Special Feature
WellPoint
Working the issue R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., PhD, reflects on WellPoint’s diversity commitment Since creating the Atlanta-based American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) back in the early 1980s, Dr. Thomas has strived to help American organizations make the most out of the contributions of their diverse associates. Today, he and his team look beyond workforce diversity to a broader set of management considerations including change management, functional coordination, business-line integration, and acquisitions and mergers. Dr. Thomas created AIMD to help organizations understand why managing diversity is essential not only ethically but also from a business perspective. In the words of the organization’s Web site, AIMD was the “first national, nonprofit diversity think tank.” Engaged in research, education and corporate consultation on diversity issues, AIMD has earned the esteem of many of America’s most prominent corporations including the Coca-Cola Company, which sponsored the original DLA in Atlanta.
R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., PhD, Founder, American Institute for Managing Diversity
Profiles in Diversity Journal spoke to Dr. Thomas recently about his work and about the experience of collaborating with WellPoint.
What has it been like to work with the WellPoint team on the creation of the Diversity Leadership Academy of Greater Indianapolis? It’s been energizing and exciting to work with Larry Glasscock and David Casey. Their enthusiasm for the academy is genuine. You see reflected in them the desire for WellPoint to be both a good corporate citizen and a good model of strategic diversity management. And I know the academy has been well received by the community in Indianapolis.
What has been Mr. Glasscock’s role as co-chair of the 20th anniversary celebration? He’s a committed champion of AIMD, and he was insistent that we needed to have a big celebration for the 20th anniversary. He saw it as a truly important milestone. He was an integral part of the celebration. He put in a great deal of effort. It was very impressive, given all he has on his plate.
From your perspective, what kind of opportunities does a company like WellPoint have to make real progress on diversity issues? Diversity management really amounts to making the most of differences and similarities in the midst of complexities and tensions. WellPoint is poised to move beyond the traditional diversity foci of workforce numbers and representation. It is also poised to illustrate how the concept of diversity management can be applied to other areas of business. To be ready for sustainable progress, you have to work the issue internally and externally, and that is what WellPoint is doing: combining traditional and non-traditional approaches to strengthen its business and, as the saying goes, ‘do the right thing’. You work it inside and outside, for the good of the company and for the community it serves. That’s what I see WellPoint doing, and I think it’s really commendable. Profiles in Diversity Journal
January/February 2006
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