 8 on the cover:

2011 Diversity Leader Awards™ Introducing the winners of the Profiles in Diversity Journal 2011 Diversity

Leader Awards.

National Grid / Tom King National Grid’s President in the U.S. Tom King views Inclusion & Diversity as

a business asset in driving innovation.

Sparrow / Dennis A. Swan Meet Dennis A. Swan, Chair, President and CEO, of Sparrow Hospital and

Health System.

Royal Dutch Shell / Peter Voser Shell's CEO is Tackling Diversity & Inclusion on a Global Scale.

50 MGM: A Decade of Diversity MGM Resorts International celebrates its 10th anniversary of diversity initiatives. 31

54 ThoughtLeaders With travel to seminars and conventions being curtailed, we recognize that

you still may not be able to get to the seminars and conventions this year. We bring 20 diversity thought leaders to you.

National American indian heritage Leaders who have made significant contributions of their own, and celebrate

their heritage as First Americans.

DEPARTMENTS

perspectives 10 Culture Matters

by Craig Storti

6 Momentum

Diversity Who, What, Where and When

12 From My Perspective by Linda Jimenez, WellPoint, Inc. 14 Human Equity™ by Trevor Wilson, TWI Inc.

81 Catalyst

16 Viewpoint by Pamela Arnold, AIMD 18 My Turn by Nadine Vogel, Springboard Consulting LLC 80 Global Diversity by Michal Fineman, ORC Worldwide 86 Last Word by Marie Philippe, PhD

An Assessment of Talent Management Systems

84 Advertiser’s Index

Storti

JIMENEZ

WILSON

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ARNOLD

vogEl

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FINEMAN

philippe

Company Web Sites of Our Advertisers

88 CEO In Action Notebook

momentum momentum who…what…where…when

Freddie Mac Names Subha V. Barry SVP, Chief Diversity Officer McLEAN, Virginia – Freddie Mac named Subha V. Barry to the position of chief diversity officer (CDO). In this position, Barry will lead the company’s newly Barry formed Office of Diversity and Inclusion, with overall responsibility for the combined functions of Diversity and Inclusion and Supplier Diversity. She will be responsible for developing business strategies focused on the needs of a diverse workforce, working closely with other members of Freddie Mac’s senior management team to ensure the company is effectively utilizing diverse talent (both within its employee base and its suppliers), enhance the annual diversity planning process and manage performance against the company’s diversity plans. Barry will also design and launch the new Executive Diversity Council. She will report directly to CEO Charles E. “Ed” Haldeman, Jr., with whom she will jointly lead the Executive Diversity Council, and will be a member of Freddie Mac’s management committee. In addition, Barry will work with Freddie Mac’s business units to ensure the maximization of opportunities in diverse market segments. “Creating the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and having someone of Subha’s talent and experience in this new executive position is a critical step in Freddie Mac’s forward progress,” said Haldeman. “As a company devoted to creating housing opportunities 6

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for individuals and families from all backgrounds and walks of life, it’s essential that Freddie Mac – through our employee base and network of suppliers – reflect the many varied communities whom we serve and from which we recruit our employees.” Barry joins Freddie Mac from Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., where she most recently served as managing director, global head of Diversity & Inclusion. In that role, she was responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy, successfully aligning Merrill Lynch’s U.S.-centric diversity and inclusion efforts with its global business operations. Barry holds a B.A. in Accounting, Mathematics & Economics from Bombay University, and an M.B.A. and Master of Accounting, from Rice University.

Advanced Clinical Announces New Vice President BANNOCKBURN, Illinois – Advanced Clinical, a leading provider of clinical research services, announced the appointment of Julie Heneghan as Vice Heneghan President. “Julie has been in the outsourcing and staffing solutions industry for more than 20 years,” said Leo Sheridan, CEO of Advanced Clinical. As Vice President, Heneghan is responsible for overseeing the strategic planning and direction of the Midwest and Eastern division and for shaping its future

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success. Heneghan has a wealth of expertise developing and delivering large global solutions across all elements of outsourcing and staffing. The solutions that Heneghan has sold and delivered include: Consulting Services, Strategic Sourcing (CRO functional/cross-functional sourcing), and Managed Services as well as Program Management, and Talent Management and Technology Platforms for Services provided. “Julie’s extensive experience in outsourcing and staffing solutions and her ability to drive growth provides the expertise and strategic effectiveness we need for our company, our consultants and our clients. We are proud to have Julie on our leadership team.” Heneghan graduated in 1987 from Loyola University of Chicago, with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.

Brooks Appointed Chairman of the Board for Habilitative Systems Inc. CHICAGO – Melvin Brooks, attorney at the Chicago office of The Cochran Firm, has been named chairman of the board for Chicagobased Habilitative Brooks Systems Inc. Habilitative Systems Inc. seeks to alleviate human suffering by developing and providing resources that promote maximum independence, personal responsibility and dignity for individuals with mental, physical, social and emotional disabilities. The agency has 14 sites across the South Side and West Side and administers more than 50 programs that provide

NATIONAL GRID RECOGNIZED BY LATINA STYLE MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE 50 BEST COMPANIES FOR LATINAS TO WORK IN THE U.S.

ational Grid has been recognized by LATINA Style magazine as one of the 50 best companies for Latinas to work in the U.S. The 50 best companies were selected out of an analysis of more than 800 of the most prominent corporations in the United States for maintaining their commitment to diversity despite the harsh economic conditions in today’s market. “This is National Grid’s first listing as one of the best places for Latinas and a further step in the journey to help define National Grid globally as an employer of choice – for our employees, our customers, our shareholders and for the communities within which we operate,” said Helen Mahy, National Grid’s company secretary and general counsel and executive sponsor of Global Inclusion & Diversity. “We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to cultivate an inclusive environment, which is aligned with our company’s Inclusion Charter and will ensure that we are well-positioned when the economy turns around.” LATINA Style is a national publication for contemporary Hispanic women. Now in its 13th year, the annual report sets the standard for identifying corporations that are providing the best career opportunities for Latinas in the U.S. The LATINA Style 50 Report is the most respected evaluation of corporate America’s career advancement opportunities for Latinas. Companies responding to LATINA Style’s questionnaire were evaluated based on issues that LATINA Style readers identified as most important to them in the workplace. Evaluations for the 2010 annual report were based on 2009 data. Among the principal areas of evaluation that make National Grid among the best companies for Latina’s to work include: • A Vice President for Inclusion and Diversity and a Global Inclusion & Diversity Council, both charged with guiding the com-

support and services to more than 7,000 people annually. Brooks has been a member of the Habilitative Systems board of directors since 2006, and he will serve as chairman for a one-year term with the potential for annual board reelection. “Habilitative Systems is a visionary and proactive agency which recognizes that the key to solving many of our social ills is delivering services and resources with a goal towards early intervention and prevention,” Brooks says.

pany’s vision to be an employer of choice. • An Inclusion Charter to provide a clean and consistent understanding of what an inclusive workplace means. • Hispanic Professional Association and Women In Networks, employee resource groups to provide support and resources for the professional growth of National Grid employees and support the company’s I&D vision. • Educational opportunities, alternative work policies, dependent/child care support, employee benefits, and job retraining. National Grid’s inclusion and diversity efforts have been recognized through a number of awards including, for the third consecutive year, a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for inclusion and diversity efforts relating to LGBT workers; Diversity/Careers in Engineering and Information Technology 2010 Best Diversity Company for support of minorities and women; attention to work/life balance and commitment to supplier diversity; and Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2009 Innovation Award for the Women Empowered Program, a professional development initiative. Mahy, along with other National Grid executives, will attend the annual awards ceremony honoring the LATINA Style 50 Companies scheduled for Feb. 3, 2011, during LATINA Style’s Diversity Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. For more information regarding LATINA Style 50, please visit the magazine web site at www.latinastyle.com.

“As chairperson I intend to further that focus and increase HSI’s visibility within the private sector, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to those most in need.” “In his four years of board service, Mel has brought a level of dedication and focus to HSI that has allowed us to expand services and reach segments to support our development and fundraising endeavors. In his role as chairman, I am hopeful that Mel will help us navigate this turbulent period

for human services and further achieve our mission,” says Habilitative Systems President & CEO Donald J. Dew. Brooks, who specializes in representing victims in wrongful death and serious personal injury matters, has been with The Cochran Firm since 2003. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Federal Trial Bar. His legal career also includes stints at the City of Chicago and Costello, McMahon & Burke, Ltd. PDJ

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award

diversity leader

Presenting the 2011 diversity leader awardâ&#x201E;˘ Recognizing the communication efforts of 54 leading organizations.

in t the Profiles n se re p to d u e are pro iversity Leader D 1 1 0 2 l a rn u Diversity Jo ons that ti a iz n a rg o g in w llo Award to the fo d stories n a s e ic o v ir e th me to share have taken the ti this year. with our readers leaders for their se e th r o n o h d We recognize an in concepts of tw e th g n ci n a v ad three or in commitment to g n ti a ip ic rt a p usion by diversity and incl 10. Let this award 0 2 in e in z a g a m r more issues of ou ity leadership. rs e iv d ir e th im a cl celebrate and pro to all! Congratulations

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American Airlines •American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc. •AT&T •AXA Equitable Life Insurance •Bank of the West •Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts •Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina •Burger King Corporation •CACI International Inc. •Catalyst Inc. •CDW LLC •Chevron •Cisco •Citi •Comcast Corporation •Communicating Across Cultures •ConAgra Foods •CVS Caremark •Deloitte LLP •Ford Motor Company •Freddie Mac •Gibbons P.C. •Halliburton •Highmark Inc. •ITT Corporation •Ivy Planning Group LLC •KPMG LLP •The Lifetime Healthcare Companies •Lockheed Martin Corporation •Mercer LLC •MGM Resorts International •National Grid •New York Life Insurance Company •Northrop Grumman Corporation •PepsiCo •Pitney Bowes Inc. •Royal Dutch Shell •Ryder System, Inc. •Sodexo •Sparrow Hospital and Health System •Target •Textron Systems Corporation •TWI Inc. •U.S. Postal Service •Union Bank N.A. •UnitedHealth Group •University of the Rockies •UPMC •Vanguard •Verizon •W.W. Grainger •Walmart •Waste Management, Inc. •WellPoint, Inc. •

Culture Matters

Can You Manage? By Craig Storti [First in an occasional series on culture and management.]

You probably have every reason to think you’re a half way decent manager. You empower your direct reports, you delegate authority and responsibility, you don’t wear your power on your sleeve, and you don’t go around micro-managing people. May we make a suggestion? Stay in North America. It’s one of only a handful of places where your management style is going to be effective. Do we have your attention? Thought so. Have we exaggerated a little? Perhaps a tad. But it’s true that the North American management paradigm does not travel well; the only places where it would be welcome are most of Northern Europe and the so-called Anglo cultures: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and, to a lesser extent, the United Kingdom. In most of Latin America, the Middle East (except for Israel), the Pacific Rim, and sub-Saharan Africa, your style won’t go down very well, and in many cases it could cause real problems. Fine, you say; I wasn’t planning to go to those places anyway, so I don’t have to worry about my management style. Which would be true if this were 1910, say, or 1950, or even 1970, but it’s 2010, and in the last few decades globalization has changed everything. One in eight U.S. citizens is from another country, and one in six people in the workplace is from outside the U.S. You may not plan on going to Jordan or Brazil anytime soon, but these days there’s a good chance a Jordanian or a Brazilian could be sitting in the cubicle next to you. And even if there’s not a single person in your physical workplace from another culture, many of you may manage virtual global teams. A question you might want to ask yourself is this: If your management style is North American, which it should be if you’re from North America, then what happens when you have to manage staff from the rest of 10

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the world who are used to and expecting a very different style? We will venture some answers to this question in the months ahead in this occasional series on culture and management. Where to begin? A lot of readers probably want to know what’s so bad about that list of No. American management traits trotted out in the first paragraph? Or, to put the matter slightly differently, if people in other cultures don’t manage like that, then how in the world do they manage? We should probably begin by talking about power and cultural attitudes towards it. There is more to managing than wielding power, of course, but a culture’s attitude toward power helps explain a lot of the things managers routinely do – as well as a lot of things they would never do. As I have observed in my book Americans At Work: A Guide to the Can-Do People, Americans are deeply conflicted about power. They want it, but they are loathe to be seen as wanting it; they admire people who have it but are quick to criticize them when power “goes to their head.” In a word, power makes Americans uncomfortable. “Power is one of the last dirty words,” writes Rosabeth Moss Kanter, one of the leading management gurus in the United States. “It is easier to talk about money – and much easier to talk about sex – than it is to talk about power. People who have it deny it… and people who engage in its machinations do so secretly.”* Needless to say, managers in a culture where power is a dirty word are going to behave quite differently from managers in cultures where power is an unambiguously Good Thing. And one of the biggest differences, not surprisingly, is the extent to which managers delegate their power, or in modern HR parlance, the extent to which bosses empower their staff. In North America, managers are very sensitive to charges of * Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. 1997. On the Frontiers of Management. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, p. 136.

Power Plays The table below lists cultures where bosses are more likely to empower their staff (lower scores/low power distance) and those where bosses are less likely to empower (higher score/high power distance). Low PD countries: Austria Israel Denmark Finland Germany Australia Canada USA

being power hungry, so they are at some pains not to micro-manage their direct reports. Moreover, empowerment is widely regarded in North America as the way to get the most out High PD countries of your staff who, it is Malaysia 104 assumed, are chomping Philippines 93 at the bit to use their Mexico 81 80 Arab World intelligence, be creative, China 80 take initiative – and who Indonesia 78 will always do their best India 77 work when they are left France 68 alone. Not to empower If you’re a Malaysian managing an Austrian such people is to waste or an Austrian reporting to a Malaysian, tremendous potential – you’ve got your work cut out for you. and probably lose them to companies where Source: Hofstede, Geert. 1991. Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, they will be empowered. abridged ed. Beverly Hills, CA : Sage, p.95. Which is why the best North American managers give their direct reports considerable flexibility and responsibility, letting them work on their own as much as possible. The best bosses are seen and not heard – and ideally not even seen. Those who manage least manage best. But much of the world doesn’t view power as a dirty word, nor the exercise of power as anything to be ashamed of. In his famous study of what he called “power distance” (see box), Geert Hofstede identified a wide range of attitudes towards power, hence a range of logical management styles, around the world. At one extreme are countries where managers de-emphasize and minimize the “distance” between those who have power and those who do not (the hands-off, empowering cultures), and at the other extreme are countries where managers emphasize and exploit the distance between the power haves and power have-nots (the hands-on, micro-managing cultures). These very different takes on power create very different work environments and a completely different 11 13 18 33 35 36 39 40

manager-subordinate dynamic. Listen to what a Turkish MBA student said about his workplace: When I started my previous job I and some other guys had difficulty getting internet access. Therefore we decided to pay a visit to my company’s technology department. We went to the head of the department, told her about our problem, and asked whether she could help us. She said she would inform her staff about our problem and told us how nice it was to let her know about our problem. Later that day our problem was solved. However a week later all of us who visited the head of technology department were called to a meeting with our direct manager. He told us that what we did was wrong and we should never skip him to solve our problems. He went on to say that our visit was a sign of his management weakness and if we were to repeat that mistake, then he would “skip” us in the future. Not all North American bosses are hands-off and empowering, of course, and not all Turkish or Mexican bosses are power hungry micro-managers. Many factors influence a given individual’s management style, but cultural values and norms are definitely one of the variables in this mix. If you try to micro-manage an American or to empower a Filipino, you may be asking for trouble. In subsequent articles in this series, we will look at other cultural differences concerning management – conducting performance evaluations, motivating employees, supervision, the conduct of meetings – and then take up the implications of all these differences for managing a multi-cultural workforce. If one size does not fit all, management-wise, and you just happen to have “all” in your workforce, what’s your strategy? PDJ

Craig Storti, a consultant and trainer in the field of intercultural communications, is the author of seven books. His latest, Speaking of India, describes the common cultural flashpoints when Indians work together with No. Americans and western Europeans. His earlier book, Americans At Work: A Guide to the Can-Do People, discusses many of the issues to be covered in this series. He can be contacted at: craig@craigstorti.com

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FROM My perspective

Safe Space By Linda Jimenez Chief Diversity Officer and Staff Vice President – Diversity & Inclusion WellPoint, Inc.

In September, the nation was shocked when news spread that an innocent young man at Rutgers took his life after intense cyber-bullying. Many were angry, many were heartbroken and many of us were ashamed to learn the details of the Rutgers freshman’s death. Tyler Clementi’s suicide is a stark reminder that diversity practitioners, and all of us, still have a lot to accomplish before we can truly say we live in an environment of true diversity and acceptance. To me, the most disturbing aspect of this story wasn’t the fact that two fellow students would be despicable enough to intentionally invade a roommate’s privacy, and laugh about it. No, the most horrifying part was that Tyler felt so ashamed of his sexuality that he killed himself after others discovered his sexuality and made it public. While there is much blame to be put around the cyber-bullying in which Tyler’s roommate engaged, there is ample blame that all of us should accept for failing to create an accepting society where the “Tyler Clementi’s” of this world feel safe, secure and comfortable with their whole self. Shame on all of us for not working harder to ensure that our world is a “Safe Space,” and that we are not vigilant in our efforts to combat the ideas of those who seek to perpetuate an “us” vs. “them” environment. How can we as a society continue to intentionally tolerate behavior that denies basic human rights to large segments of our population? How does the military’s “Don’t Ask / Don’t Tell” policy support a commitment to diversity and inclusion and respect for individual differences? Why does Arizona feel it is appropriate to allow police officers to stop and detain individuals for possibly being in the country illegally based on nothing more than the color of their skin? The question of whether or not Muslims should be allowed to build a mosque near Ground Zero created a firestorm of debate around religious tolerance in our country, which was originally settled in response to religious persecution. 12

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Hate crimes (also known as bias-motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets and carries out a crime against a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by race/ ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, language, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters (hate mail), and something that is becoming more and more prevalent – bullying via social media. Bullying has indeed entered the digital age. The impulses behind it are the same, but the effect is magnified. In the past, non-physical bullying would generally consist of whispering or shouting or passing around notes or letters, and the distribution of such materials or verbal bullying was fairly limited. Now with a few clicks, a photo, video or conversation can be shared with hundreds, thousands and even millions via e-mail, through websites like YouTube or iChat, or through Facebook or blog postings or Twitter. What do these incidents tell us? When Attorney General Eric Holder made the statement that we are a nation of cowards for not talking enough about racial tensions he was spot on…but not just about race discussions. His comments, like these incidents, should serve as a call to action for all of us to evaluate our behaviors. We can all certainly raise the level of respect we have for one another. We can and should certainly be more accepting and understanding of the differences and similarities that make each of us unique. You can learn something from everyone. We should harness each strength and unique attribute and if we each make the effort, we can make great strides against hate and create a Safe Space for everyone. PDJ

Linda Jimenez is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she received her B.A. 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.

Our doors are

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Join us as we play a key role in Making Home Affordable. We’re a vital part of President Obama’s initiative to stabilize the housing market. For you, that means exciting challenges and an opportunity to have a real impact on our nation’s economy – and your neighbors’ lives. We’ll provide a solid platform for your career and the tools to assist your professional growth.

Audit | Compliance | Single-Family Portfolio Management | IT When you join the Freddie Mac team, you’ll discover an inclusive, empowering culture with an equal opportunity employer who recognizes the value of diversity. You’ll also find a total rewards package that supports your success both at work and in your personal life. We encourage you to visit us at upcoming diversity conferences, which are listed on our career site. Visit us online at:

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HUMAN equity ™

The Strength of Strengths By Trevor Wilson Author and Global Human Equity Strategist TWI Inc.

When I first started These were the managers who excelled at turning working, I remember hating each employee’s unique talents into performance. The performance evaluations. For departments or teams of these managers consistently me, the typical evaluation was achieved superior business results. They demonstrated an annual reminder of all the improved profitability, productivity and customer things I was not good at. One satisfaction while reducing the rate of turnover for the year, a new manager led me best talent. The research found that identifying and through an evaluation which utilizing employee strengths was more important than turned out to be 58 minutes pay, benefits, perks or even a charismatic corporate of praise about my various leader. It enabled the building of a stronger, more efstrengths and ended with the last two minutes brain- fective workplace. It was this research that led to the storming on how we work around my one apparent now familiar adage “people don’t quit the organization; weakness. I had never had an annual rethey quit their boss.” view like that nor have I had once since. So how do we find a person’s innate But what I will never forget is how this strength? There are at least two good “strength focused” review made me feel. I tools. The first can be found by taking was empowered, engaged and motivated. the Clifton StrengthsFinder which grew In our last article on talent differentiaout of the Gallup research and can be tion we identified the SHAPE V talent accessed at the site www.strengthsfinder. model, as a primary human equity tool, com. A more recent tool is the Values which shows managers how to better in Action character strengths assessment utilize the natural strengths and talents found on the site www.viacharacter.org. of their employees. Shape V moves beThis tool is an intriguing, positive psyyond the standard diversity discussions chology assessment that seeks to overcome about group differences in race, gender, the negative impacts of deficit-based perculture, age, etc., to human equity discusformance assessment. Something great sions surrounding optimizing individual managers, like the one referred to above, differences. clearly understood. In the SHAPE V model the “S” stands In our next article we will continue for strength. These are the innate traits looking at SHAPE V by exploring the within employees that Buckingham and importance of looking at passion for one’s – Buckingham Coffman are referring to in the quote. work. PDJ and Coffman So why is strength identification so important to human equity and optimizing individual performance? What difference does it make to organizational effectiveness or business In 1996 Trevor started TWI Inc. to specialize in the area of equity performance? In 1999 the Gallup organization conducted a and diversity as a business issue. In the same year, Trevor published a highly acclaimed book titled Diversity at Work: The Business Case massive in-depth study of 80,000 great managers.* for Equity. The firm’s clients include some of the most progressive

“Great managers do not believe everyone has unlimited potential they do not help people fix their weaknesses they play to their strengths.”

* See First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (Buckingham and Coffman) 1999

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global employers. TWI’s Human Equity™ approach was instrumental in catapulting Coca-Cola’s South African division to the top performing division worldwide. Visit www.twiinc.com for more information.

Raytheon People

Innovation. Driven by Diversity. As one of the world’s foremost technology leaders, Raytheon takes on some of the most difficult challenges imaginable. Meeting those challenges requires a diversity of talent, ideas, backgrounds, opinions and beliefs. Diversity helps our teams make better decisions, build stronger customer relationships and feel more inspired, supported and empowered. It is both a catalyst and an essential advantage to everything we do.

We’re proud to feature Raytheon employees in our ads. To join them in a rewarding career, visit

www.rayjobs.com © 2010 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved. “Customer Success Is Our Mission” is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company. Raytheon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and welcomes a wide diversity of applicants. U.S. citizenship and security clearance may be required.

viewpoint

Diversity Management:

Connecting the Diversity ABCs and the Generational X, Y, and Zs in the Workplace By Pamela Arnold President American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc.

I recently attended a corporate community event that was held to highlight volunteer opportunities that employees could participate in as part of the corporate social responsibility program for the company. The turnout was great and there was a high level of excitement in the air as employees learned more about what they could do to impact the community and effect change. The conversation from the employees across the different generations continues to validate that our workforce will never be the same – and, as diversity leaders preparing the workforce and the workspace, neither will we. Using the flexibility of the work environment, the tools of technology and the company’s commitment to social responsibility, the diverse employee population will drive the company and our society forward. As diversity leaders, we must continue to prepare and build the workspace for the recruitment, selection, and retention of workforce talent.

Introducing the “Alpha” Generation

Even as you are reading this, there are changes occurring that are impacting our work force, workplace, work environments and cultures. Our ability to embrace these changes will benefit all stakeholders. Let’s consider a few technological highlights of generations X, Y, Z and now the “iGeneration” or “Alpha” generation: Generation X: 29 – 42 yrs old (www. wikipedia.org) • 70% use online shopping • 65% use online banking • 61% are mobile subscribers Generation Y: 18 – 28 yrs old (www.wikipedia.org) • 90% own a computer • 82% own a mobile telephone • 72% send or receive SMS (text) telephone messages Generation Z: 17 – 27 yrs old (www.wikipedia.org) • Also known as Digital Natives or Net Generation • 18% of world population 16

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• Lifelong usage of the World Wide Web, MP3, instant messaging, text messaging and mobile phones The Alpha Generation: Teens in 2010 (Lenhart, Ling & Campbell, 2010 Pew Research Center) • 1st full generation born in the new millennium • Four out of five carry a wireless device (17 million) • 1 billion text messages sent each day • Primary communication tool to reach friends and family.

Diversity Partners in Sustaining, Maintaining, and Retaining Talent

Diversity leaders serve as partners to business leaders and employees at all levels of the organization to help navigate the changing generational demographics and how they impact the workspace. The five “w’s” and “h” – who, what, where, when, why and how – are questions that diversity partners provide guidance on every day. Generational diversity is not the only element that is impacting the workplace, but it is one of the more transformational dynamics we are seeing today. At the American Institute for Managing Diversity we hear from organizations on what they are doing to make sure that their diversity framework includes technology as an enabler to support the workplace culture. Integrating technology with other diversity practices can move the company forward. Listed below are a few areas that contribute to a productive workforce, embrace technology as an enabler and build a successful work environment. Some of these have been around for years and others have recently been added as solutions to help facilitate a diverse and inclusive environment for all generations: Social Media – Utilizing internal and external (interand intranet) sites for ongoing communication and updates is a must. This includes two-way interactions with all stakeholders in the company in different formats. Webinars, webcasts, podcasts and video-conferencing are used for online learning and corporate communications. Employee Resource Groups – Leveraging the network groups for company support, ongoing learning opportunities and feedback on company initiatives

helps to build a connection to the business objectives. Helping organizations stay connected to the diverse voices and perspectives of the employees will yield positive results and creative innovations for supporting a successful workplace environment – which will in turn benefit the organization. Learning and Knowledge Development (training) – Ongoing diversity learning for all levels of the organization is a core component for success. Utilizing various learning techniques will help to keep the workforce updated and aligned to the business goals and objectives. Corporate Social Responsibility – Making a difference in the communities where we live, work and play is important to companies. Employers recognize that giving back is important for employees so they are creating more volunteer opportunities through the workplace. Skill based volunteer programs, designed for employees to use their work experience and skills to give back to communities through their jobs, are increasing at companies. Strategic Diversity Management – Managing diversity in the workplace is a skill that managers and leaders can utilize to build and maintain creative, innovative and successful organizations. The workspace has expanded across geographical lines and multiple time zones. In

his latest book World Class Diversity Management: A Strategic Approach Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. states that “Globalization is transforming the very nature of our business relationships, decision-making processes, and interactions, making world class diversity management, more needed now than ever before.” The iPhone, iPod and iPad are a few of the technological tools that are changing the working landscape. Diversity leaders will continue to evolve the workspace to proactively meet the requirements for building, sustaining and managing a diverse workforce. Generations X, Y, Z and the Alpha generations give us an opportunity to integrate technology into our diversity models, practices and principles. This integration leads to a workplace environment that encourages creativity and innovation and motivates people to make a difference not only internally but also externally in their communities. PDJ Pamela W. Arnold is President of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc. The organization is a 501 (c) (3) public interest nonprofit 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.

When you think of where you want to go in life, being part of a great company figures into your vision. You have the talent and the drive to go far. What you want is a company with the culture and the opportunities to enable you to reach your goals. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is well-known for supporting and encouraging employee achievement in an environment of abundant growth opportunities, career paths and financial rewards. You can expect no less from a health insurance leader whose innovative solutions bring coverage into the homes of millions across our state and serve as models for the entire nation.

See what we have to offer, visit www.bluecrossma.com/careers

Our commitment to building a diverse workplace is without question. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

My turn

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities By Nadine Vogel President Springboard Consulting LLC

Since 1992, the United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually held on December 3. This global observance (it’s not a public holiday) aims to increase the understanding of the issues around disabilities and attention to the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also aims to increase the awareness of the gains for everyone if people with disabilities are integrated into all aspects of political, social, business, economic and cultural life. Approximately 10% of the world’s population, or 650 million people, live with disabilities. People are often unaware that there are so many people with disabilities, unaware of the many challenges they face, and

“Approximately 10% of the world’s population, or 650 million people, live with disabilities.” equally unaware of the abilities they possess. This is especially true in the workplace. It’s one thing for a company to be considered compliant from a regulatory standpoint relative to disability in the workforce, workplace and marketplace. It is quite another for a company to possess best practices and be considered an Employer or Supplier of Choice. Many organizations do want to go beyond the basics of compliance, and one way of doing this is by observing this day. The following are just some ways in which global organizations are celebrating. • Raise awareness within your company by offering Disability Etiquette & Awareness Training sessions to managers and all levels of employees. • Hold forums with disability experts and/or professionals with disabilities. 18

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• Hold public discussions on a variety of related topics such accessible transportation or travel. • Create public information campaigns that focus on relevant disability issues and trends. • Promote a positive image of people with disabilities by creating marketing campaigns for your company’s products and services that include this segment of the population. • Hold events that showcase the skills, abilities, contributions and achievements of people with disabilities, both internal to your company and in the larger community. • Offer day-long mentoring and/or job shadowing (at all levels) for individuals with disabilities, perhaps those about to graduate post-secondary education if your company is geographically close to a school that offers programs for students with disabilities. • Organize events that showcase performers who have disabilities. • Have exhibitions of art created by people with disabilities, perhaps by your employees or by employees dependents who have disabilities. • Offer a presentation of the progress and obstacles related to implementation of disability policies (governmental, corporate, etc.). This year’s theme is “Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond.” If your company or organization is global, I hope you will consider celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with me and the rest of the world on December 3, 2010. For your organization, it will mean good business. For the disability community, it will mean the world! PDJ

Nadine Vogel is President of Springboard Consulting LLC. Springboard (www.consultspringboard.com) is considered a global expert; working with corporations, governments and organizations on issues pertaining to supporting the disability community in the workforce, workplace and marketplace. She is also the author of DIVE IN, Springboard into the Profitability, Productivity and Potential of the Special Needs Workforce.

Thanks to You,

A generation of stories is just another part of growing up.

It’s just one more place we see the benefits of improving the lives of the people we serve. WellPoint is proud of our dedication to diversity. Still, with all that we’ve achieved, we will always strive to better attract, retain and develop top diverse talent. One way is through our Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), where employees work to develop and sustain our culture of inclusion, enhance and maximize customer relationships, and create and leverage leadership opportunities for all of our associates. Through these ARGs, we’re able to better address our customers needs, and ensure that our workforce is as unique as our wide range of health benefits products. At WellPoint, diversity is more than just the ‘right thing to do.’ It’s the way we approach business, how we interact within our communities, how we mobilize our employees and, more than anything, why we appreciate moments like this. For more information, visit: www.wellpoint.com/careers

ceo + interview

Meet Tom King President, National Grid U.S.

How does National Grid’s Inclusion & Diversity strategy contribute to shareholder value? THE ability to attract and retain talent is critical in helping to maintain a competitive business edge that will set us apart as an employer of choice. I am not just talking about hiring and promoting people – having an inclusive corporate culture means providing an opportunity for P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

corporate headquarters: UK with U.S. Headquarters in Massachusetts website: www.nationalgrid.com

ational Grid’s President in the U.S. Tom King views Inclusion & Diversity as a business asset in driving innovation.

Company name: National Grid

people of diverse backgrounds to introduce new approaches and ideas. It means fostering an environment that is welcoming, where people can collaborate and come up with creative and innovative approaches to business challenges. In the energy sector, we critically need talented people who can think outside the box in order to find new energy solutions. Annually, National Grid presents the Chairman’s Award in several categories. One of them focuses on Diversity. However, when you look at the cross section of the programs and teams nominated you can see

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Primary business: International electricity and gas company. 2009/10 Revenues: $22,101 million Employees: 28,000 (about 63% work in the U.S.)

the power of diversity in action through the solutions developed by employees to make our workplace a safer, more inclusive, customerfocused and community-minded organization. Many of the projects can be monetized in terms of cost savings, enhanced safety protocols, branding and improved efficiency.

The energy industry is facing some major talent challenges in the next 10 years. How is National Grid addressing these workforce Diversity challenges? The industry as a whole is facing a major challenge because more than 60% of the workforce will be retirement eligible over the next ten years. At National Grid, we are facing similar challenges. This is why we have made a commitment to assess our needs and create programs that will enable us to address those challenges. In particular, the Inclusion & Diversity team has put in place partnerships with professional development associations like the American Indians in Sciences and Engineering Society, Ascend (Asian Professionals Association), American Association of Blacks in Energy, the Asian MBAs and National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and others in order to educate people about career opportunities in the energy utilities sector. While we provide an essential service to people on a daily basis we know we are not the industry that many people automatically think about, so we need to build brand awareness about the careers and opportunities in the utilities sector. The other major factor impacting us is that other countries outside of the U.S. and U.K. are growing talented engineers, researchers, environmentalists and scientists at a faster rate. So we have established internship programs to grow our talent base. We are also working to encourage young people to pursue careers through our Engineering Our Future program and partnering with some professional associations as well as non-profits to support math and science initiatives. There are many talented people in the marketplace and we just have to

Asian Leadership Group Links Learning With Tradition

“W

e believe that our objectives as a group must support and complement National Grid’s business objectives,” states Cindy Chiu, manager of the Staten Island, NY, Customer Marketing Group and Asian Leadership Group chairperson. “Our members work within the company, developing their business skills and industry knowledge, and in the community, where they support local business skills and charitable and environmental initiatives.” Formed in 2004, the group now includes 150 active members from many parts of Asia. Together, they hold internal speaker events to learn more about the company, sponsor smaller learning forums and network with similar organizations in companies including General Electric, Ernst & Young and IBM. In the community, members teach Junior Achievement classes, sponsor Earth Day celebrations and volunteer with the United Way. Blending cultural understanding with learning about National Grid and energy conservation is something the group enjoys. “For the fourth consecutive summer, a National Grid team has participated in the annual New York Dragon Boat Festival and this year National Grid signed on as a boat sponsor,” explains Wen Wen, leader of the company’s Dragon Boat effort and a senior analyst in Energy Accounting. During the two-day festival attended by more than 50,000 visitors, the first day is for race sponsors to share information about their organizations with the Asian community. This year, more than 1,000 attendees stopped at the National Grid exhibit booth. Day two is reserved for the excitement of the Dragon Boat races. National Grid Dragon Storm participated in four different races – regular mixed 250 meters and 500 meters, the sponsor race and the corporate race – placing second in the preliminary round of the regular mixed 250 meters. In this competition class, there may be a maximum of 12 rowers and one drummer in each boat. “It was a great way to bond as National Grid employees and as members of the broader Asian community,” Wen said.

get more creative in attracting them to our industry. A big part of that is educating people about the kinds of opportunities and difference they can make as individuals. Ultimately, without a corporate culture that is inclusive and embedded in everything we do, from our business decision processes to our community relations activities, we will not be able to retain the talent we attract.

What is your biggest concern about the future talent needed at National Grid? THE biggest challenge we face is that there are not enough young people pursuing math, hard science and engineering studies. The gap is even more pronounced among women

and minorities. It’s an issue right now and one that will not only impact our company in the near future, but which is already impacting the entire energy sector and our country’s ability to compete in the global business space. That’s why we are investing in programs and partnerships focused on workforce development. By providing role models to young people through our volunteer efforts and employee resource group outreach, supporting summer science camps, and awarding scholarships and internships, we hope to encourage middle school, high school and college students to not only get excited about math and science careers, but also to stay in school and get their degrees.

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Tom King | National Grid How would you assess Hudson Valley Community College Program Helps Build National Grid’s progress in its Tomorrow’s Workforce diversity initiatives at this point? reated in 2007 by National We’ve done well in some areas. Grid and Hudson Valley The number of women in senior Community College, the leadership roles, the extent and Overhead Electric Line Worker success of our Employee Resource Certificate program is the first Groups (ERGs), and our supplier State University of New Yorkdiversity programs are three areas approved Overhead Electric Line Worker Certificate prowhere I feel we are making progress gram designed to fill workforce at National Grid. I am particularly needs, supporting National proud of our Veteran, Asian and Grid’s Engineering Our Future Pride (LGBT) employee resource initiative. groups who have done a great job A student gets hands-on experience working on utility poles “The Hudson Valley Comof helping us connect with exterand transformers in the Hudson Valley Community College munity College Overhead laboratory. National Grid provided and installed a series of nal events/programs to increase Electric Line Worker Program utility poles and transformers in the Hudson Valley Community awareness about opportunities. Our provides exceptional training College laboratory. Women in Networks group and to the community with unique Alliance of Black Professionals as employment opportunities, The college’s new Overhead Our Future” initiative to grow well as NewNet ERGs have introwhile at the same time, helping Electric Line Worker Laboraand develop talent by supportduced mentoring and professional National Grid and other utilities tory in Williams Hall provides ing comprehensive learning development programs internally. develop a well-educated future students with hands-on experi- programs. workforce through the EngiEight National Grid emence. National Grid provided But I don’t feel we are moving neering Our Future initiative,” ployees helped create the and installed a series of utility fast enough. In particular, we have said Tom King, President of Overhead Electric Line Worker poles and transformers in the not moved the needle much in National Grid in the U.S. Certificate program. They were laboratory which are wired increasing the number of people of The HVCC program consists recognized earlier this year together to simulate an actual color – both male and female – in of new and existing courses in job site. with National Grid’s Chairman’s our middle and senior ranks, and the electrical Construction and Awards, the company’s highest In the first two years of that continues to be an area of focus Maintenance A.O.S. degree recognition for outstanding the program, 15 graduates for our diversity initiatives. We have program. These include elecefforts and achievements. have been hired directly into established a number of professional tricity, technical math, electrical National Grid’s overhead line “The program has been association partnerships, thanks to wiring and industry-specific the model for similar training department and several other our ERGs, to try to tap new sources electric power. The program graduates have been hired into that is now being offered in of talent. But from time-to-time, I is offered through the college’s other parts of the company. community colleges throughout have to remind myself that this is a School of Engineering and National Grid’s upstate New The HVCC effort is part of Industrial Technologies. York market area,” King added. National Grid’s “Engineering journey and our goal is to make sure that we provide an opportunity for people to grow and develop across the board, whether it be through a is a topic of business discussion that in place new systems like a global exit promotion or a lateral opportunity starts with our external board of direc- interview process or a global talent tors and our internal board. However, management system. into another line of business. our global organization is made up of various smaller companies that have National Grid has been strengthening What are the unique been brought together under one its ability to work with minoritychallenges of addressing roof. So like other major companies and women-owned businesses. diversity in your organization? There is a very strong global coming out of a merger, we are work- How do you feel you are doing? THIS is an area of real passion commitment in place to have a diverse ing through integrating some of our and inclusive corporate culture. I&D systems. In some cases, we are putting for me. There is a misconception

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that using minority and women suppliers is not necessarily the most cost-effective solution. But the truth is that a diverse supply chain gives us more flexibility and allows us to build stronger relationships in the communities where we operate. By working with minority- and women-owned businesses, we have an opportunity to have an economic impact that we wouldn’t be able to make somewhere else. Our global head of procurement and the supplier diversity director are both making a difference.

National Grid has been recognized for its diversity efforts by a number of organizations over the course of the last two years.What are you most proud of? THE external recognition is a good sign that we are moving in the right direction, but I like to look at the bottom line. I tend to look at how we are doing on the Inclusion & Diversity factors of the Employee Opinion Survey. What impact are we having on the diversity scorecard measures related to recruiting, promotions and turnover? The numbers tell me we have some work to do, which is why we created a Vice President of Inclusion & Diversity position. We needed someone to help us build a foundation for increasing collaboration and challenge policies, practices and processes to help us to become an employer of choice. Over the course of the last two years, I have seen cross-collaboration growing internally and externally thanks to the ERGs. For instance, our Pride employee resource group has formed an Energy Sector LGBT Roundtable that includes 12 energy sector utilities and com-

Professional Development Key Focus of Women’s Resource Group

ith more than 800 members, National Grid’s Women in Network resource group plays a key role in the professional development of the company’s women employees. Daria Liston, one of the group’s three Steering Committee members, talks about the group’s impact. “We have young women coming to us from high school and college, women professionals in non-traditional roles such as engineering and field work, and experienced women looking to further their careers. Each person needs something a bit different to help them succeed and that’s where we play a role.” Daria is National Grid’s regulatory manager for electrical operations. Programs offered to members and non-members alike include an “Executive Event” featuring senior company executives providing insights into their parts of the organization. “Lunch-and-Learn” sessions, a newsletter and a new mentor matching program create an environment for women of all levels to improve their leadership skills. Women Empowered Women Empowered (WE) is a cornerstone offering, now in its fifth year. Sharareh (Cherie) Goldsmith, Manager of Information and Records Management, manages this program for the Women in Network employee resource group. “In the past five years, the Women Empowered Committee has presented nine WE programs consisting of six to seven sessions, each targeted to a specific topic,” she explains. The sessions, each with a capacity of 50 students, include networking, mentoring and emotional intelligence; communicating with confidence; conflict management; achieving work-life balance; change management; and managing teams. Program materials are developed, facilitated and administered within the company. At the completion of each WE program, participants are surveyed for evaluation and feedback. Committee members review results and adjust session materials to reflect current business or developmental needs of the audience served. Women Empowered is targeted at entry- and middle-level managers. So far, more than 420 women have graduated from the WE program. “We are also beginning to offer mini-sessions that are open to all employees,” Goldsmith says. “These are aimed at single topics that can be covered in just an hour or two. We also work to equip participants with the knowledge they need to discover more information about each topic.”

panies who share best practices on professional development, supplier diversity and other topics. Internally, the Alliance for Black Professionals has, for the second year in a row, secured the participation of more than 50 senior leaders who for one day are each focused on mentoring five to six people. Similarly, the NewNet ERG, which focuses on helping to onboard new employees, works with other ERGs to get the word out about their events. Employees with less than 10 weeks in the company work with those who

have more than 30 years, and participate in the learning sessions.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for National Grid’s diversity journey? During a really bad winter storm, like the nor’easter that hit us in 2009 in New England, there were thousands of customers who lost power. It was an all hands on deck situation. Job titles didn’t matter, the line of business you were from didn’t matter, and seniority didn’t matter. What mattered was working together to implement solutions that would help us get the power

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Tom King | National Grid back to our customers. We have a pretty amazing group of dedicated professionals. If I could capture that same level of passion and commitment in driving our diversity efforts forward we would be a pretty amazing organization. While we are moving in the right direction, I would like to see greater progress and representation of women and people of color in the middle and senior levels. The two major challenges our company is facing include the retention of talent and the attraction of diverse talent interested in a career in the energy sector. We are at a major crossroad in the energy industry as we focus our attention on supplying the world’s growing energy needs while protecting our fragile environment. So we need people who have a diverse slate of talents, skills, knowledge, and thinking styles to help us address this challenge. My hope is that by having teams in place that reflect a wide breadth of diversity we will be able to develop new creative solutions to address our energy needs. Developing the Workforce of the Future National Grid is committed to focusing a significant portion of its community investment on building a qualified and successful engineering workforce. Through the company’s corporate giving programs, employee volunteerism and internal leadership and development activities, the utility has created a comprehensive program dedicated to targeting students of all ages and backgrounds to encourage them to study science, technology, engineering and math, collectively known as STEM. “National Grid’s broad approach 24

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Alliance of Black Professionals Highlights Development For National Grid Employees and Young Students Alike

ational Grid’s Alliance of Black Professionals (ABP) is the company’s oldest Employee Resource Group, tracing its beginnings to 1999. “Our key focus is to point out and provide professional development opportunities for our members and other interested employees,” explains ABP chairman and Manager, Maps & Records, Michael Amadi. Internal workshops around developmental topics help employees explore avenues to their professional growth. Monthly meetings feature speakers on corporate topics from electricity transmission to finance and provide networking opportunities throughout the company. “One of our most popular offerings is our Executive Connection Day held each November,” Amadi continues. Executives and employees register to spend time in conversation, sharing the details and impacts of their roles in the company. Another opportunity during the day is for employees to help executives delve into specific business cases the executives are grappling with. But that’s only half of ABP’s objectives. Renee McClure, Community Investment representative for National Grid and a member of the New York chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Engineering (AABE), works to coordinate the company’s efforts in corporate citizenship. “We strongly support Junior Achievement in the New York metropolitan area.” Working one day a week for eight weeks in elementary and middle school classrooms, company volunteers teach ‘economics for success.’ Class members are introduced to life skills subjects including budgeting, insurance and work life, while stressing the importance of education. Partnering with AABE’s New York chapter and The Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), National Grid’s ABP also participates in a “summer energy academy” for middle school students from the surrounding areas. “We’re very grateful to NYU-Poly for this partnership,” McClure says. “It’s a great place to bring these students together for their full-day sessions over the six-week course.” The academic exposure program shows how science and math are used to deliver energy locally, nationally and globally, and the impact of energy policies on technological growth. Both the ABP and AABE provide speakers for these classes so that students can meet and talk with people who work with math and science every day. As well, field trips, such as a trip to National Grid’s Gas Dispatch Operations, illustrates the complexity of getting gas-related services addressed, from installations to emergencies. “We’re a very active organization,” ABP chair Amadi states. “We really believe that National Grid’s sponsorship of our organization has had some profound positive effects on our employees and our community.”

to community involvement focuses on three themes – energy and the environment, education and skills, and community development,” Loretta Smith, National Grid U.S., Director of Citizenship, explains. “We have invested more than $3 million in many community-based projects, funding research centers to support new and exciting technologies, and partnering with organizations that provide programs to educate teachers as well as students in the STEM curriculum.” To help fill skilled positions left by

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retiring employees, National Grid is creating and investing in the future. That means helping to improve education, which is critical to developing the future work force. National Grid has a number of programs, including its signature initiative, “Engineering Our Future,” to inspire, attract and develop aspiring young engineers, and the Bentley Project to tap MBA talent and give them hands-on corporate experience. The company is also working with community colleges in Buffalo, Syracuse and New York’s

Making a Difference: City Year Capital Region to train overhead line workers. The company’s Graduate Internship program gives young professionals real world experience. National Grid has other programs designed to help students and teachers from elementary to college. Here are a few examples: Elementary through high school

• Energy Explorer – a National Grid interactive Web site with educational materials for use in classrooms that focus on building science, technology, engineering and math skills and aim to enhance energy efficiency awareness among teachers and students. • Boston Children’s Museum, “Our Green Trail” – an energyefficiency education program designed to teach children and their families how to mitigate the effects of climate change and take positive steps toward living environmentalminded lives. • Green Education Foundation “Green Energy Challenge” – more than 30,000 students from 70 schools in National Grid’s service area will conduct energy audits around their schools and homes to locate and correct energy leaks in an effort to reduce energy costs by five percent by Earth Day, April 22, 2011. • NYU-Poly – as a “PolyPartner” National Grid provides mentoring and educational opportunities for talented middle and high school students in science, engineering and mathematics beyond those regularly available in courses and laboratories at students’ schools. • University of Buffalo – National Grid is expanding the university’s award-winning BEAM (Buffaloarea Engineering Awareness for Minorities) program with a new, fiveyear program aimed at introducing

id you know that every 26 seconds a student drops out of school in the U.S.? And every year, up to 25,000 children in the UK drop out of school at the age of 14? Research has shown that high school dropouts are three times more likely than college graduates to be unemployed and are eight times more likely to be in jail or prison than high school graduates. The more than 12 million students projected to drop out over the next decade will cost the nation $3 trillion. To address the startling drop out rate statistic, National Grid donated $750,000 to City Year’s Whole School, Whole Child program, which is specifically designed to close the achievement gap and build the graduation pipeline. And the program became National Grid’s first global community initiative when National Grid helped City Year get off the ground in the UK in September. “While National Grid has been a City Year partner for about 10 years, we have increased our involvement to become the Northeast regional sponsor of Whole School, Whole Child, which is specifically designed to help keep students in school and on track to graduate,” explains Loretta Smith, National Grid U.S. Director of Corporate Citizenship. “We are excited to work with City Year, a global organization, to keep as many kids in school as possible.”

Tom King (second from left) receives his own distinctive City Year jacket at the Boston check presentation ceremony with City Year corps members from Massachusettes, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and New York.

“City Year is about the power of young people to address one of our nation’s biggest problems, the high school dropout crisis, through full-time service as tutors, mentors and role models to children,” said City Year CEO and Co-Founder Michael Brown. “We are honored to have National Grid as a partner, and grateful that they are helping us power our effort to keep students on track to graduation and life success.” City Year is a national organization that engages young people of all backgrounds who pledge to serve full-time as “corps members” for a year to serve children in communities across 19 states. During their tenure with City Year, corps members provide 1,700 hours of service to improve student attendance, behavior and coursework. “As the northeast regional sponsor of this important program, we will be covering funding for the Whole School, Whole Child program in our service areas of

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Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and New York,” Smith added. City Year’s Whole School, Whole Child program focuses on positive interventions for underserved students and addresses three key indicators for students most at risk for dropping out – poor attendance, unsatisfactory behavior and course failure in Math and English. As a result of National Grid’s donation, the company will help provide: • Financial resources to sponsor more than 200 corps members in New England and New York who help improve attendance, behavior and course performance at the elementary and secondary levels; • Numerous volunteer opportunities for National Grid employees, where they can engage in the communities served by National Grid and work with City Year corps members to improve education; and • Sponsorships for several special events focused on community service.

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Tom King | National Grid Buffalo Public School students in grades 6-12 to careers in biomedical and green energy industries. • Hofstra University summer science green research project – a six-week workshop designed to focus high school students on environmental issues and awareness. Colleges and universities

National Grid is actively working with a number of colleges and universities around its service area to invest in engineers and support the company’s development and recruitment efforts. Examples include: • Clarkson University – the “National Grid Student Research Opportunities in Sustainable Energy,” an endowed program to support engineering education and research opportunities for up to five summers for Clarkson Honors Program students studying sustainable energy. • Tufts University – in partnership with the Boston Architectural College, students researched, designed and built a solar-powered house to compete in “Curio House,” the Solar Decathlon contest for the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s biannual international solar energy competition. • City College of New York Grove School of Engineering – the “Success in Undergraduate Engineering (SUE)” program provides scholarships for National Grid SUE Scholars and introduces girls beginning in the 6th grade to engineering through workshops and mentoring opportunities with female engineers. “This is just another way we support the local communities that we operate in, removing barriers to 26

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Graduate students get the opportunity to tackle real projects that provide hands on experiences. Left to right: Meghan Haigh (University of Michigan - Tauber Team intern) Jitesh Bhatia (Bentley University intern) Pooja Mathur (Bentley University intern) Chelsea Snodgrass (University of Michigan - Tauber Team intern) Malik Angalakudati (National Grid Acting VP) Emily Dwinnells (University of Michigan - Tauber Team intern).

achievement and shaping our future workforce,” Smith added. Tapping Top MBA Talent Benefits Everyone “This experience revitalizes our organization and allows us to tap the latest business thinking and new technologies,” explains Mallik Angalakudati, National Grid’s Acting Vice President for Distribution Support in the U.S. Gas Distribution business. He’s speaking excitedly of the work-learning partnerships he has brokered with three universities since 2007. “In 2007 we were working to complete several major projects for our Gas business,” he continues, “but we were just building the analytics function and did not have the resources to get all of the projects done.” At the same time, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Gas Distribution, Nick Stavropoulos, told Angalakudati about a program underway at Bentley University’s McCallum Graduate School of Business in Waltham, Massachusetts. The pro-

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gram provides an opportunity for graduate business students to work on corporate projects and get realworld business experience. Through conversations with the school, the first team established was made up of six students who worked parttime for three months standardizing damage prevention processes. The team received class credit and firsthand experience. Today, National Grid works with two additional schools, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and New York University’s Stern School of Business. In 2011, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management will become the fourth school to partner with National Grid. Almost 40 students will be working on eight projects. “We work closely with University administrators and faculty to select student teams that are diverse across disciplines and cultures,” Angalakudati adds. Since the program’s beginnings, student teams have worked throughout the company, widening their impact beyond National Grid’s U.S. Gas

Veterans Group Starts With Active First Year Distribution line of business. Benefits of the partnership are deep and have resulted in a win-win opportunity for everyone involved. “The students learn what it is like to work within a major organization, facing the pressures and challenges of everyday worklife,” explains Stavropoulos, the program’s executive sponsor. “Also, the employees who work with the students not only take an active role in their development but also have a chance to experience working with a wide variety of students who bring different perspectives.” “National Grid is an outstanding partner for Bentley University, and this partnership is at its strongest in field-based learning,” offered Dr. Heikki Topi, Associate Dean of Business, Graduate and Executive Programs at Bentley University. “Bentley’s projects with National Grid have all been excellent learning opportunities for our MBA students; the projects are always chosen carefully, managed with utmost care, and they provide the students with opportunities to make a real difference. Mallik’s leadership is one of the key elements in the projects’ success, together with the strong commitment by National Grid’s entire top management team and the dedicated work of Bentley’s faculty and students.” Beyond exposure to new insights and technologies, National Grid benefits from this partnership in other ways. “We have an opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest people in the country,” Angalakudati explains. “This gives us the ability to identify top potential MBA talent for possible recruitment in the future. It’s also a lot of fun!” PDJ

embership in National Grid’s newest Employee Resource Group – military veterans – has already grown past 100. “And that’s without any advertising!” says Tim Horan, executive sponsor of the group. Horan, a retired U.S. Army colonel, is senior vice president of National Grid’s Safety, Peter Allen (standing) presents the oversized posters to Health and Environmental Syracuse, NY Veterans Administration Hospital patients at Services group. “I’m also a ceremony in August. The posters were placed in highproud to say that number traffic areas where the most patients would see them. includes 16 women military veterans.” The veteran’s group was formalized in January of this year. Development and community focus Its charter calls for two main focus areas: to provide an essential resource for employees who are military veterans and to actively plan and participate in community events honoring veterans. “One of our committees is now working up a formal learning and development plan for our members,” explains Peter Allen, group vice chair and Senior Analyst/Investigator with the Revenue Assurance Department. Veterans don’t usually talk about their service and what skills they learned while in the military. “We want to help them use the leadership skills and share the “get it done” attitude that veterans have,” Allen continues. While much of their efforts have been concentrated on creating a framework for development, the veterans have not ignored the community. “We have had a very busy first eight months,” explains West Point graduate Ross Turrini, the group’s second co-chair and Vice President of Global Procurement. A way to say ‘thank you’ Ross explains that they have teamed with several outside organizations to honor and remember veterans. “Peter (Allen) got the ball rolling by piloting programs at the Syracuse, NY Veterans Administration Hospital.” Allen circulated several three-by-five-foot posters throughout operations in his area. Signed by Tom King, President of National Grid USA, the posters also included personal messages from most who signed them. They were then presented to the hospital for posting in common areas, where they would have the most visibility. Allen also worked with a national organization, Thank a Service Member, to create a custom “challenge coin” for National Grid to give to veterans and the families of recentlydeployed veterans. “We are looking at how we might expand this into other National Grid communities,” Allen said. Thank a Service Member was originally founded in 2006 as a grass roots initiative designed to educate the public and to support and show appreciation to the men and women who have served our country. The response was overwhelming, and in 2010 Thank a Service Member was incorporated as a not-for-profit and its programs were expanded. Their Military Appreciation Campaign focuses on conducting appreciation and commemoration events throughout the year at VA Hospitals, elderly and long-term care facilities, welcome home events and other select venues. In order to create a lasting reminder and a token of appreciation the organization has developed the “TASM Coin,” which is intended to serve as a source of pride and remembrance. “We want our efforts to be a win-win process for our members, our company and our community,” Tim Horan summed up. “And we’re well on our way.”

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spotlight Engineering Our Future

National Grid’s signature program, “Engineering Our Future,” is designed to inspire youth and attract and develop engineers in an effort to take action to address the impending critical shortage of utility engineers.

he combination of an aging workforce and a loss of appeal for engineering jobs by young people is creating concern for a lack of engineers to fill critical jobs in the near future. “We depend on engineers to design and build our systems to deliver energy to our customers safely and reliably,” National Grid President Tom King said. “We must act now to create a corps of smart, dedicated and highly trained engineers to develop innovative technologies and renewable energy solutions to meet the ever changing needs of our customers.” “Engineering Our Future,” or EOF as it is known, has three goals: to INSPIRE, ATTRACT and DEVELOP future engineers. Phase 1: INSPIRE The process of building a strong engineering corps starts with inspiring youth to be interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). EOF aims to accomplish this by applying a multi-level approach to reach students at all levels of the educational system, reaching out to students both in conventional and unconventional ways, funding research centers to support new and exciting technologies and partnering with organizations that provide programs to educate teachers as well as students. Phase 2: ATTRACT National Grid wants engineering graduates to see National Grid as a great place to work. The centerpiece of EOF is a new program called the “Engineering Pipeline Program.” The Pipeline

program is a six-year development program that creates a recruitment pathway, beginning after the junior year in high school, for promising students across National Grid’s service area in New York and New England who want to become engineers. Each year, 60 high school juniors who have strong grades and an interest in studying engineering in college will be accepted into the Pipeline. If they study engineering in college, keep their grades up, and participate in ongoing Pipeline program activities – including a paid internship at National Grid, as well as education, job shadowing and mentoring activities – they will be fast-tracked for full-time employment at National Grid upon graduation. The inaugural class of Engineering Pipeline Scholars took an important first step toward becoming the engineers of tomorrow with the launch of the “Engineering Pipeline Program” this August. The first class of more than 50 promising high school students got their first taste of working in the energy industry through the Intro to Engineering Academies that took place at National Grid Learning Centers across New York and New England. “Increasing the engineering workforce is an imperative not only for National Grid but for our entire industry,” says National Grid Director of U.S. Citizenship Loretta Smith. “The inaugural class of Engineering Pipeline Scholars has excelled academically, with diverse interests and experience, and we look forward to work-

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Students participate in National Grid’s “Engineering Pipeline Program” plastic fusion lab, a common method in the natural gas industry for joining plastic pipes or fittings. On the left Amanda Low (of Marine Park), a Brooklyn Technical High School student, works with National Grid Instructor John Mead.

ing with these students to help develop our industry’s creative problem solvers of the future.” Students learn through classroom instruction, site visits, research and projects. The curriculum, put together by National Grid’s Learning & Development group, includes classroom and hands-on activities on topics such as: introduction to the energy industry, engineering safety, natural gas operations, electric power systems and future technologies, including smart grids. Recently students worked in a plastic fusion lab, a common method in the natural gas industry for joining plastic pipes or fittings. “We were all very impressed by the quality, professionalism and motivation of the Scholars selected into the Pipeline,” says Brian Varga, National Grid Director of U.S. Technical Learning & Development. “They were extremely excited to participate in the Academies, and we were equally excited to play an active role in inspiring and developing engineers of the future.” Phase 3: DEVELOP Once engineers are working at National Grid, the company wants

to grow and develop their talents with comprehensive learning programs. National Grid’s formal internal engineering development program includes the Engineering Graduate Development program designed to accelerate the time to competency for new hires, customized technical training programs, on the job training and mentoring, annual expert training, customized Personal Development Plans, engineering training courses for new technologies, engineering rotation programs designed to enhance competencies and online engineering degree programs. National Grid works with the community colleges in its service area, including the Hudson Valley Community College, to facilitate a certificate program for overhead line workers with hands-on technical training. “When National Grid thinks about the future, we think of innovation, especially in the area of energy conservation,” King added. “We are committed to playing a major role in the transition to a low carbon economy. We cannot make that transition without engineers.”

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ceo + interview

Company name: Sparrow Hospital and Health System Date founded (as Lansing Women’s Hospital): 1896. Rededicated in 1912 as Edward W. Sparrow Hospital, honoring the benefactor who donated land and $100,000 to build Lansing’s first modern hospital facility. Company headquarters: Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, Michigan website: www.sparrow.org Primary business: Health care delivery and financing. Affiliate hospitals: Sparrow-Clinton Hospital, Sparrow-Ionia Hospital, Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Sparrow-St. Lawrence Hospital, Carson City Hospital. In addition, Sparrow has dozens of satellite diagnostic and care centers, a delivery and financing organization (Physicians Health Plan), a retail pharmacy network, primary care, home care and medical supply locations, the Sparrow Health Science Pavilion, the Michigan Athletic Club and a physicianhospital organization. Other major affiliations: Michigan State University Colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Nursing 2009 Revenues: $929,234,000

Meet Dennis A. Swan President and CEO, Sparrow Hospital and Health System Lansing, Michigan

Dennis Swan doesn’t view health care as a business, but as a noble cause – “caring for people in need of medical help is ‘sacred work,’” Swan says, quoting Erie Chapman in his book Radical Loving Care.

wan has served as president and CEO of Lansing, Michiganbased Sparrow Hospital and Health System since 2005, and has served as a member of the organization’s leadership team for nearly three decades. In that time, he has witnessed many changes in health care and in the Sparrow organization, and since becoming CEO has

been a change agent for some of the most significant improvements in the 114-year-old organization’s history. “We have a great team, but also a formidable task,” Swan said. “We will always strive to be the best, but because we truly care for our patients, we must constantly improve outcomes and transform the patient care experience.” Swan’s focus has been on attract-

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Dennis A. Swan | Sparrow Hospital and Health System

ing, developing and retaining people with outstanding talents and skills who also like to work in teams. He believes that teamwork is the way to ultimately achieve Sparrow’s vision of earning national recognition for quality and patient experience. In his five years at Sparrow’s helm, patient satisfaction scores have improved significantly, along with associate engagement and medical staff alignment metrics. Just last year, Sparrow Hospital, the flagship of the fivehospital Sparrow Health System, earned the nation’s most prestigious honor for nursing achievement and excellence – American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. Considered the “gold standard” for nursing care in hospitals, status as a Magnet – recognized organization is held by only about six percent of America’s hospitals. Swan has also led initiatives to enhance Sparrow’s diversity and inclusion program, including a commitment to attracting and retaining the best and brightest talent and expanding supplier diversity initiatives that enhance Sparrow’s ability to partner with local and regional minority-owned businesses. Today, Sparrow stands as midMichigan’s largest and most comprehensive health care organization and the region’s largest private employer.

Are there unique opportunities in your particular industry for implementing diversity programs? Yes, certainly there are, because there may be no more complex and 32

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Inside one of Sparrow Hospital’s high-tech surgery suites where robotic-assisted surgery is performed, Sparrow President and CEO Dennis Swan is pictured with some of the members of Sparrow’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, from left, Tina Gross, Butch Johnson, Pete Skiles, Cleo Thurman, Dean Hartenburg, Craig VanSumeren, Dennis Swan, Lesley Mozola, Jim Thurston, Nesha Hill, Larry Wilhite, Kathy Kacynski, Kenyea Zimmermann and Sandy Kern.

diverse type of organization than health care. Sparrow Hospital is like a city, with its own power plant, security force and supply chain. We have literally hundreds of different types of jobs, ranging in skills, expertise and educational requirements. We are keenly aware that diversity and inclusion throughout our health care team is essential for us to care for and serve the diverse communities across mid-Michigan. Patients expect our physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers to reflect the people who make up this region. Our Sparrow team encompasses

an array of diversity dimensions including race, ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, religions, ages, educational levels, physical abilities and cultural backgrounds. We all work together to provide the quality of care and service excellence to patients and families who rely on us to deliver exceptional care to everyone, every time. The people who are Sparrow range from teen volunteers and student nurses to doctors, nurses and support staff with more than 40 years of experience. This year, one of Sparrow’s Escort Service volunteers turned 100 years old.

“One example of the ethnic diversity within our region can be found in the language interpreting service within Sparrow Hospital, a service that eliminates language as a barrier to receiving quality care. ”

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Additionally, Sparrow Hospital is formally affiliated and just a few short miles from one of the world’s foremost learning institutions – Michigan State University – an organization which is committed to providing learning and advancement opportunities for all. One example of the ethnic diversity within our region can be found in the language interpreting service within Sparrow Hospital, a service that eliminates language as a barrier to receiving quality care. The top five languages interpreted at Sparrow are Spanish, Somali, Russian, Burmese and Swahili. It speaks to the ethnic variety within the community, which we also try to reflect in Sparrow’s large workforce. Given these realities, we have developed and continue to improve our diversity and inclusion program and help provide leadership to other organizations.

Building a diverse organization starts at the top Sparrow Health System’s Board of Directors is made up entirely of people who volunteer their time and expertise to serve the people in the mid-Michigan region. James W. Butler III serves as chair of the Sparrow Board, a post he has held since 2009. Butler, a longtime community advocate, also serves as director of the Urban Revitalization Division of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. He is a highly decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, receiving four Bronze Stars for heroism.

James W. Butler III, chair of the s the first African–American to serve as chair of the board of Sparrow in its 114-year Sparrow Health System Board of Directors history, I am in a unique position to bring a different perspective to our leadership team. I try to make people understand the diversity perspective in all the decisions we make. Serving as chair of the Sparrow Board of Directors is a role I take very seriously, for it is vitally important to the overall health status of the region we serve. I am also keenly aware that as the first African-American to serve in this role, my performance influences the chances of other minorities to serve in similar leadership positions. Consequently, I am a strong advocate for an agenda that advances diversity and inclusion at Sparrow. I am pleased to say it is an agenda that is sincerely embraced by our board and by our president and CEO, Dennis Swan. Sparrow has worked hard to develop a process and methodology to advance the concepts of diversity and inclusion. Fortunately, we live in a region that is relatively advanced in embracing the concepts of diversity and inclusion. People in mid-Michigan aren’t that hung up on race, religion or ethnicity. Employers tend to focus more on things like work ethic and positive attitudes. These qualities are highly sought after, recruited and rewarded. Sparrow, under the leadership of Dennis Swan, has made great strides in emphasizing these qualities in its workforce and reflecting the diverse profile of our community. Still, we have plenty of work to do. We are doing more to attract and retain more top and mid-level executives from minority populations. We are working to develop stronger mentoring programs to help develop minority candidates to advance up the corporate ladder. And Sparrow’s leadership team is becoming more active and visible in our community so that minority populations become familiar with our organization and understand that there are great careers in health care and in health care administration. It is indeed a great honor to serve as the chair of a progressive and forward-thinking organization such as Sparrow. It is also a great responsibility to keep Sparrow as a leader in providing the highest quality health care and at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusion in the region we serve. It is a responsibility I wholly accept and am eager to uphold.

Sometimes diversity is referred to as a “numbers game” – how does your company know its culture is not tied up in numbers? The people who seek jobs at Sparrow do so because they want to make a significant difference in the lives of others. The “numbers” we most focus on are our patient satisfaction scores, our associate engagement and medical staff alignment metrics, and our quality outcome statistics. Our approach leads us to We believe in a comprehensive recruiting people based primarily on how much they care about oth- approach to selecting, developing ers – their colleagues and the people and retaining a diverse and inclusionary workforce. New applicants we serve.

are interviewed for alignment of values and behaviors with our organization’s mission, vision and values. While skills are imperative, we seek

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Dennis A. Swan | Sparrow Hospital and Health System

Sparrow takes the lead to fight childhood obesity In concert with First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign that aims to promote healthy eating and exercise habits in American children, Lansing’s Sparrow Health System has taken the lead in fighting childhood obesity in mid-Michigan with a number of innovative programs: Fitness Initiative Targeting Kids (F.I.T. Kids) Debuting in 2008, the F.I.T. Kids program works with inner-city middle-school teachers and students to create fun, interactive educational activities that encourage students to increase physical activity and to make healthier food choices. F.I.T. Kids received the prestigious 2010 Ludwig Award from the Michigan Health & Hospital Association.

At the Sparrow Women’s Hospital Association annual luncheon, Sparrow President Dennis Swan and Sparrow Board of Directors Chair James Butler III flank Service Auxiliary volunteer Martha Freeman as she receives a bouquet of flowers, gifts and a standing ovation for her 50 years of volunteer service to Sparrow.

people who have high impact in their churches, schools, homes, neighborhoods and other associations. Our behavioral-based interviews with potential peers and leaders help us to ascertain character traits such as: Are they open, honest, warm and genuine? Do they enjoy being part of a diverse team? Our process allows us to make these key judgments to try and gauge how they will react in a dynamic and diverse organization.

“We believe in a comprehensive approach to selecting, developing and retaining a diverse and inclusionary workforce.” 34

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What resources are allocated to diversity? We have a Diversity and Inclusion Department led by a director who reports to our Vice President of Human Resources. We also have a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council consisting of associates from a wide variety of backgrounds who meet to direct programs and activities to promote, develop and enhance our diverse workforce. Currently, we have a three-year diversity and inclusion strategy. Each year, the plan is thoroughly reviewed to ensure it remains aligned with our organizational priorities. Within the plan are goals for our Diversity and Inclusion Department. However, all of Sparrow’s leadership team is accountable for helping reach these goals.

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Feelin’ Good Mileage Club This incentive-based, eight-week walk/run program is offered each spring to all elementary schools in Sparrow’s eight-county service area. The local Kohl’s department stores generously support the program so it can be offered free of charge to schools. Children earn a “toe token” for each five miles logged and a specially designed water bottle at the 20-mile mark. Sparrow has been building this program for more than 13 years and presently has more than 44,000 students participating. Michigan Mile The capstone event for the end of the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club is the Michigan Mile, held at Cooley Law School Stadium, home of the Lansing Lugnuts, a Class A Minor League baseball team. The sole “kids only” walk/run event in Michigan, children can choose from the one mile event, or shorter sprints. Everyone gets a specially designed t-shirt and all finishers get a medal. This year nearly 2,500 children and their parents participated.

In what other ways does your organization demonstrate its commitment to diversity and inclusion? Within our organization hardly a week goes by without some

At Sparrow’s Michigan Athletic Club, a personal trainer leads a group of students from Lansing’s Pleasant View and C.W. Otto Middle schools in group exercises in the assessment phase of the award-winning Fitness Initiative Targeting Kids (F.I.T. Kids) program.

The colorful costumes of dancers from Lansing’s Fantasia Ballet Folklorico helped spice up an afternoon of food, music and discourse at a Cinco de Mayo celebration held in the Sparrow Professional Building atrium. The event, sponsored by Sparrow’s Diversity and Inclusion Department, is one of more than a dozen ethnic-themed events held throughout the year.

Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) issues, we have celebrated Cinco de Mayo Day, and offered an Asian American Awareness program. This fall, we have scheduled a Middle Eastern Awareness event, our annual Diwali celebration and a Native American Day. More than 2,100 children and 170 adult volunteers spill on to the outfield warning track at Lansing’s Cooley Law School Stadium for the beginning of the 2009 Kohl’s Michigan Mile/KIDSPRINT sponsored by Sparrow.

type of Sparrow-sponsored event that raises awareness of the diversity in our organization. This summer, among the many programs we have sponsored are an Americans

with Disabilities Awareness presentation, participation in the Capital African-American Parade and Heritage Festival, conducted a forum to raise awareness to Lesbian-Gay-

How does an industry as fastchanging as yours keep up with diversity development throughout the organization? We use both internal and external forums to keep diversity and inclusion visible to our associates, volunteers, physicians and the communities we serve and work hard to communicate the business

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Dennis A. Swan | Sparrow Hospital and Health System

case for diversity across the organization. Diversity and inclusion initiatives contribute to organizational excellence and attaining performance targets which also is doing what is right for all. Our diversity and inclusion ideals are not held to meet numerical targets or avoid litigation. We seek to create a workplace where diverse backgrounds, ideas and perspectives are embraced.

Can you describe your method for orienting new hires into your As a major teaching hospital, Sparrow is the clinical center of training for more than 200 culture, for enriching employees’ resident physicians in 33 different medical specialties. In addition, each year Sparrow awareness or introducing helps train more than 600 nursing students, 60 medical students and dozens of students new issues? in a variety of health care occupations. At Sparrow, all new associates go through an orientation process that includes action steps and checklists to integrate them to the organization and their department. Prior to an applicant participating in the interview process, we ask that they read and agree with our ICARE values. ICARE is an acronym for Innovation, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence. Imbedded in the language of the Respect value is the ability to comprehend and value diversity, inclusion and teamwork. These are essential to our organizational success. On their very first day new In 2009, Sparrow Hospital earned the nation’s most prestigious honor for nursing achievement and excellence – American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet associates are introduced to our Recognition Program®. Considered the “gold standard” for nursing care in hospitals, Diversity 101 on-line course. The status as a Magnet-recognized organization is held by only about six percent of Americurriculum of this course includes ca’s hospitals. our organization’s core values, as well as important principles such states: “Treat others in a manner become more aware of, and demonstrate an individual commitment as our Platinum Rule, a philosophy that is meaningful to them.” of service that goes beyond the Throughout an associate’s career, to, diversity and inclusion. These Golden Rule. The Platinum Rule we offer many opportunities to include training programs, team 36

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Last year, Sparrow treated nearly 30,000 inpatients, provided services to more than 600,000 outpatients and more than 100,000 emergency medicine patients. Sparrow blends the knowledge and expertise of more than 900 physicians, 7,000 associates and 1,600 volunteers with the most advanced technology, to serve as a comprehensive health system for an eight-county population.

engagement and organizational and community events. Sparrow is a community-ownedand-operated, not-for-profit organization with 114-year-old historical roots in the community. Whether they were born at Sparrow or their kids were, or whether our hospice program helped their family through extremely challenging times with compassion, part of what inspires many of our associates is knowing they are part of this larger piece of history. As you might ima gine, most of our hires are from our community and already possess some knowledge of Sparrow before they begin to work here. What we strive for is to make Sparrow a place where people are respected for who they are – for their differences – and where there is no need to blend in to become a contributing member of the team.

What are your plans for the future in regards to advancing diversity and inclusion within your organization? First of all, we face looming shortages of physicians, nurses, information technologists and certified, accredited and licensed staff. So we must continue to have a presence in the area schools to attract young people to the wide variety of health care employment opportunities. We will remain steadfast in attracting and retaining a workforce which properly reflects the available talent pool, across all of our job groups. We must also provide men-

tors, guidance, support and developmental opportunities to reduce turnover and retain intellectual and skills capital. Our diversity and inclusion commitment allows access to a greater talent pool. Finally, we have to do a better job of taking this message to all of our stakeholder groups. We are not into congratulating ourselves or seeking awards. We are about becoming stronger advocates for diversity and inclusion throughout the region by leading by example. At Sparrow, we want our diversity and inclusion efforts to be more than “programsof-the-month.” We know that our commitment to diversity and inclusion as a long-term strategic priority will enhance our ability to be a major agent for lasting, positive change and advancement in our region. PDJ

“We will remain steadfast in attracting and retaining a workforce which properly reflects the available talent pool, across all of our job groups.” P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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ince becoming Sparrow president and CEO in 2005, Dennis A. Swan has brought energy, passion, intensity and a patient-centered philosophy to Sparrow. His insistence on clinical excellence coupled with best-in-class service quality is the driving force of his leadership team. A member of the Sparrow executive team for nearly 30 years, Swan previously served as Sparrow’s senior vice president of operations and chief operating officer. Where does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion come from? Who were your role models, or what pivotal experience helped shape your view? My personal beliefs in diversity and inclusion stem from the teachings of my parents, who dearly communicated the value and equality of every person and opinion. Who has shaped your thinking as a business leader? I have tried to absorb lessons from some of the great business and health care leaders, such as well-known business authors Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence), Jim Collins (Good to Great), Peter Drucker (many, including The Definitive Drucker) and Erie Chapman (Radical Loving Care: Building the New Healing Hospital in America). How did you get your present position? What was your career path? Initially I served as vice president of human resources at Sparrow before becoming chief operating officer, and then president and CEO. Who were your mentors? Banking executives Andy Hays and George Nugent. Also serving as my mentor was longtime Sparrow President F. Karl Neumann, who retired from Sparrow in 1990. If you were in a roomful of colleagues, what might they say about you, your style or your business sense? Low key, high impact, strong work ethic, high integrity, and dedicated to others getting the credit for team successes.

Personal | Dennis A. Swan Company name: Sparrow Hospital and Health System Title: President and CEO Age: 62 Education: Bachelor of Arts, Western Michigan University; Juris Doctorate, Thomas M. Cooley Law School First job: Banking Philosophy: “Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” – William Arthur Ward What I’m reading: Radical Loving Care, by Erie Chapman; Hardwiring Excellence, by Quint Studer; Take the Stairs, by Roger Looyenga, Joe Tye and Don Jones; and Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic, by Leonard Berry and Kent Settman Interests: Family travel, movies, reading, and trying to make a difference in service to others. Childhood hero: Robert F. Kennedy Best picture (film/art): The Shawshank Redemption Favorite game: Golf with my 3½-year-old grandson Favorite charities: Sparrow Foundation; Michigan State University; Thomas M. Cooley Law School Person I’d like to get to know over lunch: Hank Aaron

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samsclub.com

Supporting diversity, from our stockrooms to our boardrooms. At Sam’s Club®, we know important contributions can come from many different sources. That’s why we’re committed to recruiting exceptional candidates, regardless of their gender or race. We’re also committed to giving candidates the opportunity to advance—because those who work in the aisles of the Club may someday reach the halls of upper management. And after all, not only is promoting the success of a diverse workforce the right thing to do, but it strengthens Sam’s Club at every level.

CAREERS AT SHELL The most successful problem solvers look at things differently and see solutions no one else can. Who would have thought to use fish protein to stop gas freezing in subsea pipes? One of our people did. And right now we’re looking for more people who can bring a fresh perspective to the energy challenge. We’ll provide training, support and career choices to develop your potential. We’ll get you working with some of our most accomplished problem solvers. And together we can help build a responsible energy future. Think further. For more information and to apply online, please visit www.shell.com/careers. Shell is an equal opportunity employer.

“Shell provided me with the opportunity to handle challenges and manage issues in a dynamic refinery environment. I count it a privilege to be part of this globalized entity and I was convinced that my journey in Shell will be filled with continual learnings, growth and never-ending opportunities to contribute.”

“With the open career progression opportunity, every employee of Shell can choose his/her own field as per their interests.”

“The best thing about working in Shell is the balance between life and work; between exposure and depth of experience offered to employees, and between making profits and caring for its employees and the community.”

Gloria Wang Environment Officer – HSSEQ Department

Jasmine Tiwari Senior Associate Researcher

Kishoore Jehan Marketing Executive

ceo + interview

Meet Peter Voser

Company name: Royal Dutch Shell PLC Company headquarters: The Hague, the Netherlands

CEO, Royal Dutch Shell PLC

Company website: www.shell.com

Tackling Diversity & Inclusion on a Global Scale Energy company Shell began to take its Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) work to a global scale in the mid-nineties. So how has it achieved this, and how does it plan to take its commitment forward in the future? AS a global company that operates in more than 90 countries worldwide, Royal Dutch Shell PLC is, by its nature, a diverse organization. It works in a huge range of different geographical locations with a workforce that incorporates many different nationalities and cultures.

Beyond the immediate workforce, Shell’s other stakeholders, such as customers, joint venture partners and governments, are an equally diverse group, with many different concerns and attitudes. For these reasons, the extensive work that Shell has done on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) over more than a decade is seen as essential to its business success, and while progress has not always been smooth, the continued commitment of Shell’s leaders to the company’s D&I goals, combined with this clear sense of D&I as a business

Primary business: Energy and petrochemicals. Industry ranking: Fortune 1000, World’s largest company by revenue in 2009. 2009 Revenues: $278.2 billion

imperative, have ensured that D&I stays high on the Shell agenda. Shell’s leaders, including CEO Peter Voser (see page 48), are also firmly convinced that, as Shell moves forward, the importance of the work it does on D&I will be relevant to business success long term.

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Peter Voser | Royal Dutch Shell

Investing in diverse talent and bringing D&I values to new geographic heartlands will help Shell become the most competitive and innovative energy company. Left: Peter Voser meets Shell’s employee network leaders in the U.S; Top right: Rima Saidi and Andrew Brown (centre) are pictured with Deputy General Manager Sheikh Thani Al Thani (far left) and the HR team after receiving the award for Shell’s efforts on ‘Qatarization’; Bottom right: Nanhai Chemical Plant, China.

As a company in the global energy sector, Shell is a leader in working towards overcoming the huge energy challenge currently facing the world. By the middle of this century, the company estimates that the world will need twice as much energy for half the CO2, and Shell sees its key task as helping to deliver those energy needs – safely, responsibly and profitably. To help meet the world’s future energy challenges, Shell has a clear strategy in place. It needs to increase the efficiency of its operations, invest in new geographical heartlands and innovative technologies, and continue to develop low-CO2 energy. To do this successfully the company also needs to recruit the most talented people, against a background of increasingly hot competition for worldwide talent. The company also needs to continue to work effectively with governments and other key stakeholders. Finally, it needs to incorporate into its strategies the changing demographics of the global working population. 42

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For Shell, D&I is seen as a key factor in meeting all the above challenges. The Shell Approach How do you bring D&I values to life for a diverse and geographically disparate global audience? This is how they do it at Shell. Shell defines diversity as ‘all the ways we differ’. This includes visible differences, such as age, gender, ethnicity and physical appearance, as well as underlying differences such as thinking styles, religion, nationality, sexual orientation and education. It uses the metaphor of an iceberg to represent visually its definition of Diversity – an image that has been found to resonate with people worldwide. Inclusion at Shell means creating a working culture where differences are valued; where everyone has the opportunity to develop skills and talents consistent with the company’s values and business objectives. The aim is to make Shell an organization where people feel involved,

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The iceberg image resonates with people from every culture.

Shell sees diversity and inclusion as closely interrelated.

respected and connected – where the richness of ideas, backgrounds and perspectives are leveraged to create business value.

Shell sees diversity and inclusion as interrelated, and believes that, to achieve its aspirations, it needs to focus on both.

The D&I framework The framework upon which Shell does its D&I work focuses on three areas – Talent, Leadership and Competitiveness. These are represented at the ‘Top of the House’.

Shell’s D&I Framework focuses on talent, leadership and competitiveness.

Shell’s need for talent now and a sustainable future supply makes it essential for the organization to broaden how and where it looks for talent, especially in growth markets and regions. Diversity in its talent base and leadership increases creativity, improves decision-making and helps the company to better understand the needs of all of its stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, partners and governments.

Global targets Having a clear set of measurable targets, backed by the commitment of its senior leaders, is a key factor in Shell’s D&I progress to date. The three key global targets for Shell’s work on D&I are: • Increasing the proportion of women in senior management to

at least 20% in the long term; • Having local people fill more than half the senior management positions in every country in which it operates; • Continuously improving the Diversity and Inclusion Indicator (DII) as measured by its annual internal Shell People Survey. So how does the company assess its progress towards those targets so far? The gender target focuses on the progress of senior women within the organization, and here the numbers are fairly encouraging. As of year-end 2009, women represented 14% of Shell senior management globally, compared with 9.9% in 2005. However, the company concedes that things have not moved as quickly as it would have liked – economic conditions and a fragile pipeline in terms of market availability have tended to hold back progress. Through its most recent reorganization the representation of women in senior leadership increased slightly from what it was as of year-end 2008, even though there are no women currently on the Executive Committee. Shell stresses that the longer-term outlook is encouraging. Shell’s progress towards its target on the employment of local nationals in senior roles has been encouraging. 2009 data showed that the proportion of countries where local nationals hold the majority of senior roles now stands at 37% of all countries where Shell operates. Shell’s third target, continuous improvement of its DII score, draws on information from five Shell People Survey (SPS) questions that measure employees’ perceptions on

inclusion and fairness issues in the workplace. The survey, now conducted annually among all employees, asks respondents to rate their agreement or disagreement with the following five statements: • Where I work I am treated with respect; • I am free to speak my mind without fear of negative consequences; • My organization has a working environment in which different views and perspectives are valued; • My organization has a working environment that is free from harassment and discrimination; • The decisions leaders in my organization make concerning employees are fair. Survey data is analyzed across multiple variables, including business segment, function, job level, gender, base country, and, in a few select countries such as the U.S., race/ ethnicity. The DII is a very good way for Shell to measure progress on inclusion, as it assesses potential disparities among sub-groups as to how they perceive the inclusiveness of the culture.

Embedding D&I at Shell The reorganization carried out in 2009 across the whole of Shell brought major changes to the way the company’s HR services are delivered, and, consequently, to the way the organization developed its D&I strategy. In particular it widened responsibility for delivering against D&I targets to more people across the organization and brought D&I closer to the everyday activities of Shell’s businesses. While key elements of the Global D&I strategy remained – such as

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Peter Voser | Royal Dutch Shell the three global D&I targets – others changed. These included broader accountability for D&I, and the introduction of new HR measures to support these. D&I in the Business How do Shell’s D&I principles affect the way it does business across the globe? Here we look at a few examples of how Shell puts its global D&I values into action. To Shell, D&I is not just a ‘nice thing to do’ – it is essential to the way it does its global business. One of its key targets, for instance, the development of local nationals into senior roles, not only makes excellent economic sense, but also helps Shell build relationships with customers and other stakeholders – including governments – in many parts of the world. One example of how this can work is Shell’s long-term involvement in Qatar. Here all companies are required to have plans in place for ‘Qatarization’ – supporting the recruitment and development of local nationals for projects within the country – which aligns well with Shell’s global commitment to tap into local talent. Andrew Brown, Executive VicePresident, Shell Qatar, commented: “We have a significant challenge in Qatar to create an environment where we are truly all one team. “We have around 1,400 staff here, of whom around 150 are Qataris, 450 are Western expats and the rest are locally employed staff – and all these groups come with different perspectives. “As a new company we have had to evolve quickly and try to create an environment where everyone is able to understand and respect each 44

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Shell Nigeria’s involvement in community-based healthcare helps improve lives in the Niger Delta region.

other’s cultures and avoid stereotyping, so the inclusion angle is really important for us. “This is not straightforward, because at the same time, we are on the largest Oil and Gas construction site in the world, and of course we are busy and focused on that. However, I believe that we forget the ‘softer’ elements at our peril. Building something in steel is one thing – building a culture is quite another. That’s the challenge we face and that’s why D&I is of long-term importance to us. “We also need to keep in mind that we are working to create a Qatari company. Although the leadership now consists predominantly of expats, we ultimately need to become Qatari-led. We need to make Qataris feel that this is their home, somewhere they are respected as they are in their own community, and Shell’s long-term commitment to D&I will help us do that.” At the first Annual Qatarization Awards ceremony this year, Shell’s long-term efforts were recognized, making Shell the only international oil company to receive this prestigious award. The awards recognize the different methods being

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used for the successful attraction, development and progression of Qatari staff. Rima Saidi, Shell Qatar’s Talent Manager, commented: “We have a real strength in bringing all of Shell’s global people processes to bear on this issue. We can focus on using our processes, while others are still trying to build them. Qataris expect well developed, world-class people processes and we are joined up to deliver them here.” Carol Cameron, Shell’s EVP Human Resources, Global Functions, added: “Given the importance of Qatar to Shell, this is key and we have to get it right. I think we are making good progress and look forward to building on it.” Shell also operates in Kazakhstan, and is particularly involved in the extraction of resources from the large Kashagan fields. Shell is a member of the Joint Venture Consortium undertaking the development of the Kashagan Field under the North Caspian Production Sharing Agreement (other members of the JV Consortium are KMG, Total, ExxonMobil, ENI, ConocoPhilips and Inpex). Additionally, its subsidiary Shell Development Kashagan,

What’s next for Diversity & Inclusion ?

ince the mid-nineties, Shell’s work on Diversity and Inclusion has achieved a great deal. Many of the initiatives designed to develop the careers of women and under-represented groups across the organization have now become embedded in the company’s everyday systems and processes. D&I has remained a priority through the recent major organizational change, and with responsibility for delivery widened out to more people within the HR organization, achieving the Diversity objectives becomes the primary responsibility of the talent community. However, Shell also acknowledges that to effect lasting cultural change, there is also a need to focus on the ‘Inclusion’ element of D&I, and for the past two or three years, this has increasingly become an area of emphasis for the group. Josefine van Zanten, Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion, commented: “As we move forward, we are placing increased emphasis on driving forward our inclusion agenda. To build on existing levels of satisfaction, more work needs to be done to ensure our corporate systems, processes, culture and behaviors are supportive and inclusive.” So how is Shell working to build a truly inclusive culture? One key way is through the DII indicator, the metric derived from the company’s annual People Survey. As described above, the DII helps Shell monitor how various groups of employees (including those from under-represented groups) perceive their treatment and that of their colleagues. At the same time, Shell is also continuing with its key education efforts on Inclusion, and offers its people a range of learning materials and online tools related to inclusion, accessed via a dedicated intranet website. In working to embed inclusion, Shell has also set out a clear statement of what success looks like – an ideal future state where: • All individuals, including those from under-represented groups, are motivated and fully engaged because their opinions are valued.

has been appointed by the operator, the North Caspian Operating Company, as an Agent Company responsible for the planning and development of Phase II of the Kashagan project. Shell is also a partner in the NC Production Operations Company (NCPOC) BV, a joint venture with the Republic’s state-owned oil and gas company, KazMunayGas. The project entails technical teams from many parts of the world working closely with local nationals. Bernard Plaitin, Talent & Learning Manager, said: “We already knew

Every individual feels welcome and part of the team, and helps others to feel the same way. As a result, everyone focuses his or her energy on winning for the organization. • Managers recognize inclusion as a business imperative and can articulate a clear business case for inclusion in a global and diverse environment. They actively discuss with their Josefine van Zanten, Vice President, teams how to nurture and Global Diversity & Inclusion. sustain inclusion. • Business partners find great value in working with us because we seek first to understand their needs and challenges. We are actively sought out as a partner of first choice in markets that we operate in, based on our ability to uniquely include all differences and formulate a win/win approach in our business endeavors. Josefine van Zanten concluded: “Diversity and Inclusion is a business enabler, focusing on talents from all under-represented groups. Embedding D&I values and behaviors across the Shell Group is essential for the long-term health of our business. Shell’s leaders understand this, and thanks to their commitment and support, we continue to make progress. “This is a long-term journey, and to reach our goals, we need to constantly review progress and work to embed D&I values across the whole organization. We will continue to drive our D&I targets to increase women and local nationals in senior positions, and continuously improve the inclusion of our work culture.”

from our experience in Shell Qatar that a cultural awareness program would help this diverse team work together more effectively. We also knew that the earlier it was done, the better for everyone. “We therefore built on the content from the Qatar workshop to create a program tailored to Kazakhstan. As well as learning the basics of crosscultural team working, participants had the opportunity to talk and learn about the Kazakh way of life, food and history. We also ensured that we involved Kazakh nationals in the workshop.”

The pilot workshop took place in March 2010, and was well received by participants. Since then, the D&I team has extended the program with a special workshop designed to train facilitators – including Kazakh nationals – who will be able to take the program to a wider audience. Shell’s D&I work also contributed to its progress in the newly reopened market of Iraq. Following the lifting of international sanctions, Shell was one of the first foreign contractors to return to Iraq after winning the contract to develop the Majnoon oil field.

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Peter Voser | Royal Dutch Shell This oil field is located 60km north-east of Basra city. Shell won the contract to develop the field in December 2009 and is now working there in a joint venture with Malaysia’s Petronas Oil Company and the Iraqi state partner, South Oil Company (SOC). The project currently involves 150 Shell personnel with numbers set to increase in 2011 – a mix of operational managers, trainers and supervisors – who work alongside their Iraqi colleagues at the oilfield to improve capability, increase production and raise standards, as well as support staff based in Dubai. The short-term goal is to take full operational control of the staff on site, including contractual agreements and HSE standards. Going forward, the hope is that Shell practices will be commonplace throughout the project organization over the next 20 years. In introducing these changes to people’s ways of working, as well as the obvious difficulties that stem from the security situation, Shell faces major cultural challenges. However, Shell’s D&I awareness and experience have proved a great help. As one of Shell’s D&I consultants explained: “Shortly after the contract was signed, we began discussions with our partners on how we would work together. SOC made it clear that they wanted us to take steps to ensure that our people understood their culture. Because of our experiences in other markets – such as Qatar – we already had written plans on how to do that.” Building on previous programs on working across cultures, Shell’s D&I team devised and piloted a one-day workshop. It covered both general advice on working effectively with 46

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other cultures, and particular information about Iraqi culture. The workshops are now progressing beyond the pilot stage and are planned to eventually become part of the onboarding process for everyone joining the project. As well as helping build relationships with local governments and other stakeholders, Shell’s D&I values align closely with its corporate responsibility and sustainability goals. A good example of this is Shell’s partnership with the Nigerian government and the healthcare organization, Family Health International (FHI) formed to help prevent the spread of AIDS in the Niger Delta. Since it was set up in 2007, the partnership, known as Niger Delta AIDS Response (NiDAR), has been delivering comprehensive communitybased care and treatment services at cottage hospitals in five states in the Niger Delta. Its work has included extensive counseling and testing of individuals for HIV/AIDS, with those who tested positive enrolled into comprehensive HIV services. In 2009 Shell’s work with the partnership was recognized when Nigeria’s Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) was named as the first winner of an annual award for Partnership in Collective Action. The award came from the Global Business Coalition, a group of major companies that works to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

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Developing Diverse Talent One of the key motivators for Shell’s work on D&I is to enable the company to attract, recruit and develop the best possible talent from the widest possible talent base. So how does this work in practice? Shell has global recruitment targets of 50% women for commercial positions and 28% for technical positions. These targets may vary in specific countries where local legislation would have different requirements and availability. These targets are designed both to meet current and future recruitment needs and maintain an ongoing feeder pool of female talent. Recruitment, along with other development activities that support the progression and retention of women, assures Shell is positioned to make sustainable progress against its global target of 20% women in senior leadership positions. Behind all Shell’s recruitment targets is the key principle of equal opportunity at all levels, while taking into account national norms and government policies.

Learning Helping Shell become a truly diverse and inclusive organization is about ensuring that all its people understand and support the principles of D&I. To make this happen, the organization has a series of learning offerings, designed both to raise general awareness of D&I and to develop potential leaders from

“Visibility of role models for all under-represented groups is key, and the more we can progressively reflect all aspects of the demographics in the societies and countries where we operate, the more we will create an inclusive environment.” James Dorrian, EVP Learning, Organization Effectiveness and Diversity & Inclusion, the Netherlands

under-represented groups from within the organization. The Women’s Career Development Program (WCDP) is a threeday course offered worldwide. To date, more than 2,000 Shell women have attended. It aims to help women to realize their full potential through self-knowledge and a better understanding of the career prospects open to them. Another important learning tool for Shell’s work on D&I is a series of seven ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions that offer participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of a variety of D&I topics. Each session runs for around 90 minutes, during which time participants actively engage in a variety of small and large group activities. The seven topics are an introduction to D&I, plus specific sessions on gender, microinequities, generations, disability, cultural thinking and sexual orientation. Currently, over 200 Shell staff globally have been trained to facilitate these programs. Further education for line managers and supervisors takes the form of Shell’s Managing Inclusion course. This one-day, instructor-led class is designed to help managers maximize their teams’ effectiveness, and provides tools to enable participants to create the kind of inclusive environment in which all employees can perform their best work. Finally, Shell recognizes the key role played in talent development by the HR organization, and runs two

“To accelerate progress in this area, I think there are two things we can do. One is to be careful whom we appoint into senior positions, because, ultimately, they have great influence over this subject. Second is the general pipeline. I think we have to look into the future and develop the type of talent pool that we need and start to adjust the balance way ahead.” Tan Chong-Meng, EVP Business to Business, Singapore

courses on D&I specifically for people working within HR: Knowledge of D&I (KODI) and Skill in D&I (SIDI).

Supporting the career development of diverse groups Over the years, Shell has fostered a number of initiatives to support people from under-represented groups in reaching their full potential. One of these was a major project on the Progression and Retention of Women in Shell, which began in 2005 with a survey conducted among employees that looked at barriers to women’s advancement. The research took place in the Netherlands and the U.K. However, its findings were combined with those from other Shell studies, including one from the company’s global IT organization, in order to produce a Shell-wide picture of the current situation. Recommendations for actions were then made and rolled out first in the U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands, only to be adopted eagerly by the global businesses, which made many of the activities part of their D&I plans. Ultimately, the activities were applied across most of the 90+ countries worldwide in which Shell operates today with a very consistent approach.

“My sense is that it is too easy for people to lose perspective – they get caught up in their daily work and put D&I to the back of their minds. So we need to strengthen our focus in this area. This is difficult because the results we want won’t be achieved in a day or a week – we need a continued effort over a long period, and must make this an important part of what we do.” Peggy Montana, EVP Supply & Distribution, United States

The various initiatives targeted diverse audiences, ranging from current senior leadership team members to all employees, and together they represented a holistic approach to overcoming barriers to women’s progress. One of the 2006 interventions involved a focused effort to have at least one qualified woman on the short list for 70% of managerial positions in the U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands. In addition, a series of programs were initiated to strengthen or widen the scope of Shell’s best talent management practices. Key activities included encouraging more high-potential women to attend the WCDP, reviewing and adjusting female representation in attraction and recruitment activities for Graduates and Experienced hires, and developing a standard exit interview template/process with specific D&I related questions. Another major initiative aimed at helping under-represented groups reach their full potential was the development of Shell’s Asian Talent Council (ATC). For Shell, Asia represents a significant part of the portfolio in terms of both current contribution and growth potential. For this reason, Shell has been placing increasing emphasis on developing its pipeline of Asian talent. The ATC is the primary regional body that supports and directs these efforts, working across functions and businesses to facilitate the development of an integrated virtual market-

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profile Peter Voser, Shell’s CEO, has been in his role for almost a year and a half. During that time he has instituted major structural and cultural change. So how have these changes affected Shell’s long-standing commitment to D&I?

n July 2009, former Chief Financial Officer Peter Voser took on the role of CEO. When he first came to the job, he emphasized his continued commitment to the organization’s D&I values: “Diversity and Inclusion will create a stronger Shell for the future. I’m committed to broadening our diversity and deepening the inclusion of our workforce through dedicated leadership and accountability. Embedding D&I within our structure, people, processes and culture will result in more customers, employees, stakeholders and partners choosing Shell more often. “We will continue to attract and develop the best and most innovative women and men who will contribute to Shell’s future as a leader in delivering the best energy products and solutions to our customers. D&I is an advantage that will enable a competi-

tive performance culture.” But how has Voser’s accession to CEO changed the way Shell works? Well, since taking on the top role, Voser has certainly made his mark, presiding over major structural changes at Shell, and initiating a farreaching cultural change program. The restructuring process (Transition 2009) was completed by the end of last year; although the cultural change process naturally takes a little longer. Both, Voser argued, were a necessary response to the current realities of the market and the world’s future energy needs. Voser’s cultural change program was designed to encourage a new mindset for all of Shell’s people. Summed up as ‘powering progress together’, it introduced five ‘must-do behaviors’ (or Behavioral Imperatives) for everyone in Shell to follow – External focus, Commercial

place for Asian talent. ATC activities include regular reviews of the demand inventory of upcoming jobs, and active ‘brokering’ to facilitate cross-business/functional moves. The ATC also works with Shell’s Global Recruitment team to help resource external Asian talent, and supports Asian talent

mindset, Delivery, Simplicity and Speed. However, as these new behaviors were introduced, he has continued to emphasize how the new Peter Voser, CEO. behavioral imperatives should link with and comDuring one session, Voser plement existing culture change acknowledged that Transition efforts within Shell, in particular 2009 had been an emotional jourD&I. Speaking in mid-2010, he ney and emphasized the need commented: “D&I remains an to maintain focus on D&I as the important enabler for our busi- organization moved forward, in ness and an important part of the terms of both diverse representaShell people strategy.” tion and behaviors that support His personal commitment inclusive work environments. has been underlined by recent There was further evidence engagements, including meet- of Voser’s continued commitings with D&I employee network ment to D&I when he joined leaders in the U.S. and United the board of Catalyst, the leadKingdom this year to discuss ing non-profit corporate memthe challenges they face, to bership research and advisory highlight the contributions made organization working globally by the networks, and find out to build inclusive environments how they perceive the impact of and expand opportunities for recent organizational changes. women and business.

development by helping to identify and address key coaching and development themes. Alongside these major initiatives, Shell has also encouraged the development of diverse talent by its strong support for employee networks. These are voluntary groups of employees that come together

“Over the years, I’ve learned that smart people who are good leaders attract smart people. They’re not threatened by intelligence or diversity – they harness it. So, surround yourself with people who are different from you, and smarter than you. And nurture them.” Ann Pickard, EVP, Australia 48

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in support of common goals and interests that are aligned with business objectives. At present, more than 40 such networks are active across the Shell world. Importantly, as well as helping the company work towards its D&I goals, these networks also provide a valuable channel for communicating with many different employees. As mentioned above, when he took on the CEO role, Peter Voser made engaging with employee network leaders a component of his information gathering, and their support proved valuable to the Transition 2009 change program. PDJ

FRESH

PERSPECTIVES, CREATED

THIS IS HOW Diversity is more than a goal. It’s a necessity. When facing down the most important projects in the world, every idea counts. Every viewpoint matters. That’s why, at Lockheed Martin, we not only believe in diversity. We embrace it. Because diversity is the “how” that delivers the most innovative solutions to some of the most complex problems imaginable.

lockheedmartin.com/how

hile most people associate Las Vegas with fun and frolic, one of the world’s largest gaming companies gets right down to business with its Diversity Initiative. MGM Resorts International, a Fortune 500 company which operates 15 resorts in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, was the first gaming company to formally establish a Diversity Initiative in 2000. The Initiative has grown to where it regularly appears – and often is the only gaming company – on national diversity lists such as Black Enterprise magazine’s “40 Best Companies for Diversity” and DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity.” The Initiative is structured with official functions woven throughout its business disciplines, including a full-time team dedicated to training all management employees in its two-day diversity workshop and graduating the employees as Diversity Champions. The company also has a full-time staff assigned to supplier diversity, as well as a very busy sales director whose entire responsibil50

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A decade of MGM Resorts International Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Diversity Initiative at Annual Meeting

Top left: Alexis M. Herman on stage. Left: Jabbawockeez’s headliner performance. Inset: MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren.

ity is to sell space to multicultural convention groups. Recently, some 600 people, including Company board members, Diversity Champions, business partners and community leaders, gathered at the premier ARIA Resort on the central Las Vegas Strip for the Company’s Diversity and Philanthropy Annual Meeting. The presentation, complete with a performance from Monte Carlo

Diversity Filipino Michael Laygo, Guest Service Valet at The Signature at MGM Grand, led the MGM Resorts Diversity Champions dancers in a lively performance. MGM Resorts has graduated more than 11,000 employees from its Diversity Champions training workshop since launching the workshop in 2003.

Mary Ann Sena-Edelen, Director of Diversity Training for Monte Carlo Resort, which is owned by MGM Resorts, gave an enthusiastic speech about empowerment.

Resort headliner Jabbawockeez, highlighted programs and work that have furthered the Diversity Initiative. It’s been a decade of great accomplishment, Alexis M. Herman told the crowd. Ms. Herman, the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor in the Bill Clinton administration, joined the Company’s Board of Directors in 2001, and at the time was named Chair of the newly formed Diversity

Committee of the Board. “When I first came to the Company…I became quickly convinced that your leaders understood that in order to achieve peak business performance, you really have to recruit the talents of all your members,” Ms. Herman told the audience. “We remain as committed (to Diversity) today as we were when we began this on day one.” P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

September/October 2009

MGM | A decade of Diversity Ms. Herman went on to explain that the Diversity Initiative was built on five pillars: having a vision, recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, incorporating minority suppliers in the Company’s purchasing and construction practices, advertising and selling to a diverse customer base, and staying accountable to the commitment to Diversity. Today, some 61 percent of the company’s 62,000 employees are minorities, marking the highest proportion of minority employees in the history of the Diversity Initiative. And despite economic challenges, Diversity Champion Workshops not only continue for employees, but the company recently announced an aggressive goal of graduating 4,000 more employees through the Diversity Champion Workshop by mid-2011. About 11,000 Champions have been trained since 2003. MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren took the podium to explain why the Initiative is so crucial in difficult economic times. “We know that a culture of mutual respect and inclusion among our employees enhances their ability to interact more effectively with diverse customers,” Mr. Murren said. “We must harness that initiative to further enhance our service to these and all of our customers. Diversity provides us the opportunity to bring new clientele to our business. “Some people ask, ‘Isn’t a decade of Diversity enough? Haven’t we accomplished what we wanted? Isn’t it time to move on to something else?’ Of course, my answer is no. As far as we believe we’ve traveled, we’ve only scratched the surface,” he said. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MGM RESORTS DIVERSITY INITIATIVE

Best Practices Series – Quarterly meetings where managers from multiple properties gathered to share information about best business practices. Back-Of-House Diversity Communications Campaign – Unified messages and visuals to promote diversity were presented on posters and displayed on message boards. Annual Women of Color Conference – More than 500 women annually attend this professional networking event and motivational conference sponsored by MGM Resorts. The program had its 4th Annual Event at Mandalay Bay Resort this year. Chairman’s Diversity Roundtable – A series of four roundtable discussions about the importance of diversity were held at Luxor, Monte Carlo, The Mirage, and MGM Grand Las Vegas involving the Chairman, other members of the Company’s leadership team and employees. Employees from all levels of the company were invited to attend each event. 52

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Q&A with Phyllis James, Executive Vice President, Special Counsel-Litigation, and Chief Diversity Officer, MGM Resorts International Why does MGM Resorts International place such great importance on its Diversity Initiative? Diversity is a key driver to our business success and a competitive advantage in the 21st century global economy. Our diversity and leadership initiatives, propelled by our extensive training, are making great strides in fostering greater employee engagement in the mission of our Company, and deepening our culture of excellence, inclusion and innovation throughout our employee ranks: managers and staff employees alike. In tandem, our Diversity Initiative has helped foster enhanced relationships with the global guests we serve, and has enabled us to expand our efforts to attract multi-cultural leisure as well as large-group meetings and conventions. Furthermore, our commitment to Diversity continues to enhance our potential to form new business alliances, domestically and worldwide. Moreover, our outreach to diverse suppliers has helped broaden our base of qualified and cost-effective vendors and service providers. How does the Initiative benefit the day-to-day operations of your resorts? Our diversity values promote universal employee engagement, individual responsibility, inspired leadership, team collaboration and peak individual and team performance. Our doors never close, and in a 24-hour business, the quality of our employees and their commitment to their jobs is a vital business imperative. How did the creation of your Company’s Diversity Initiative come about? MGM formalized its initiative in 2000 as the gaming industry faced questions and criticism from community activists about minority representation in the industry’s employment practices and spending with suppliers. At the time, neither MGM Grand nor Mirage Resorts had put in place measurements and statistics articulating what had been long-standing practices and endeavored to implement new programs in a more thoughtful and

MGM Resorts - Benchmarks In Diversity • About 61 percent of the Company’s 62,000 employees are minorities, marking the highest proportion of minority employees in the history of the Diversity Initiative. • In the employee management ranks, about 44 percent of employees in the supervisory ranks are women, and 36 percent of employees in the supervisory ranks are minorities. This represents the highest ratio of minorities in the management ranks since the Diversity Initiative was first launched. • MGM Resorts has graduated more than 11,000 Diversity Champions since the training program was introduced in 2002. • Since 2001, MGM Resorts has expended a cumulative total of more than $1 billion with Minority- and Women-Owned Business Development Enterprises (MWBDE) suppliers, which is nearly 11 percent of the Company’s total biddable spend for goods and services. • Since 2001, MGM Resorts has expended a cumulative total of more than $1.5 billion with Minority-Owned and Women-Owned businesses (MWBDEs) in construction work, including professional consultants and contractors. During the past nine years, an average 17 percent of the total construction spend has been with MWBDEs. • In all, CityCenter spent more than $700 million in construction and design contracts with minority-owned firms throughout its five-year development. • Even through the recession, the convention sales group focusing on diversity has booked new groups that will bring tens of thousands of new, diverse convention attendees to MGM Resorts over the next few years. For example, UNITY is an influential group of minority journalists who plan to hold their 2012 conference of more than 11,000 people at Mandalay Bay.

comprehensive manner. Our company’s bold, visionary leaders were the first in the gaming industry to voluntarily embrace diversity as a business imperative in the 21st-century reality of shifting demographics in our workplace, our customer base and our business partners. Other major companies on the Las Vegas Strip followed.

MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren met privately with community leaders prior to the Diversity Annual Report Meeting. Right, he is pictured with Asian Chamber of Commerce President Vida Lin. The Company’s corporate giving to diverse organizations such as the Chamber increased from 15 percent in 2002 to 51.51 percent in 2009.

whose responsibility it is to cultivate relationships with minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and provide these companies with the tools and information they need to compete for business with MGM Resorts. We hired a full-time Director of Diversity Sales in our sales function, who is dedicated to attracting multi-cultural groups to hold their meetings and conventions at our resorts. In 2003, we launched our Diversity Champions training program, a two-day workshop that explores indepth the values and dynamics of highly-successful work teams, including individual responsibility, inclusion and use of the talents of all team members, leadership, collaboration, and collective responsibility. We established employee-driven property diversity councils, which provide a platform for our employees to discuss diversity issues in their respective workplaces, sponsor diversity activities of their choosing tailored to their property objectives and serve as a focal point for our extensive employee philanthropic and volunteerism projects.

What’s ahead? We recently introduced the Chairman’s Diversity Roundtables, which are a forum for dialogue between our employees and our diversity leadership, including What are the major components of your our Chairman & CEO Jim Murren. We set a new goal Diversity Initiative? to graduate an additional 4,000 employees from our We first established a full-time Corporate Diversity Diversity Champions training workshop by the end of staff to lead our planning and implementation efforts 2011. We are dedicated to sustaining the momentum across our Company. They are a hub for gathering and that has produced our past diversity results of which we disseminating information about best practices in diver- are very proud, and to increasing our knowledge and sity; coordinating diversity activities at the corporate implementation of best practices in diversity. We will and property levels; and managing our relationships continue to steer our Diversity Initiative so that it conwith our external diversity partners. We established a tinues to augment our ability to develop new, innovative supplier diversity division in our procurement function strategies to advance our business objectives. PDJ P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thought thoughtleaders leaders

Profiles in Diversity Journal continues to bring you the ideas, opinions, and profiles of leaders in the field of Diversity & Inclusion in our ongoing series, thoughtleaders. We once again invited prominent diversity thought leaders to share the latest thinking regarding the workforce diversity and inclusion topics with which they are most active.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders

Building a Workforce to Reflect the Community By Richard J. Mark Senior Vice President, Customer Operations Ameren Missouri

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had 1,200 people submit resumes to qualify for 30 spots in the class. With the help of a state recruitment center, the college identified the students for the program. Our staff worked with the college to develop a curriculum that prepared the students to become apprentices. Retired line workers served as climbing instructors, and we have since asked graduates to help us refine the program. The partnership between the utility and academics is working. Since we began this program, Ameren Missouri has almost doubled the total number of recruits we have hired into line positions and increased five-fold the number of African-American applicants entering our three-year line apprentice program. An advantage of this program is that it runs in conjunction with our apprentice programs, so that the number of openings in the college class mirrors the number of apprentice positions available. This gives us flexibility and “The partnership doesn’t create an overabunbetween the utility dance of applicants for jobs that don’t exist. and academics is We continue to evaluate working.” the effectiveness of the program and look for new ways to provide skill-specific training for recruits. Our partnership with the community college has been a win-win for those who now have well-paying careers; for the college’s ability to provide utility-specific training; and for diversity at Ameren Missouri. PDJ

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Ameren Missouri serves a diverse ethnic mix of 1.2 million electric and natural gas customers. I’m concerned about recruiting and developing qualified employees. It is our goal to have a workforce that reflects the communities we serve in particular, the urban population in the St. Louis area. Of our 529 line workers, almost 10% of the minority workers will be eligible for retirement in the next five years. In 2008, when we began evaluating our workforce, we weren’t seeing the interest in younger workers to fill those vacancies; so we looked for new ways to build and diversify our workforce of the future. We realized we didn’t have a pipeline to move novice job candidates into our apprentice programs, which require more utility-specific training. Many of the candidates looking for a job didn’t have the utility-specific qualifications to pass the employment test, which requires mechanical aptitude and extensive math skills. Others, who passed the employment test, were unaware of how physically demanding the position would be. To build a candidate pool that reflects our community and has the skills to meet our job qualifications, we teamed up with Florissant Valley Community College (St. Louis). We began funding a five-week training program focused on developing utility-specific skills. The college

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Understanding Privilege By Joyce F. Beach

Director, Corporate Diversity Programs Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

As we approach the beginning of a new decade, I find myself asking many questions about the future of healthcare in America. How do we plan to meet the needs of our changing market? What will the marketplace look like in another ten years? The healthcare industry is changing rapidly, and we are challenged to provide affordable, high quality care. In order to do so, we must look at the changing demographics and evolving marketplace, and increase our focus towards understanding the multicultural needs of our customers.

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inclusive and culturally proficient in diversity. To help us achieve this business goal, we have adopted another initiative to better improve our cultural competency as an organization. In order for our client-facing personnel to be more effective in the services they provide to our clients, they must gain a deeper understanding of our members and providers. We offer a Cultural Competency Certificate Program – an online module for employees to “In order for our client-facing personnel to be more complete at their leisure, after which effective in the services they provide to our clients, they participate in a debriefing session. During this module, the participants they must gain a deeper understanding of our learn how to communicate clearly in members and providers.” cross-cultural interactions and discover various approaches in dealing with peoAt Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts ple of different cultures. (BCBSMA), our goal is to create a more effective and As the demographics of our nation continue to engaging model for how to better connect with our change, we must attain a deeper understanding of the multigenerational membership. We have developed a various cultural complexities of the marketplace. By leading edge initiative, in partnership with the Sloan doing so, we will be better able to engage and underCenter for Aging & Work at Boston College, called stand our members, providers and associates. This Engaging All Generations. BCBSMA is one of five will allow us to provide higher quality interactions, companies that were recruited to take part in the pilot ask those powerful questions, and best of all – be preof the Sloan Center’s Executive Innovation Lab, which pared to meet the challenge of affordable accessibility focused on leveraging generational diversity to enhance in healthcare. PDJ business solutions. Each of the participating companies nominated one of their own executive-level representatives to lead an internal team whose goal was to create a prototype solution to a business opportunity that per- Joyce F. Beach is the Director of Diversity at Blue Cross Blue Shield tains to age diversity. We anticipate long-term success of Massachusetts. She is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive corporate wide diversity strategy that focuses on the workforce, the with this program, and have already seen shifts in how workplace and the community. This includes ensuring a diversity lens is integrated we approach innovation. Soon, these prototypes may into all aspects of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ Talent Management lead to enhancements on how we interact with members Strategy, and for the creation of metrics encompassing all diversity initiatives and programs. She is the central point of contact responsible for communications and providers of all ages on a daily basis. both internal and external and for building relationships with key business and Another way that we feel we can be more effective in community leaders to further Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ diversity our changing multicultural marketplace, is to be more and inclusion strategy through community outreach. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Lost in the TranslationRedefining Global Diversity By Nancy Di Dia

Executive Director and Chief Diversity Officer of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement Boehringer Ingelheim

How can we expect our global counterparts to accept the notion of diversity when the English translation – “different”, “unlike” or “dissimilar” – moves us farther from the concept of inclusion than ever. Why is global diversity so important to understand? For years, Fortune 100 organizations have been striving to create diverse cultures and assimilate those different from the masses into our organizations. Yet where have we gone awry? Force fitting an

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they can bring a unique value and perspective to the table. When you include people in decisions, on teams, and as part of projects, people work smarter and exceed expectations. Consequently, clients get the best thinking and most innovative solutions to meet their needs – and ultimately better results. If, for example, your team is comprised only of senior managers, outcomes may not be as innovative as those generated by a multi-generational group. So, what can we do as leaders to focus on creating an inclusive culture? Assemble a team of people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives and encourage them to share at all levels. Support them in uncovering their own solutions and insights “When you include people in decisions, on teams, to innovation, quality and business development. While the concept of and as part of projects, people work smarter and inclusion is easy for most to grasp, exceed expectations.” making it part of your company culture takes practice. Challenge yourself and American term such as diversity into a non-American your staff to engage people of different generations, culture is a nightmare. Diversity is not just about the backgrounds and experiences. You will be amazed at visible differences. It is also about the elements we the great ideas that result as we mover closer to an can’t see or touch. Speaking of diversity in a global inclusive work place. PDJ context will often yield a response of “that works in the U.S., but won’t work here.” Moreover, why do we continue to impose the concept of diversity globally when we still lack substantial quantitative data to support our argument that diverse teams or boards produce better business outcomes? Is it because there has been such marginalization in the U.S. of underrepresented groups, including our people with disabilities and our LGBT colleagues, that we uphold this desire of world inclusion? Alternatively, is it simply that we recognize that as humans, we are better able to perform fully when we’re respected, valued Nancy Di Dia is the Executive Director and Chief Diversity Officer of the and enabled – included? How does inclusion differ from diversity? Inclusion Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement at Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation. For 125 years Boehringer Ingelheim has been committed to the is about inviting everyone to participate – not because research and development of innovative medicines that help bring more health to they are a woman or a person of color – but because patients and their families.

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Bring It!

Your Talents. Your Ideas. Your Passion. Thu, Verizon, Marketing

At Verizon, we want you to bring your diverse talents, experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints to work. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your smarter leadership, bolder innovations, and faster results that will move our business forward at the speed of FiOS! So, bring it in and bring it on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bring your diversity to work at Verizon!

Verizon Diversity Leadership. Innovation. Results.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders The Role Values Play in Corporate Success By Robert Perkins

Vice President, Inclusion & Talent Management Burger King Corporation

For Inclusion their way, with disastrous consequences. and Diversity efforts So, where can we find the leaders? Countless acato succeed, they must demics, publications, researchers and organizations have align with a company’s compiled lists of “great,” “admired,” “visionary” and “bestbroader “Values.” The managed” companies. To make these lists, a company question then becomes, needs to demonstrate strong financial performance along what role do values play with an adherence to solid values. In fact, many researchin a company’s success? How seriously do business leaders ers have concluded that a deep set of core values, which take their values? Do executives believe and get passionate may also be called principles, culture or beliefs, is essential about them? to sustained corporate leadership. Most companies, leaders and employees still struggle Although values can’t guarantee good behavior, codifywith whether a company needs to simultaneously em- ing bad behavior is a recipe for disaster. When values go phasize values and financial performance, or whether out the window, how can you trust anything, including they can choose to focus on just one dimension. the published financials? If you strip away core values, To truly succeed, leaders need to focus on both meeting how can you trust anything the executives are doing or economic performance commitments and sharing the saying? The answer is you can’t. values. Companies that truly live their values, coupled with a A “Leadership Champion” is a company known for strong emphasis on accountability and economic perforimpressive financial returns and solid values. A “Failure mance, tend to do very well over time. Companies that on Both Fronts” is an unprofitable company that stands emphasize only financial performance and either relax the for nothing. However, the values or give them perfuncThe Role of Values other two quadrants raise tory treatment, have a much interesting questions: Can harder time sustaining percompanies with “Valuesformance long-term. It’s Values-Free Leadership Strong Free Cultures” generate and hard to hover in the upperCulture? Champions sustain strong financial perleft quadrant; companies Emphasis on formance while providing tend to fall down. Moving Performance no guidance on what behavupper-left to upper-right Failure on Profits by Good iors are valued versus unacis a rare act of redempWeak Both Fronts Intentions Alone? ceptable? In the “Profits by tion, which is possible, but Good Intentions Alone” tough. Companies that do Weak Strong quadrant, can companies not balance their values Emphasis on that emphasize values much with business success have Values more heavily than financial a hard time climbing out of performance survive? the bottom-right quadrant The Values underperformers in today’s marketplace and becoming great leaders. Therefore, the recipe for a make headlines for their contributions to financial cri- company’s success is emphasizing a dual approach – a ses; market collapses; decimation of consumer wealth focus on strong financial performance with a strong adand overall decline in economic activity. Some of these herence to solid values. PDJ companies were often riddled with unprincipled behavior at the most senior levels and others appeared to be good companies, with principled leaders, but either failed to ensure 100% adherence to the values or temporarily lost 58

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Why are Diversity Programs so Difficult to Advance? By Larry Clifton

Senior Vice President of Recruiting and Workforce Planning CACI International Inc

I think everyone recognizes that diversity in the workforce is essential, so why is it often so difficult to get diversity programs off the ground? Talking about diversity is easy. Most people value diversity for the simple reason that we are all diverse in some way. It’s what makes us who we are as individuals. How to define diversity, however, is much more challenging. What diversity means to my company is probably different than what it means to yours. Settling on a scope for a program that is all-encompassing, yet still effective, is the first problem. Then, we need funding and support from the company to carry out the program’s mission. I believe this is where diversity programs have difficulty getting off the ground.

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to make the case for the funding needed to get the program moving forward. Gaining executive sponsorship is critical to developing and continuing to keep the program valued as a business imperative. Second, involve employees at every level to begin a grassroots effort to help your program build momentum. Highlight the importance of diversity to your organization by communicating your goals and activities to your employees. Encourage your diverse population to participate in the company employee referral program, intern program, etc., and to be a champion for your company amongst their net“Gaining executive sponsorship is critical to developing work. Highlight and celebrate the achievements gained by the involveand continuing to keep the program valued as a ment of your employees. Continually business imperative.” reinforcing the existing diversity of your workforce throughout your Too often our grand ideas to develop a diverse em- company’s communications is an easy, cost-effective apployee population and create an environment of inclu- proach to developing momentum for a larger diversity sion aren’t supported with a real business reason for why initiative, and achieving your ultimate goal. PDJ diversity is important to our company. Diversity needs to be seen as a business imperative. Companies focus on the bottom line so diversity needs to be part of this Larry Clifton is Senior Vice President in charge of Recruiting and Workforce equation. I coach my team on the importance of focus- Planning for CACI International Inc, a $3.15 billion professional services and ing every activity we do back to the bottom line value information technology (IT) company serving the defense, intelligence, homeland security, and IT modernization and government transformation. Mr. Clifton is to the company, and looking at diversity programs is no responsible for hiring approximately 3,500 new employees annually, and manages different. The question is how we do this. a wide array of Human Resources programs, including CACI’s employee referral First, we need to set an ultimate goal, start the pro- program, applicant tracking system, and its Deploying Talent – Creating Careers cess and work our way into developing the diversity hiring program designed to provide veterans, especially those with disabilities, with meaningful careers at CACI. CACI provides professional services and IT programs we really envision. Instead of tackling the solutions that help our federal clients provide for national security, improve overwhelming task of increasing diversity hiring at every communications and collaboration, secure the integrity of information systems and level, I’ve started out with one goal, one that will have networks, enhance data collection and analysis, and increase efficiency and mission a far-reaching impact across the company. I chose to effectiveness. CACI is a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies and the Russell 2000 index. CACI provides dynamic careers for approximately 12,900 focus on increasing diversity hires at the management employees working in over 120 offices in the U.S. and Europe. Visit CACI on the level. Through this single objective, it was much easier web at www.caci.com and www.asymmetricthreat.net. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Developing Leaders Representative of a Global Company By Kim Marcelis, VP Strategic Planning and

Randall Lane, Senior Leader Global Inclusion & Diversity

B Cisco

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skills, and influence without needing explicit authority. This is why we created the Asian Talent Development Program Pilot. The Program has multiple components: selfassessment tools to help participants identify strengths and opportunities for improvement; resources and exercises to enhance their inter-personal, presentation, networking, and leadership skills; and learning groups where smaller teams of participants are paired with an executive to foster the exploration of ideas and help participants find ways to apply these skills within Cisco’s environment. We hope to see alumni of the program, which launches later this year, improve their ability to influence, expand their networks, gain visibility for their contributions and take on more leadership roles in the organization. Ultimately, we will be able to measure our success by the number of Asian “Cisco’s innovative leaders at Cisco in five to ten years. culture encourages But this program won’t us to launch pilots, be limited to the Asian community. Cisco’s inand if this one is novative culture encoursuccessful, we’ll ages us to launch pilots, scale it to other and if this one is successgroups.” ful, we’ll scale it to other groups. We feel we are on to something, and are committed to creating a sustainable program that leads to long-term change, resulting in a pipeline of employees from diverse backgrounds prepared to lead Cisco for generations to come. PDJ

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Being leaders at Cisco, with its culture of innovation, we are encouraged to look at every angle of a problem and take on new challenges. When we noticed that Asian employees were not advancing to the executive ranks as quickly as we would like, we were empowered to dig deeper and propose a solution. We knew it wasn’t because of lack of talent – there are tens of thousands of smart, driven, capable Asian employees making vital contributions to Cisco every day. Nor was it due to a lack of effort by the company to develop a more diverse leadership team – Cisco is committed to fostering the growth of its employees – it was something else. We came to believe that a targeted talent development program was needed to bridge the gap. We had targeted programs to help specific employee segments develop broader skill sets, and we had leadership programs to help all employees move up in the organization, but we didn’t have anything that married the two. We needed something that helped specific segments of the population become leaders at Cisco. In this case, we needed to address the particular leadership challenges faced by our Asian community. We needed a program that accounted for the traditions and values of the Asian culture and found ways to help them expand their network, develop their presentation

A look back as we go forward On April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. said, “Something is happening in our world.” In 2009, these words have fresh meaning — reflecting mountaintops reached and new hopes born. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina celebrates Black History Month. In honoring the past, we appreciate the present and find inspiration to create our future.

An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. U6325, 1/09

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders The “Efficient Frontier” of Diversity By Nasser Malik

Managing Director Citigroup

Corporate Returns

As a senior Capital ognition of Diversity as a client opportunity. Markets banker with The “Efficient Frontier” of Diversity frames the maxilong-standing involve- mum profitability that can be generated for a given set ment in Citi’s diversity of facts and inputs (i.e., “Diversity Coefficient”). Some efforts, I am often asked firms may lie below the “Efficient Frontier” in their how one can frame the performance, for the simple reason that, for all their wellproposition around conceived human resource policies and diversity mission Diversity in a manner that generates greater resonance statements, the general employee base doesn’t sufficiently among professionals in financial markets. Narratives understand (or isn’t sufficiently incentivized to recognize) around the “Business Case” are well established, though the value proposition in diversity. in my view, often superficially understood. An example involving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transConsistent with the Business Case, if one understands gender (LGBT) employees is illustrative. A 2007 study Diversity is an important undertaking which generates long- by Catalyst concluded that gay staff who are ‘out’ and term return, one can borrow from the school of economics supported are 20–30% more productive than those who and conceive an “Efficient Frontier” of Diversity (see illus- are not. Further, firms that recognize the value inhertration). This is how I frame the core elements required to ent in the gay consumer dollar in the U.S. (estimated by translate the Business Case into an executable strategy. some sources to reach $835 billion by 2011), and have Similar to the notion of formulated specific market“Efficient Frontier” used in ing strategies around that Efficient Frontier of Diversity optimal portfolio allocaopportunity, have seen revEfficient Frontier curve based on all other tion, profitability (the reenue generated from that profitability variables held constant turn from robust Diversity consumer segment expand Talent pool composition, policies, organization culture strategies) lies on the verticonsiderably. Academic and other “soft” factors all facilitate optimal outcomes cal axis. On the horizonstudies have long demontal axis lies a “Diversity strated that diverse groups For a given Diversity Coefficient, results that lie below the curve are Coefficient” which incorproduce better products, sub-optimal due to “soft” factors that inhibit achieving maximum porates the objective data greater innovation and betpotential that underpins any successter decisions. Non-Diverse Talent Pool; few supportive H.R. policies ful diversity strategy. For Taken together, it’s clear example, composition of that an organizational culworkforce, target pools for ture that is inclusive of Diversity Coefficient employee recruiting, and LGBT employees, and recHuman Resources policies which seek to maximize worker ognizes opportunities for innovation and the customer productivity as well as attract and retain diverse talent. proposition inherent in the LGBT population, is more Thus, the relationship between the “Diversity likely to (all-else-being-equal) lie closer to the “Efficient Coefficient” and profitability is clear: a greater “Diversity Frontier” of Diversity. Coefficient” leads (all-else-equal) to higher profitability. Ultimately, understanding the Business Case is a preBut that is not the whole story. For a given “Diversity condition to reaping the rewards from an effective diverCoefficient,” some firms may generate a higher marginal sity strategy. PDJ return than others. The difference lies in important, but critical, “soft” factors, such as organizational culture, vis- Nasser Malik is a Managing Director in Capital Markets Origination at Citigroup ibility of role models, expressions of support by senior in New York and is Co-Chair of the Citi North America Markets Diversity leadership, accountability and, very importantly, the rec- Committee. 62

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Don’t Underestimate the Power of Your Company’s Charitable Giving to Attract Diverse Talent By Angela Jones

Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion ConAgra Foods

Corporate philanthropy goes a long way toward enhancing a company’s image and reputation, but let’s not forget the impact it has on the ability to attract and retain diverse talent. Increasingly, people want to work for companies that stand for something more than just bottom-line profits. Today’s media frequently report that individuals in Gen Y, one of our most diverse demographic groups, are interested in aligning themselves with companies that share their values and make positive contributions to the world and their communities. In my experience, a company’s connection to and support for charitable initiatives appeals to employees of all generations.

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For many of our employees, giving back to the community becomes an extension of their careers and is a great source of pride. We’re able to enrich their lives by offering ways they can volunteer in their communities, and they’re more than happy to give back both during and outside work hours. We’ve found that when you can match a personal interest in helping others with business needs, positive things usually follow. Our recent Child Hunger Ends Here cause-marketing campaign is a great example of how employee engagement in supporting efforts to fight child hunger boosted company pride. Employees across “At ConAgra Foods, we support nonprofit initiatives the organization held or participated in to fight child hunger in America and many of our neighborhood rallies of all sorts – craft employees get involved in our efforts.” fairs, silent auctions, barbecues, golf tournaments and more – with proceeds going to Feeding America™, one of our hunger That’s why embracing a cause makes good business relief partners. What resulted was a great swell of pride in sense from a talent standpoint. Positive word-of-mouth our employees that remains strong today. from employees who feel good about the company We’ve seen improvements in the quality of candiwhere they already work is one of the best recruiting dates that come through our doors and draw a direct tools a company can have. This is especially true in correlation between our company’s support for ending diverse communities, where people tend to trust what child hunger and the level of pride in our employees. friends say about an employer rather than believe what Our recent McBassi People Index Survey results validate a company has to say about itself. this as we’ve seen improvements from two years ago in At ConAgra Foods, we support nonprofit initia- the areas of company pride and willingness to talk to tives to fight child hunger in America and many of our friends about working for ConAgra Foods. It makes employees get involved in our efforts. Being one of the sense. Who wouldn’t want to encourage their friends country’s largest food makers means that we employ to work alongside them in an organization that defines people who bring a range of unique skills and talents success not only in dollars but in doing good? PDJ to the table. Of course, we donate food and money, but our employees also have both the passion and expertise to do things like teach others how to prepare healthful meals, provide nutrition education and work with food banks on how to ship, store and serve food. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Fostering Inclusiveness on Campus is Crucial to the Workforce of the Future By Ken Bouyer

Americas Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting Ernst & Young

I believe companies, colleges and countries with a strong culture of diversity and inclusiveness will have a competitive advantage and help foster longterm economic and job growth for all. In a challenging economy, it’s more important than ever to encourage differing voices and viewpoints, which have been shown to be powerful factors in steering innovation, overcoming obstacles and continuing a path of progress.

Listening & Sharing

This year we hosted our Second Annual Campus Diversity and Inclusiveness Roundtable, which brought together 25 participants including business school deans, accounting chairs, faculty and administrators to discuss and share best practices regarding diversity issues facing today’s undergraduate business programs. I have also visited campuses around the country to communicate to deans and faculty the importance of diversity to our firm’s future growth and urge other companies to do the same.

ate business schools can take to become more inclusive in the areas of (1) institutional commitment and accountability, (2) curriculum development, (3) student recruitment and development, and (4) faculty recruitment and development.

Recognizing Success From our first Roundtable, initial feedback uncovered a need to recognize faculty who are making great contributions toward inclusiveness and diversity on campus. So last year we created the Ernst & Young Inclusive Excellence Awards for faculty members who have created positive change at the department and school level through: leadership on diversity councils, support of diverse faculty, mentorship of students, and the incorporation of diversity and cultural competence into the curriculum.

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Business schools can foster an inclusive environment by being creative in their recruiting and development efforts to reach under-served student populations and continuing to attract diverse faculty to serve as role models. By revising or enhancing their curriculum, or setting up coursework specifically to develop inclusive teaming skills, business schools can make great strides Doing our Homework toward developing an inclusive environment. Most imBased on roundtable discussions and interviews portantly, we need to ensure that these conversations are with undergraduate business school deans, faculty, taking place, and that colleges and companies develop a and administrators, we published a report this year proactive, strategic approach to furthering diversity and titled, “Is Your Campus Environment Inclusive?” inclusion. I encourage all diversity and inclusiveness (http://www.ey.com/us/campus_inclusiveness). This professionals to get involved with the top schools where report outlines recommended steps that undergradu- you recruit to see how you can contribute to fostering inclusiveness and diversity on campus, which will impact your future “Business schools can foster an inclusive environment by workforce. PDJ

being creative in their recruiting and development efforts to reach under-served student populations and continuing to attract diverse faculty to serve as role models.”

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OUR COMPANY

THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

BE WHO YOU ARE. CREATE WHO WE’LL BE. UnitedHealth Group is working to create the health care system of tomorrow. One that will work better for more people in more ways than ever. A goal of this magnitude requires transformative ideas from a collective of diverse talent. At UnitedHealth Group, our commitment to diversity is clearly visible in the high-performing people we hire, in the health care services we provide, and in our dedication to social responsibility. We support and applaud the efforts of those who work to promote fairness, equality and opportunity. Uniting our individual efforts and abilities toward our common goal, we’re making a difference. Learn more about us at unitedhealthgroup.com

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V. UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment. © 2009 UnitedHealth Group. All rights reserved.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Halliburton and Diversity: Putting Substance Over Form By Sherry D. Williams

Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary Halliburton

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lawyers are fortunate that our General Counsel granted the authority to handle non-compliant firms on an individual basis, which can include actions from specifically requesting diverse counsel, to withdrawing work for failure to make progress on diversity. In this regard, we have seen some improvement in the identity of the personnel assigned our matters, as well as the diversity of those chosen to lead matters. In fact, out of 40 primary firms, we now have eleven minority lawyers who are client engagement partners. Although we consider these numbers to be an “Further, we have learned that clients improvement over almost no diversity of engagement must take an partners before the SCP active, invested, process, the numbers clearly show us that creating and sometimes fair opportunity for diverse controversial role lawyers in law firms is an to encourage law ongoing process. Further, firms to move past we have learned that clients must take an active, lip service to invested, and sometimes action.” controversial role to encourage law firms to move past lip service to action. Without such client involvement, firms will continue to have just enough diversity to win awards based on their marketing materials, without any demonstrable improvement in the number of diverse lawyers in their firms, or the amount or quality of work for those lawyers. PDJ

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In 1999, thE Chief Legal Officers of approximately 500 corporations signed Diversity in the Workplace – A statement of Principle, which highlighted support for and commitment to more racial and ethnic diversity in law firms. In 2004, the Call to Action, signed by 110 Chief Legal Officers of large companies, renewed this call for law firm diversity. Bert Cornelison, Halliburton’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, signed both documents. While these documents were important as public statements, they have not been as successful as hoped for in practice. Law firm diversity is still woefully inadequate given the availability of diverse talent, growing diversity in the U.S. population, and the emergence of a truly global economy. Accordingly, when Halliburton decided to review how it engaged outside law firms for legal work, launching its Strategic Counsel Program (SCP), diversity was a key component on which the Company judged the participating firms. We felt it important that the lawyers assigned to Halliburton’s work reflected not only the Company’s business demographic, 55,000 employees in 70 countries, but also our aspirations for diversity as we continue to look inward to make certain that our employee base reflects our values on diversity. We did not utilize formulas or specific number goals, rather we evaluated the firms’ commitment to diversity based on qualitative factors such as (1) the lawyers they chose to include in their request for proposal submissions; (2) the lawyers they chose to list as case managers; (3) the diversity of the associates they proposed for work; and (4) the people they chose as the client engagement partners. What we learned is that many firms give very good lip service to diversity, but continue to treat the actual work received from clients in the “business as usual” manner. In these instances, Halliburton

Sherry D. Williams is Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary for Halliburton. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Williams was Vice President and Corporate Secretary, with responsibility for the Public Company Law Group. In this capacity, she also serves on the Legal Management Team, the governing body that determines the function and development of Halliburton’s Global Law Department.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Building a Culture of Inclusion – Highmark’s Experience

By Sara Oliver-Carter Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Highmark

to LGBT co-workers, along with ways to offer judgment-free support. Equally important, the BRGs also identified strategies and tactics for reaching out to the marketplace, where LGBT households represent an important market segment for Highmark. Recommendations included sponsorship of events such as PRiDE Day celebrations in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, and support for employees marching in the PRiDE Day parades. Has our effort succeeded? We are only beginning to measure the results, but we know that the positive effects are snowballing. For example, we struggled to generate interest in the 2009 PRiDE “Championing march, but had more than 80 participants for the diversity is not 2010 National Coming only the right Out Day effort. Also, the thing to do. number of PRiDE Day marchers swelled from less It is the smart than 40 in 2009 to more thing to do.” than 180 in 2010 – serenaded by a crowd chanting, “Highmark! Highmark!” as they passed. We also know that Highmark’s share among the LGBT community is increasing in a highly competitive marketplace. Championing diversity is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do. PDJ

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Highmark is one of the nation’s largest and most successful health insurers for a simple reason – our people. Our talent, enthusiasm and commitment drive our success and are woven into the very fabric of our culture. Ensuring that every employee feels welcomed, valued and engaged is the cornerstone of our success. This synergy of different skills, talents, potential and backgrounds makes Highmark what it is. Part of our commitment to an inclusive workplace is support for events like National Coming Out Day. Each October 11th, the event gives members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied (LGBTA) communities – including Highmark employees – opportunities to open up about their sexuality to family, friends and co-workers, and promotes greater understanding among people of all sexual orientations. Even with a worldwide “day,” the decision to come out still can be stressful for many people, particularly when they contemplate opening up to co-workers. In 2009, Highmark decided to support our employees by using October 11 as a way to generate awareness within our ranks and our external communities, and by giving managers, human resources and other constituencies the tools to better understand and support their LGBT co-workers. The day also offered the chance to reinforce Highmark’s diversity goals including: • Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace. • Stimulating dialogue among all audiences. • Exploring ways to strengthen our support of diversity. Our effort began with the formation of the LGBTA Business Resource Group (BRG), which took a leadership role in planning events, creating messaging and – supported by other BRGs – producing content to educate internal groups. The educational sessions, which included frank discussion and roleplaying, helped employees understand the nuances of language and behavior that might be viewed as threatening

Sara Oliver-Carter is the vice president of diversity and inclusion at Highmark Inc., Pennsylvania’s largest health insurance company based on membership. In this position, she is responsible for managing the direction, implementation and alignment of Highmark’s diversity initiatives with corporate strategy. Sara is results-oriented human resources professional with more than 20 years of business operations and human resource management experience. During her career, she has held a variety of positions in corporate staffing, employee relations and operations while serving as a member of various community boards. Sara has a passion for diversity and inclusion and believes that diversity is integral to the achievement of sustainable business excellence in the Pittsburgh area. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Achieving Gender Balance in the Workplace Goes Beyond the Workplace By Kathryn Komsa

Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer Marsh and McLennan Companies, Inc.

Companies continue to struggle with gender balance in the workplace. To retain women and support their advancement into senior level roles, many U.S. corporations institute aggressive development programs, embrace alternative work arrangements and look closely at compensation. But achieving greater equality in the workplace needs to go even further: it requires significant changes in how we view the roles of women and men in the parenting process. That women bear children and must take time off from work to give birth and recover is a biological reality. It is also true that most societies more readily expect that women will assume the initial, and often ongoing, primary child care responsibilities. When these two facts converge it becomes inevitable that mothers, as child bearers by destiny and child rearers by tradition, fall behind in their careers compared to others. This is supported by David Leonhardt’s article, “A Market Punishing to Mothers” (New York Times, August 4), which concludes that being out of the workforce for a protracted length of time affects one’s career. Given the number of women in the workplace who are mothers, a systemically detrimental effect on the overall progress of women in the workplace emerges.

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“Parental roles in many cultures are deeply ingrained.”

To change this we need to enable and expect fathers in our society to be equal child rearers. True equality goes beyond taking the occasional day off to care for sick children or leaving earlier on a given day to attend school activities. It requires that fathers recognize that it is important and acceptable for them to change their work schedules or even move out of the workforce for a time to parent, just as the mothers of their children do. When it becomes common68

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place that fathers step away from work for the birth of a child and participate in alternative work arrangements to manage child care, then the playing field will be more level. Parental roles in many cultures are deeply ingrained. Recently, a junior level woman raised concerns that business travel demands might conflict with her longer term goal of having a family. I wondered to myself how many of her male contemporaries were worrying about that at this stage in their career. Parents will always face tradeoffs different from nonparenting colleagues, but a true understanding of work and life options will only occur when men and women face the same challenges and choices in managing and trading off work and family. Additionally, sound solutions to this issue will only receive the focus and resources required when they are perceived as affecting men and fathers, not just mothers and women. Might our conversations and conclusions be different if half the requests for alternative work arrangements come from men, or if as many men as women take two to three months off from work the year their child is born? Paternity leave policies, such as what we offer at MMC, are part of the solution. But we need to go beyond that, leading honest and frank discussions about the effects of biology and culture on men and women in the workforce. At MMC we are beginning these conversations to raise awareness and explore options to enhance the well-being and career growth of all our colleagues. PDJ Kathryn Komsa, is Vice President, Global Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Marsh and McLennan Companies (MMC). MMC is a global professional services firm with over 50,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue of $10 billion, providing advice and solutions in the areas of risk, strategy and human capital. It is the parent company of a number of the world’s leading risk experts and specialty consultants, including Marsh, the insurance broker and risk advisor; Guy Carpenter, the risk and reinsurance specialist; Mercer, the provider of HR and related financial advice and services; and Oliver Wyman, the management consultancy. MMC provides analysis, advice and transactional capabilities to clients in more than 100 countries. Its stock (ticker symbol: MMC) is listed on the New York , Chicago and London stock exchanges. MMC’s website address is www.mmc.com.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Inclusion Starts with a Connection By Larry Hartley

Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Operations OfficeMax, Inc.

Training: My team gave the group a 10-15 minute overview on the dimensions of diversity. Primary dimensions are things we’re born with like sex, race, ethnicity and age. Secondary dimensions are experiences that shape us like education, military service, socio-economic status, religion, and marital status. The training served to move the group beyond the more obvious aspects of diversity like skin color and male/ female, and get them focused on background and experience. It’s these secondary diversity dimensions that can be the basis for new understanding and acceptance within the group. Transparent Leading: Through the training, I’d

of a large audience has the ability to set the tone for everyone that follows. The more transparent the leader, the more likely others are to share stories that impacted them significantly. Sharing a setback that has since been overcome, a difficult family situation or the joy in becoming a new grandparent can lead to new connections with the listeners. If the leader not only shares the situation, but how it shaped them, it strengthens the bond with the audience. As the next person shares, they’re more likely to share an experience of similar impact. The process can become the first step in new connections that ultimately lead to an inclusive workplace.

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In order to build an inclusive culture, associates need to feel a sense of connection. As diverse groups of people come together, that connection is frequently established by finding similarities. Is there someone in the group who grew up where you did, likes the same sports team you do, or is a new grandmother? Find a similarity, have a conversation and make a connection. The challenge can be in finding an effective way to initiate the dialogue. I wanted our associates to share the events that had helped shape them. If I could get them to share these experiences, connections would form between people who previously believed they had nothing in common. I hoped the new connections would improve the work environment and ultimately lead to high performing teams built on trust. For most, it’s difficult enough to speak in front of a group on any subject. The task would be even more intimidating since I needed people to share personal stories. How could I get them to see the inclusive power of sharing the experiences that had shaped them, and feel comfortable doing it in front of an audience? I found the solution in training and transparent leading.

“I hoped the new connections would improve the work environment and ultimately lead to high performing teams built on trust.”

Creating the inclusive environment where associates feel confident leveraging their background and perspective leads to improved team performance. The approach fosters increased respect for the individual and mutual understanding between associates as they learn more about each other. When people feel safe sharing their experiences, trust is built. With trust comes collaboration. And with collaboration, problems get solved and new ideas take shape. What starts with transparent leadership ends with an inclusive, high performing team. PDJ

established what we wanted people to talk about; now how could I get them to share in a meaningful way? The first person to share in a small group or in front P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Communicating Diversity & Inclusion at Ryder By Amparo Bared

Vice President of Talent Management Ryder System, Inc.

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and participation. The result was a logo and tag line that reflected our belief that each and every Ryder employee has the ability to shape a diverse and inclusive culture – “Diversity and Inclusion…It Starts With You.” Our next step was to communicate our new D&I message and progress to the workforce while simultaneously showing the company’s commitment at the highest levels. To accomplish this, we mailed a letter from our CEO to every employee’s home highlighting Ryder’s D&I vision, mission and goals, setting the expectation for everyone’s participation, and inviting employees to watch a video message from the CEO on the company website. To reinforce our message and concepts, we also created a toolkit for managers that was sent to all Ryder locations with guidelines on how to share and discuss D&I concepts with employees. In addition, we created a special e-mail address, “Ask Diversity and Inclusion,” which is managed by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to respond to employee questions. As a way of generating energy and raising awareness, we produced D&I lapel pins that were given to employees and created a D&I e-mail stationery for employees. We also designated an area in the quarterly corporate magazine, Ryder People, to commu“It’s not a program, nicate our ongoing work. Finally, we posted updated but a way of information on our website, thinking, acting so that all our stakeholders and being, and our could read about our stratemployees are at egy and direction. Our work around D&I its very core.” is a journey. It’s not a program, but a way of thinking, acting and being, and our employees are at its very core. When employees believe in the organizational culture, they help to shape and reinforce it. As our new D&I slogan states, “Diversity & Inclusion: It Starts With You.” PDJ

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With an almost 80-year history, Ryder’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) goes back many years. It’s integral to everything we do, from how we select, develop, and retain our talent, to how we achieve operational effectiveness and growth. From a business perspective, D&I makes sense because it enhances our ability to attract and retain the best talent and positions us to meet and exceed customer expectations. From a cultural perspective, D&I also provides us with the richest possible experience as people as we are exposed to different backgrounds and ways of thinking from our employees. Ryder’s D&I efforts are led by our Office of Diversity & Inclusion, which works directly with our Chairman and CEO Greg Swienton, our Leadership Team, and our Diversity & Inclusion Council. Together, they establish Ryder’s strategic direction to ensure a diverse and inclusive environment. In fact, Ryder has taken many steps to make sure that D&I drives transformational business performance for the company. These include incorporating effective management of D&I into our leadership competencies, as well as tying D&I principles and behaviors to compensation. Ryder also created the Diversity & Inclusion Council, which consists of 12 cross-functional business leaders who drive accountability for diversity programs and results in their functions. After making much progress over the last couple of years, we recently felt it was time to strengthen our D&I commitment and progress by tapping into the power of our 20,000 U.S. employees. We undertook an internal communications campaign to inform our geographically dispersed U.S. workforce of newly updated D&I concepts, including the business case for D&I and our vision, mission, and goals. Our first step was to create a D&I brand that communicated the essence of these concepts while also engaging our employees’ attention

Amparo Bared is Vice President of Talent Management for Ryder System, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 commercial transportation and logistics company.

Our people are as diverse as their ideas.

tplace, rldwide marke To work in a wo represents workforce that Chevron has a siness, we rever we do bu the world. Whe r our y is essential fo believe diversit . Because d partners alike employees an human ts of view, our with more poin . er es even strong energy becom om. visit chevron.c To learn more,

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders White Men Are Key to Inclusion By Sandy Chamblee Chief Diversity Partner Steptoe & Johnson LLP

ative, effective solutions by tapping unique talents from a variety of backgrounds. Law firms need to acknowledge diversity not as a human-resources driven, numbers game but as a competitive advantage in the legal market. White men – as the power and majority of the workplace – are the key! They must embrace diversity and commit to an inclusive workplace by: • Educating themselves and others about the meaning and value of diversity and inclusion through active participation in diversity programs. • Routinely involving diverse attorneys in all aspects of the firm’s life. • Fostering real dialogue on inclusion, unencumbered by political correctness. • Encouraging open-mindedness. • Mentoring and learning from diverse attorneys. • Insisting on diverse teams for client work. • Holding everyone accountable for an inclusive workplace. Diverse attorneys also must play a unique, perhaps unexpected, role in supporting diversity and inclusion – as facilitators, not benefactors. They can help to educate and support white males by sharing their “Law firms need to acknowledge diversity not experiences and demonstrating comparable commitment to the firm. Diversity as a human-resources driven, numbers game but as and inclusion are not about creating benea competitive advantage in the legal market.” fits for diverse people, but about developing a truly inclusive environment which however, must be the conscious acceptance that inclu- ultimately will drive the firm’s professional excellence sion drives the excellence of the work we do for our and financial success. White men hold the key! PDJ clients and thus, by definition, the firm’s bottom line. An inclusive environment generates more satisfaction Sandy Chamblee is the Chief Diversity Partner of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, and commitment, leading to higher productivity and where she is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Regulatory & Industry Affairs profitability. Diversity isn’t about altruism, embarrass- departments. In addition to her work as an attorney, she spends much of her time on initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Ms. ment, or guilt; nor about numbers. It’s about utilizing a Chamblee has more than 30 years of experience as an attorney, senior advisor, and workforce with broader perspectives and differing expe- executive and also served in two senior policy positions at the National Institutes riences which result in creative strategies and efficiencies of Health. In addition, she chaired the Board of Directors of the former Columbia Hospital for Women Foundation in Washington, D.C., for a time serving as a and, thus, stellar work for our clients. co-administrator of the hospital on many issues. Steptoe & Johnson LLP is an In my experience, and as research shows, diverse international law firm with 500 lawyers in offices in Beijing, Brussels, Century teams perform better because they generate more cre- City, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and Washington. As Chief Diversity Partner of a large law firm and as a black woman, I have thought a lot about diversity and inclusion. I strongly believe that the key to success in creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workplace is engaging white men. I do not discount the many benefits of diversity programs, but focusing only on the diverse members of the workplace – minorities and women – will not create inclusion. So why do law firms lag behind corporations and their legal departments which boast diverse and inclusive leadership and workforces? A major impediment to law firms is that many white male attorneys do not fully understand the concept of diversity and inclusion, and especially why it should matter to them. Much of the focus on diversity at law firms is on hiring a number of attorneys of certain races and ethnicities, gender, or sexual orientation, and then working to retain them. The real catalyst of inclusion in law firms,

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Making Sure Everyone Counts By Tisa Jackson Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Union Bank, N.A.

Dave Yakima Chief’s definition of respect captures one of our most important missions as diversity professionals – to cultivate a corporate culture in which everyone’s voice is heard and respected. Every November, observances of National American Indian month remind us that we probably should be doing more to recognize and engage employees and customers in this often invisible group. American Indians are the smallest racial minority in the U.S., and may be overlooked as companies focus on how to better serve the groups with the largest population. Numbers such as these tend to drive priorities for increasing diversity in both the workforce and the marketplace: • The percentage of Hispanics represented in the U.S. population has grown from 9 percent in 1990 to 13.8 percent in 2010 and is expected to reach 24.5 percent by 2050. • The percentage of Asian Americans grew from 3 percent in 1990 to 5.1 percent in 2010, and is expected to reach 8.7 percent by 2050. • The African American population is about the same percentage as the Hispanic population, but growth is leveling off. This group increased from 12.3 percent in 1990 to 13.5 percent in 2010. Modest growth to 15.4 percent is anticipated by 2050. In sharp contrast to these demographic numbers is the size of the American Indian population, which represented 0.8 percent of the total U.S. population in 1990 and 0.9 percent in 2010 and is expected to increase only slightly to 1.1 percent by 2050. But diversity and inclusion is not just about demographic numbers. We must dig deeper than this in our initiatives to ensure that everyone counts.

Continuing to Evolve

We’ve come a long way since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 in 1965 to ensure equal employment opportunity in this nation. We’ve evolved from affirmative action’s focus on recruitment and hiring to a broader emphasis on embracing cultural differences in the workplace and establishing a business case for diversity that is aligned with company goals.

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This evolution has been very positive, but there’s more work to be done. As we continue to evolve, we need to make sure we are truly including everyone when we talk about diversity and inclusion, whether we’re referring to talent initiatives or marketing efforts aimed at specific customer groups. The late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a great source of inspiration in my work, and his words provide the best rationale for taking a closer look at how inclusive our diversity programs really are. In his famous letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963, he wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The Common Denominator

Regardless of what we do to embrace diversity and work toward full inclusion, the common denominator in all our efforts is the sense of equity and respect for all that Dave Yakima Chief and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. so eloquently described. This means we must work for equitable systems, policies, practices and, most importantly, behaviors which enable the building and sustainment of an inclusive workplace culture for people of all backgrounds, not just those with the largest population percentages. Be proactive. Make sure you include groups such as American Indians in your supplier diversity program. Reach out to them by participating in scholarship programs that open doors for talented young people. Get involved in community organizations dedicated to creating more opportunities for American Indians. And remember, if the system is broken for any of our colleagues, candidates, vendors or customers, we are all at risk. PDJ

Tisa Jackson, vice president of Diversity and Inclusion for Union Bank, N.A., has more than 13 years of experience in this field, as well as strategic human resources management, community development and organizational development. She is founder of the Professional & Technical Diversity Network (PTDN) of Greater Los Angeles, a diversity consortium comprised of companies committed to diversity and inclusion. Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service commercial bank providing an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. As of June 30, 2010, the bank had 396 banking offices in California, Oregon, Washington and Texas and two international offices. UnionBanCal Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG, NYSE:MTU), one of the world’s largest financial organizations. Visit www.unionbank.com for more information.

Expect the Best Target.com/careers

expect X

You can expect a lot from a career at Target. An energetic culture. Incredible opportunity. A community-focused company. And, one of the most powerful brands in the world. Your best is just ahead. To learn even more about us, visit Target.com/careers.

Melisa F. Corporate

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Valuing the Ability of People with Disabilities By Dawnita Wilson

Program Director, Inclusion Initiatives UPMC

As organizations think about ways to remain competitive in today’s struggling economy, creating a culture of inclusion can be essential to successfully recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. And while many organizations focus on attracting and retaining top talent, few direct those efforts towards people with disabilities. Developing strategies to include people with disabilities in organizational recruitment and retention plans should not be viewed as just the right thing to do, but as an integral part of an organization’s overall culture and mission. The commitment to hiring and retaining people with disabilities, like all other key business objectives, must start at the top. Organizations must be intentional in their efforts to ensure inclusive hiring practices. A great first step for companies looking to increase their disability recruitment activity is to build partnerships with organizations that focus on the development and placement of people with disabilities. Many of these organizations are extremely helpful not only in identifying available talent, but in educating employers on the most effective ways to fully integrate them into the workforce. UPMC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is an organization that has experienced firsthand the value of partnership as it relates to the deployment of successful workplace disability initiatives. UPMC has partnered with organizations such as Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Disabilities Employment Project for Freedom, and Bender Consulting to provide meaningful employment opportunities to people with disabilities. “The Pittsburgh Disability Employment Project for Freedom is pleased to be involved with UPMC, the largest employer in the region,” says Barbara Lehman, Director of Career Resources at Project for Freedom. “Our Project mission is to provide technology skills training for the purpose of finding employment. We at the Project for Freedom appreciate UPMC’s willingness and enthusiastic approach to 76

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reaching out and including people with disabilities as part of their commitment to the region,” she adds. “The Project for Freedom added medical terminology to our curriculum as a way of preparing our students to work in the UPMC health system.” Another program that UPMC partners closely on is Goodwill Industries’ Project Search, a high school transition program for students with disabilities designed to combine education with hands-on work experience. Students participating in Project Search are given a unique opportunity to learn and develop, while gaining valuable hands-on skills. “Because of Project Search, UPMC Mercy is able to employ individuals who may not have had a chance to show anyone how truly passionate, dedicated and hardworking they are and how much value they can add to not only the workforce, but also to their co-workers, patients, and families”, says Kelli Reale, VP of Human Resources at UPMC’s Mercy Hospital, one of the many UPMC facilities participating in the Project Search program. Like many others who have welcomed people with disabilities into the workplace, UPMC has found Project Search students to be productive and innovative additions to their workforce, often outperforming their non-disabled counterparts. And aside from having equal or higher performance ratings, workers with disabilities have the lowest attrition rates of any employee group in the country. They also represent the single largest and most diverse minority in the United States, yet continue to be an unrecognized source for qualified talent. Although people with disabilities have proven to be some of the most employable candidates in the job market, their unemployment rate continues to rise in disproportionate numbers. When employers fail to realize the value and skills of people with disabilities they are missing out on a golden opportunity to hire well-trained, qualified individuals who are extremely dedicated, loyal, and committed. Not only do they get the job done, but they are more likely to stay. So when thinking about ways to create a more inclusive workforce, remember to consider talent of all abilities, because the best person for the job just might be a person with a disability. PDJ

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Prioritizing Employees and an Inclusive Workplace By Joseph Bruce

Manager of National Diversity Initiatives USPS

Unlike most federal agencies, the Postal Service operates without taxpayer support. We are supported by the people who use the mail through the sale of stamps and related services. The drop in the economy coupled with the shift to digital communications has created the greatest loss in mail volume since the Great Depression. Mail volume peaked at 213 billion pieces in 2006 and is projected to drop to 150 billion pieces by 2020. Despite this discouraging news, we continue to provide unparalleled service to every household in America. We have hit our business targets like never before. To remain competitive and continue to hit our target, we need to continue great customer service. Understandably, this places more pressure than ever before on our employees and managers, so it’s important to maintain an inclusive workplace.

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or she is the victim of harassment, some may need assistance in how to go about investigating, responding to and resolving the issue. Our recently launched Rapid Response initiative addresses this and assists managers with a one-page quick step guide on how to respond quickly and appropriately. Additionally, our publication, Manager’s Guide to Understanding, Investigating, and Preventing Harassment, goes into detail on appropriate responses, including a model list of questions for conducting employee interviews. We constantly communicate with our managers and provide them tools to ensure that all harassment allegations are responded to immediately. From the Postmaster General down to the front line supervisor, there is a deep “We constantly communicate with our managers and understanding that it’s their responsibilprovide them tools to ensure that all harassment ity to immediately investigate employee allegations are responded to immediately.” concerns. We want to be on the forefront of eliminating harassment and discriminaOur Office of National Diversity and Inclusiveness tion in the workplace. We realize the health and future Initiatives is at the cutting edge of its field and has of the organization depends on it. After all, the diversity moved away from the reactive approach to workplace of our employees reflects the diversity of the customers issues to focus on proactive prevention. we love to serve. PDJ We quickly responded to our disabled employees in need of workplace accommodations. In light of the newly enacted Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act, we are focused on refining processes to comply with A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only the law, and provide appropriate accommodations to delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from our disabled workforce. taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website Moreover, we take pride in educating our 750 execu- in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products tives and 60,000 managers on EEO issues resolution. and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Our managers are responsible for conducting prompt, Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has an annual revenue of more than impartial and thorough inquiries. Yet when faced with $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector the stress of speaking with an employee who feels he company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders Advancing Diversity in the Legal Profession: A Personal Journey and a Shared Commitment By Walter Sutton Associate General Counsel, Legal Administration & External Relations Walmart

From the outset, I must tell you that I am a lawyer, not an HR professional, a diversity officer, or a CEO. Yet, our shared commitment to the tenets of diversity and inclusion are aligned and the legal profession is making strides in this important work. The principles of affording equity and opportunity to all are as relevant today as they were 20, 30, or even 40 years ago. When I graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1970, “diversity” was not a word commonly used or a principle universally embraced by the members of the legal profession. As such, my initial experiences interviewing for positions with law firms and corporations were not positive. Repeatedly, I was told by potential employers they were not certain their clients were ready for an African American to represent them. In today’s legal profession, such a statement would be deemed wholly unacceptable, but it was par for the course 40 years ago. Clearly, the legal profession needed to change, and I was committed to being a change agent. The National Bar Association (NBA) proved to be the initial vehicle by which I began my journey to affect change in the legal profession. When I joined the local affiliate chapter of the NBA in 1974, I was one of twelve African American attorneys in the City of Dallas. As we joined together to advance diversity in law firms and corporations, we heard the same refrain from hiring partners and corporate recruiters, “We can’t find any qualified diverse applicants.” In response, we gladly undertook the work needed to attack the issue on two fronts – perception and qualifications.

Perception To change the perception that African American lawyers were not necessary to advance the legal profession, we started grassroots initiatives within our 78

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professional organizations to increase the visibility of African American lawyers who could add value to law firms and corporations. This work was underway when I began serving in leadership positions in the NBA. During my tenure with the NBA, I served as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and in 1987, I was elected President. During the same time that the NBA was working to diversify the legal profession, the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession held the first major diversity conference of its kind in Dallas, Texas. The synergies in organizations’ missions helped us become more intentional about reaching out across the legal profession to strengthen the network for attorneys of color. Today, I work with Walmart and feel very fortunate to be part of a company that is at the forefront of the effort to create more diverse and inclusive work environments. When I joined Walmart in 2005, I was impressed with its focus on this important work, and its commitment to assigning accountability to senior leadership to embed these principles in the company culture. In following the company’s mandate to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, the Legal Department showed tremendous leadership by requiring its outside law firms to commit to creating more diverse and inclusive teams assigned to Walmart matters. Additionally, the Legal Department’s process of selecting relationship partners was revamped, and the change resulted in the movement of $60 million in business to women and minority partners with outside law firms. In the legal profession, the “relationship partner” role is often tied to compensation, so many in the profession consider this movement to have been the impetus for a tremendous shift in the profession, and demonstrated the company’s commitment to bring about tangible change in the profession.

Qualifications Equally as important as changing how African American lawyers were perceived in the legal profession

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“When given the opportunity, it has been my goal to always increase diversity in the corporations and law firms with which I have been affiliated.”

was the need to demonstrate that they are as qualified as their counterparts. I have had the opportunity to work for large corporations, including Ford Motor Company and Texas Instruments. My roles in various legal organizations have afforded me the opportunity to meet and interact with many lawyers who are eminently qualified to serve varied legal needs. I have witnessed the talk within the ranks of the diverse groups and our task is to continue to impress upon law firms and corporations the importance of having a diverse workforce. Walmart knows the value of diversity and inclusion and has witnessed the benefits to its bottom line. My law school class of 300 included a total of 5 African Americans. As I entered the profession and met attorneys of color from different areas of the country, we made a concerted effort to strengthen our professional network and to form collaborative relationships with select law schools. Relationship-building is a critical component of our work in this space. Efforts to create those relationships extend beyond the confines of our offices, to supporting and participating in pipeline programs that are aligned with the mission of diversifying the legal profession. Personally, I had not considered becoming a lawyer until I was in my junior year of college; a classmate who had gone to law school urged me to do so. Growing up in Marshall, Texas, I had met African American doctors, ministers, and teachers, including both of my parents, but I had never met an African American attorney. It turned out to be a good decision for me, and I encourage others to consider it as a career as well. At Walmart, we are investing time, talent, and resources in pipeline initiatives for the legal profession by sponsoring a number of programs designed to expose students to the law and the legal profession, and to help them understand the benefits of becoming a member of the Bar. Some of the pipeline programs include summer camps. In addition to sending attorneys to participate and teach in these programs, Walmart has developed partnerships with organizations that sponsor pipeline programs, including the NBA Crump Law Camp at Howard University School of Law, the Hispanic National Bar Foundation Law Camp at Georgetown University, and the Just the Beginning Foundation, which conducts summer learning institutes in Chicago, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Raising the Bar I am proud to be part of one of the most diverse legal teams in the country – roughly 42 percent of our attorneys are women, and approximately 35 percent are attorneys of color. In the Walmart Legal Department, we are actively engaged in taking inclusion to the next level. We are looking at different ways to invest in training for our lawyers. We continue our commitment to our internal flex-time schedules and have asked our outside law firms to join in that commitment by diversifying their ranks and offering flexible work options to their lawyers. 40 years ago, I was turned away from opportunities for reasons that had nothing to do with my skills or qualifications. Fortunately, that has not been my only experience. I have had a varied professional career working as in-house counsel for several large corporations, practicing with a major Dallas law firm, serving our government, and teaching in academia. In many of those positions, I was the first African American to be hired, but I made sure that I was not the last. When given the opportunity, it has been my goal to always increase diversity in the corporations and law firms with which I have been affiliated. I’ve heard it said, “Diversity gets you invited to the dance; inclusiveness is being asked to dance.” Over the past 40 years, I have seen the legal profession become more diverse; it is a journey of shared commitment from many within the profession who understand and appreciate the necessity of an inclusive legal community. I believe each of us, regardless of position or personal background, can make a difference in helping our organizations to become even more inclusive, and to partner with us in our efforts to build a pipeline of diverse talent for the next generation of leaders. PDJ

In addition to a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School, Dr. Sutton holds an MBA from the University of Dallas and a PhD in Management Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. He served as a presidential appointee during the Clinton administration with the US Department of Transportation. He currently serves as Associate General Counsel – Legal Administration and External Relations with Walmart, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and as Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Bar Institute. Dr. Sutton was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame on August 12, 2010. P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

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global Diversity

This is Not Your Father’s Employee Resource Group By Michal Fineman Senior Consultant Mercer’s Global Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

It’s been nearly 30 years since Employee Resource Groups started appearing in business organizations. They have become commonplace in U.S. companies and are growing in popularity in other countries and sectors, such as government and not for profits. The concept behind ERGs has remained basically the same since the 1980s: provide individuals who share a common background with a forum in which to pursue the welfare of the membership and of the organization. Some things have changed though, and ERGs are currently enjoying a resurgence of interest from employees and new respect from organizational leaders. Three trends seem to account for the renewed energy behind Employee Resource Groups. First is a growing recognition that ERGs can have a significant impact on the success of the business even beyond their role in developing diverse talent. Many of the companies we’ve spoken with have relaunched their networks with new emphasis on finding ways to contribute to the bottom line. For example, ERGs help to develop training on how to conduct business in different cultures or provide insight to product developers about how people in their communities make buying decisions or are polishing the company’s brand by engaging in community projects. The result is that business leaders have become eager to support the groups, and employees are more motivated than ever to become involved. It is something of a paradox, perhaps, that as ERGs have become more outward looking, they have also become more effective at promoting the welfare of their constituents. Typically, the groups start up as a way for employees to meet others like themselves for mutual support. They tend, in the early years, to concentrate on social interaction and the professional development of their members. Sometimes diversity leaders have found it a challenge to sell older ERGs the idea that they should focus more on helping the business. However, once the groups start to move in that direction, they soon realize that their efforts on be80

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half of the company are repaid with greater appreciation by leaders for the talent within their membership. The more involved ERGs become with business issues, the more business leaders become involved with the ERGs. As they get to know ERG members, business leaders have the opportunity to see in action talented people who might never have come to their notice otherwise. Stories of promotions happening because of such encounters are not unusual. Another trend that has helped propel ERGs to new heights is demographic. Millennials entering the workforce are used to doing things in groups. They are comfortable with technologies that allow them to participate and collaborate remotely, allowing ERGs to extend to locations without critical mass of a particular demographic. Although some companies have found the so-called “post-racial, post-feminist” generation less interested in traditional race-or gender-based groups, other companies tell us Millennials are swelling the ranks of these ERGs in record numbers, as well as starting new multicultural or multigenerational groups. Finally, globalization of the groups is beginning to have an impact, both on numbers of employees involved and the scope of their activities, and their ability to impact a global business. The difference in the level of enthusiasm for ERGs in different companies may be at least partly a function of how the groups are presented to new employees. Many organizations are refreshing their marketing strategies for the groups. They sign up new members in new hire orientation programs, bring different ERGs together to share resources and work together on high profile projects, and use every vehicle available to get out the word that ERGs offer colleagues important opportunities to make a difference to the business mission, the community, and their own careers. Today’s employee resource groups are not the ERGs of a generation ago, but they are, in many ways, the grown up version– more mature, more inclusive and confident, and more valuable to the organization than before. PDJ Michal Fineman is a senior consultant in Mercer’s Global Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion practice. She is currently conducting a study of employee resource groups in U.S. and European organizations.

catalyst

www.catalyst.org

Increasing Inclusion and the Bottom Line With Employee Resource Groups By Catalyst

IN TODAY’S VOLATILE business world, it is essential for organizations to engage employees, develop leaders, expand cross-cultural and global understanding, connect to local communities, and enhance the bottom line. One of the best ways to do this is through employee resource groups (ERGs). Catalyst has more than 20 years of experience working with ERGs across a variety of industries and regions. ERGs are groups of employees in an organization formed to act as a resource for both group members and the organization. ERGs are voluntary, employeeled groups that can have a few members or a few thousand. They are typically based upon a demographic (e.g., women), life stage (e.g., Generation Y), or function (e.g., sales), but they may also be based on other identities. They are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment within the context of the organization’s mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. Because ERGs are an important business initiative, Catalyst created a comprehensive set of six concise and actionable tools that shows ERG leaders, Human Resources professionals, and diversity and inclusion practitioners how to implement and develop an ERG or strategically align an existing ERG with the business to ensure long-term success. Users learn how to develop the business case, implement a governing structure, elicit support from organizational leaders, and revitalize groups that have stalled. In addition, templates such as sample questionnaires and a sample governing charter equip ERG leaders with models they can easily adapt and customize. The six tools are as follows: • Introduction to ERGs • Developing ERG Infrastructure: A Step-by-Step Planning Guide • ERG Governance: Leadership Roles and Structure • Building Support and Working With Other Constituencies • Action Planning and Effectiveness Tracking • Troubleshooting, Membership Issues, Success Factors, and Future Directions.

ERGs provide their members with professional and personal growth opportunities through access to mentors, trainings, seminars, networking events, and other activities. ERGs create an environment for making informal connections and building relationships. They often help members acquire skills that help them better perform their jobs and more effectively manage their careers. ERGs can also connect similar employees spread across the organization. It is common for Catalyst to hear senior-level women describe the initial women’s ERG gathering as the first time they have ever been with so many of their peers. Indeed, Catalyst research shows that employees with strong relationships with peers and supervisors have increased engagement and commitment to their organizations. For many organizations, ERGs are a cornerstone to advancing a cultural change that impacts all employees, not just the constituent group. ERGs can benefit employees by advancing organizational goals for inclusion and increasing awareness and understanding of cultural issues and opportunities; developing a culture of “allies” that encourages people of all backgrounds – not just the constituent group – to attend events, seminars, and workshops; providing marketplace insights to business leaders to help give the organization a competitive advantage; building the organization’s reputation by being active in the community; and contributing to the organization’s success by providing more development opportunities for employees. If your organization is a Catalyst member, you can download the six tools that make up The Catalyst Guide to Employee Resource Groups at www.catalyst.org for free. To find out if your organization is a Catalyst member, visit http://www.catalyst.org/page/86/membership-list. PDJ 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. With offices in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and more than 400 preeminent corporations as members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women’s advancement with the Catalyst Award.

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National American Indian & Alaska native heritage month

What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designed for that purpose.* In 1990, President George H. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month. Similar proclamations have been issued each year since 1994. Today, the United States works closely with 564 federally recognized tribes to ensure that each has a strong voice in shaping policies that directly impact the nearly 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. We’d like to introduce you to some leaders who have made significant contributions of their own, and celebrate their heritage as First Americans.

Photo credit: Paul Malanij

* Source: U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Teresa Cunningham-Brown Wake County Public School System HEADQUARTERS: Cary, North Carolina WEB SITE: www.wcpss.net Primary BUSINESS: Education. EMPLOYEES: 18,000+

Title: Senior Director, Human Resources EDUCATION: Master of School Administration (North Carolina State University); Bachelor of Arts - Political Science/ History (University of North Carolina at Wilmington) WHAT I’M READING: Coaching Conversations: Transforming Your School One Conversation at a Time, by Ms. Linda G. (Gross) Cheliotes MY PHILOSOPHY: Inspire Others. INTERESTS: Gardening, bird watching, walking, family.

P ro f i l e s i n D i v e r s i t y J o u r n a l

What is your definition of leadership? Genuine Leadership is extremely complex and systematic in nature. Succinctly stated by the NC Standards for School Administrators, “It is not just knowing what to do, but why to do it, how to do it and when to do it.” It is the ability to build relationships and to influence change. Leadership is about articulating vision, creating opportunities for others to grow, and motivating people to implement positive sustained improvement. Leadership is the ability to find creative and innovative solutions even when traditional wisdom says there are none. What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? Earning the Cornell University Diversity Professional Advanced Practitioner certification and being able to apply the knowledge, skills, and competencies to champion social justice issues in public education. As an advocate for marginalized and underrepresented groups, my work in teacher retention and recruitment provides opportunities for me to impact student learning by working to ensure that all children have access to high quality teachers. The quality of life that minority students are afforded is directly related to their academic achievement and, more importantly, to our collective ability as educators to close educational performance gaps by helping teachers improve student learning. N O V e m b e r / D E C EM b e r 2 0 1 0

Jean Halsell WellPoint

HEADQUARTERS: Indianapolis, Indiana WEB SITE: www.wellpoint.com Primary BUSINESS: Healthcare. EMPLOYEES: 38,000

Who in your family had the most impact on your success? My children, Ben, Michael and Hillary. They gave me a reason to push myself when sometimes I wanted to give up. They are now all wonderful, giving and compassionate adults. Title: Human Resource Director EDUCATION: BS, Business Management WHAT I’M READING: SWITCH: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, by Chip Heath MY PHILOSOPHY: Be present in the world with an open heart and compassion. INTERESTS: Family, health, outdoor activities.

What was the defining moment in your life in which you understood your leadership? After the planes hit the towers in New York. I was at home watching in horror just as millions of other Americans were doing that morning. I found myself crying and afraid of what may be coming next. As a member of the Air National Guard I thought for a moment about what this may mean for me personally, as well as for the country and I was paralyzed with fear. I was snapped out of my horror by my pager continuously going off. Colleagues at work were paging me in search of guidance on how to address the needs of terrified associates who were at work. I had to get beyond my own fears and respond to the leaders and associates on the other end of the phone. Leadership comes with a huge responsibility for others it is not all about you.

Peter Young Sodexo

HEADQUARTERS: Gaithersburg, Maryland (North American Headquarters) WEB SITE: www.sodexousa.com Primary BUSINESS: Quality of Life Solutions. EMPLOYEES: 120,000 employees in North America

Who is/was your most influential leadership mentor and why? I don’t have one mentor in leadership. I try to assess the best demonstrated leadership from people and I apply their approach to a given situation. There are many solutions to a given situation; therefore I believe I need to have a worldly view in order to be more creative and innovative. What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? I have had many objectives over the years – some were planned, others were emergent. In the last seven years, I have been working with many aboriginal communities. I have learned about new cultures and have been able to mold Sodexo’s partnerships to have great impact on several aboriginal community members. Many members have found employment and have benefited from training programs. These experiences are theirs and will continue to contribute to a better life. What advice can you provide for young leaders? Listen to many people before forming your opinion on a given matter. Take calculated chances, be curious…you’re not expected to know everything. Be a leader in your heart, not in your mind.

Title: Vice President, Remote Site, Canada EDUCATION: Completing EMBA at McGill - HEC Montréal WHAT I’M READING: Collaboration, by Morten T. Hansen MY PHILOSOPHY: It’s better to be a lion and not a lamb. Successes are the team’s realization. And, a French saying, “La parole est d’argent le est d’or” on certain matters. INTERESTS: Cycling, travelling to new destinations, avid reader, skiing, travelling, passion for different cultures.

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advantage

advertiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s index Bank of the West. . . . . . . Back Cover www.bankofthewest.com

Lockheed Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 www.lockheedmartin.com

Vanguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 www.vanguard.com

Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA. . . . 17 www.bluecrossma.com

New York Life Insurance. . . . . . . . . 85 www.newyorklife.com

Verizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 www.verizon.com

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC. . . . 61 www.bcbsnc.com

PepsiCo, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.pepsico.com

W.W. Grainger . . . . . . Inside Front, 1 www.grainger.com

Buger King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 www.bk.com

Raytheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 www.raytheon.com

Wal-Mart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 www.walmart.com

Chevron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 www.chevron.com

Royal Dutch Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 www.shell.com

Waste Management. . . . . Inside Back www.wm.com

Comcast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 www.comcast.com

Sodexo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.sodexousa.com

WellPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 www.wellpoint.com

ConAgra Foods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 www.conagrafoods.com

Target. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 www.target.com

Freddie Mac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.freddiemac.com

. . . . . . . . . . . . 65 UnitedHealth Group B:8.75 in www.unitedhealthgroup.com T:8.5 in S:7.75 in

Diversity is how great ideas are made. Creating a culture that encourages diversity is an integral part of our success as a business. It makes the innovation we bring to our products and services possible. Today, and tomorrow. To learn more about our commitment to diversity, go to www.comcast.com/diversity

SEE IN US WHO YOU ARE

At New York Life we believe that people’s differences can be their greatest attributes. We recognize that employees’ unique qualities often lead to innovation, positive change, and a more productive and dynamic workplace. If you are looking for a new company or career, choose one that is committed to providing a challenging and rewarding experience, where every individual has the opportunity to succeed.

For more information about a career with New York Life visit us at www.newyorklife.com/diversity NEW YORK LIFE. THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.® © 2010 New York Life Insuranace Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 EOE/M/F/D/V

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Diversity Success Formula Must Embrace Differences in Abilities By Marie Y. Philippe, PhD Corporate Vice President, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness The Lifetime Healthcare Companies

While in recent history we have seen increasing percentage of people with disabilities in the workplace, once the economy began plummeting, that population was hit much harder. In August 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reported that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities reached 15.6%, compared to 9.3% for the otherwise able. That is a large gap that cannot be ignored, particularly if we intend on fostering equality. The aspect of disability, more respectfully referred to as different ability, crosses all dimensions of workplace diversity. People who have a physical or mental disability can be rich, poor, highly educated, Caucasian, Asian, African American, male or female, etc. Based on a 2007 report by Cornell University, people with disabilities form the largest minority sub-group in the United States. Why is it then, so many organizations have so few employees with disabilities? There is a variety of factors that influence the lack of organizational representation or growth of people with different abilities. If we set aside the fact that some people with disabilities do not openly self disclose, many employers commonly state the following factors: the inability to reach qualified candidates, the perception of costly accommodations in addition to higher health care costs due to expected higher benefits utilization, the concern of lowering performance standards, the fear of a lawsuit should a person with disability be terminated, the concern that people with disability miss work more frequently, and misperception that differences in physical abilities can translate into lower mental capabilities. Let’s briefly address some of these common concerns organizations may have. Where does an employer find a pool of qualified candidates with different abilities? From community to community there are variations. However, there are national resources, free and fee based, that specialize in pre-screening for a number of jobs that employers can post. For 86

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beginners, I would recommend researching www. enableamerica.org, www.rileyguide.com/abled.html, and/or www.gettinghired.com to get a sense of how to introduce your organization to people with different abilities and to become familiar with various organizations providing access. There are a number of universities with areas of focused education for people with disabilities. To name a few, George Washington University, Yale, Temple University–Institute on Disabilities, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID at RIT) offer a breadth of well-educated, ready-to-contribute talent. About 42% of people with non-severe disabilities are estimated to either hold a bachelor’s degree, associate degree or have some college education. Regarding cost, the DOL Job Accommodation Network and university research proved through surveys that most reasonable accommodations cost nothing out-of-pocket, such as allowing work shift flexibility, to minimal costs, with a median first year expense of $400. According to the DOL Office of Disability Employment, a 1990 survey conducted by DuPont’s employees with disabilities showed that 90% rated average or better in job performance compared to 95% without disabilities. A similar DuPont study nine years prior, found that 92% of employees with disabilities rated average or better in job performance compared to 90% without disabilities. Education is a huge element in the elimination of misconceptions about people with disabilities. Practice of inclusion in the workplace requires thoughtful consideration for all dimensions of differences. Making sure your success formula for workplace diversity accounts for people with different abilities will bring overall success for this untapped talent pool and your business. PDJ 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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CEO Leadership in Action Award Will Honor PERSONAL Achievements in Diversity

In the United States, corporations are treated as persons under the law. Yet most people, even corporate investors, have little knowledge of the CEOs who run corporations or large nonprofit organizations. These men and women are rarely mentioned in the news, even when their businesses achieve success, surpass forecasted earnings or earn accolades from the community. How unfortunate. The truth is that most organizations would falter without the leadership provided by the CEO. My personal experience after a dozen years of tracking diversity initiatives tells me that corporate America is filled with CEOs who are personally committed to achieving diversity. These leaders do so much more than just sign off on the diversity budget. These committed executives speak publicly about the merits of diversity and inclusion; they work to diversify the C-suite, initiate supplier diversity programs, and tie executive compensation to the achievement of diversity goals. These are just a few examples. Others include making opportunities for women and other minority groups, ensuring wage parity, and developing succession plans that extend opportunities for advancement to people heretofore on the fringe. In short, these leaders are out front, putting their own names behind programs to make sure they stay on track, and they do it every day with little or no recognition. No more. Profiles in Diversity Journal is on a mission to identify and recognize these leaders with the 2011 Leadership in Action Award in our March-April issue. It is time to honor those gifted and dedicated leaders who serve as both compass and conscience of the corporation, the men and women who routinely supply the guidance and grit to get the job done. When it comes to diversity, they accept no excuses. They embody what Thomas Jefferson said: In matters of principle, stand like a rock.

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These individuals live their values in every business climate; their commitment is rock solid. Their drive is inspiring. There just is no other way to put it. And we believe with passion that their work should be honored and their stories shared with others. In our March editorial feature, we will spotlight each CEO with a full-page feature that includes a company and personal profile, photography and an essay that describes their personal engagement in supporting the diversity and inclusion efforts of the organizations they lead. We expect our Leadership in Action editorial feature to become one of our most important features of the year. If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t received an application packet for your own CEO, there is still time, but you must act quickly. Applications must be submitted by January 14, 2011. Shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your CEO be among those we honor? With your help, we can see to it that he or she finally gets the recognition they deserve. Please understand that dynamic leaders are usually very modest and humble at their core and do not seek the spotlight. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we need your recommendation and support to make sure your CEO is recognized along with his or her peers. We hope that someday when diversity initiatives are no longer necessary, our children or grandchildren will remember these individuals who wove diversity so firmly into the fabric of our business culture that it could never unravel. Call us at 800-573-2867 for your application packet, or download it at www.diversityjournal. com. We look forward to hearing from you! James R. Rector Publisher/CEO

Diversity & Inclusion A t

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Jan Tratnik Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

A company that is making a

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every day.

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