diversity journal | 2008 innovations in diversity awards

Profiles in Diversity Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 89

90 Profiles in Diversity Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

1. BD

2. Georgia Power

3. WellPoint, Inc.

4. CVS Caremark

5. KPMG LLP

6. Burger King Corporation

7. Sodexo

8. New York Life

9. Credit Suisse

10. Borders Group, Inc.

AWArDS of ExCELLENCE

Alegent Health • Excellus BCBS

• Freescale Semiconductor • Interpublic Group • MGM MIRAGE •

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

ottawa Police Service

The companies above have distinguished themselves by virtue of the innovative approach they have taken to advance diversity in the work-place and in the communities they serve. in almost all cases, their efforts can be imitated and implemented by others who are still searching for the spark to ignite their own programs.

We like the fact that there is so much, well, diversity, among the initiatives described here. You’ll find programs that address generational differences, underserved youth, education, persons with disabilities, and a host of other topics. We sincerely hope you’ll read them carefully, and then try to identify what you can do at your own business, regardless of its size.

We congratulate these companies for their unwavering and creative commitment to diversity and inclusion. They are making the world a bet-ter place to live for all of us.


BD’s Network XYZ strives to bridge generation gaps, dis-pel age-related stereotypes, and

embrace positive differences. the X, Y and Z in the network’s name represent three generations in the BD workforce. the X and Y are obviously Generations X and Y. the Z, less obvious, represents everyone that is part of neither Generation X nor Y. why Z? Because “Network X/Y/Baby Boomers/traditionalists” seemed too cumbersome! If the Network’s motivation does not scream innovation, the vehicles used to achieve its goals might. they include:

• Speed Networking. A twist on speed-dating; associates are invited to participate in a fast-paced, structured “meet and greet.”

• XYZ Book Club. the book club meets monthly and is an opportunity for associates to meet colleagues with whom they might not otherwise interact and share perspectives on books they’ve read.

• Onsite Events. XYZ seeks to identify topics that effectively engage all three generations and host on-site educational events. the first onsite event was a seminar on personal finance. whether Generation X, Y, or Z, we all share the challenges of managing our finances. Associates of all generations found themselves commiser-ating with each other and sharing knowledge during this event.

• XYZ Offsite Events and Happy Hours. these fun after-hours outings have included events such as bowling and rock climbing. events are intentionally active in nature so that they will prompt conversation among participants. XYZ also organizes monthly happy hours at restau-rants near the office.

Network XYZ began as a grass-roots effort, envisioned by BD associates who identified a need to bridge the generation gap. this group garnered support from karen Graham, BD’s global diver-sity inclusion leader, and executive Vice President william kozy. with their endorsement and coun-sel, Network XYZ was launched. team XYZ, the associates who organize and execute events, is led by the Network’s founder, sien Mittiga. team XYZ is composed entirely of volunteers. Nearly all work associated with host-ing and launching events takes place either during lunch or after hours. the Network was awarded a modest first-year budget. Nearly all of the Network’s onsite events are produced at low or no cost. offsite activities are funded by associates themselves. Promotion of the initiative is achieved large-ly through digital (free) media and promotional materials. Network XYZ has a website on BD’s intranet which includes a current calendar of events. team XYZ also has several members with talent in graphic/web design, allowing the Network to produce eye-catching promotional e-mails and digital displays. the Network’s kick-off events attracted nearly 300 associates (from a total population of 2000), prompting more than 150 associates (of all generations) to sign up for the XYZ mailing list, and an additional 50 volunteered to help plan and execute events. the speed Networking reached maximum capacity (75 associates) the first day the event was advertised. Heavy demand for a regular schedule of speed networking opportunities prompted team XYZ to explore scheduling repeat events. offsite activities have routinely attracted 20-100 associates, despite the fact that BD does not subsi-dize any portion of the cost.

bD (becton, Dickinson and company)

PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL 2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy awarDS

Network xYZ1

www.bd.com

www.diversityjournal.com


GeorGIA Power is the largest subsidiary of southern Company, one of the nation’s larg-est generators of electricity. the company is

an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. the company has approxi-mately 9,000 employees. As one component of a broad-based leadership and culture change initiative to build trust and sustain a culture of excellence through inclusion, Georgia Power developed the retaliation Awareness and skill Building innovation in 2006, launching the program in 2007. the company has a voluntary turnover rate of less than 4.5 percent. It also has extremely high favorability ratings from employee surveys in the areas of corporate values, job safety, engagement/commitment, and value of diversity and inclusion. Despite these positive aspects of a family culture, the fear of retaliation has been a recurring theme not adequately addressed. It was beginning to negatively affect leadership credibility and employee trust. knowing the company is in compliance with the law and is bound to address formal, legal standards of retaliation such as discrimination, harassment or intimidation, top leader-ship focused on the subtle forms of behavior that do not rise to legal standards yet reduce trust, engagement and, ultimately, employee performance. the creation of the training objectives and course was done in-house, developed by the company’s diversity action organiza-tion. the Ceos of both Georgia Power and southern Company personally scrutinized the program design and provided critical input required to achieve the training objectives and create man-agement accountability. the company used a train-the-trainer concept to facilitate the training sessions. operational managers and supervisors became the trainers, which significantly added to the effectiveness of the sessions. For managers, the goal was to stop judging their personal leadership and employee trust based on good inten-tions. It is critical that leaders realize employees are judging them by their behavior. In the workshops, participants identify and discuss 10 specific behaviors that employees perceive as retaliatory. Instructors then facilitate a process with managers to break down denial that the behaviors occur and to understand the business impacts of continuing current patterns. the course also intro-duces three management skills that, if applied, will build trust and reduce the fear of retaliation.

the foundational, empirical data to drive the research came from Mckinsey and Company. the company previously asked them to do an assessment of how well it was implementing its diversity and inclusion initiatives, identify gaps, and forward recommendations. Next, Navigant Consulting developed a first-of-its-kind methodology to analyze four years of data from 10 different sources and 110,000 data points. Using cross analysis and GAP matrix, the team identified the 10 behaviors seen as retaliatory and the three management skills to build trust and reduce the fear of retaliation.

Benefits and positive changes achievedDUrING 2007, the diversity action organization coordinated and conducted 51 sessions with 1,233 attendees. every officer, manager, supervisor, and Hr representative attended the 8-hour session. the 10 behaviors and three management skills were taught by creating four video vignettes using professional actors to demonstrate commonly occurring work situations that create mistrust and fear of retaliation. the response from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, 96.8 percent of participants surveyed indicated that the workshop was an effective method for getting issues out in the open and learning from other managers how to handle those issues. Additionally, they said that the workshop was valuable in helping leaders at all levels understand the percep-tions of retaliation and the negative effect it has on employee productivity and engagement. this session has become one of four mandatory leadership development programs for supervisors to better manage the mix of employees in the workplace and build higher levels of perfor-mance and trust. the ultimate outcome is for employees to feel valued, respected and productive, through a trusting relationship with their immediate supervisor. the true benefit of an effort like this will be realized several years from now. the initial reaction from managers has been resolve…resolve to make a difference and create a legacy that will ensure Georgia Power’s success for many years to come. Another indicator of effectiveness was the candid, company-wide webcast on the subject by four senior executives, including the Ceos of Georgia Power and southern Company. that they were willing to tackle this elusive and sensitive issue so openly was unique. these executives were building trust in real time, a fact embraced by employees who viewed the broadcast.

Georgia power


retaliation Awareness and Skill Building to Create a Better Workplace2

www.georgiapower.com



wellPoint Health Networks and Anthem, Inc. merged in 2004 to form the largest

health benefits company in the United states. Instead of allowing a culture to evolve by default in this new company, Ceo and President Larry Glasscock designed a culture with his new executive leadership team…a team comprised of members from both legacy organizations. the executive leadership team developed a mission, vision, and five core values upon which the culture would rely. the five core values are Customer First, Leading through Innovation, one Company one team, Personal Accountability for excellence and Integrity. each of the values has guiding behaviors which act as guideposts for all 42,000 of our associates. wellPoint’s innovation in culture is threefold: includ-ing all 42,000 of our associates in our culture rollout, demonstrating the value of applying our culture concepts, and valuing ultimate diversity, the diversity of thought. Immediately after the merger we contracted with senn-Delaney Leadership to design and cascade our culture throughout the organization. our leadership team under-stood the importance of touching each one of our associates personally. this has created the opportunity for each associ-ate to understand how they individually influence the new desired culture, which greatly increases the potential for this new culture to be imbedded and sustained. the rollout to our associates was scheduled in five waves, based on geography. wellPoint operates primarily in 14 states, but we have associates in a total of 31 states. Currently, we have reached 82% of our associate population. the associate experience consists of a full day workshop. they practice the culture concepts first hand and hear from local leaders which of the concepts were most meaningful to them and how they are using them in their own lives at work and/or at home. the workshops are co-facilitated by two wellPoint associates who also apply the concepts personally and throughout the day share personal stories, conveying the impact these concepts have had on them, and can have on their fellow associates. Associate Culture workshop facilitators must pass a rig-orous certification process which is overseen by senn-Delaney Leadership. this ensures the facilitators are grounded in the

culture concepts and are appropriate role models for other associates by actively living wellPoint’s core values. one key component of the workshop is delving into our own operating system, as human beings. each associate dis-covers for themselves what types of thoughts they are having that are influencing them to behave in a certain way, which determines the results they are getting. If there are areas in their lives where they are not getting desired results, they are encouraged to identify their behaviors and examine the think-ing/beliefs that are driving them. we also explore the different preferences and tendencies individuals have in communicating and relating to others. Using a framework developed by senn-Delaney, we identify four different behavioral styles and associates discover what their own preferences and tendencies are, and what others prefer. Associates experience how each of them get results, and discuss that all four types are needed for us to be a high performing organization. the secret to success is not master-ing one behavioral style, but to recognize the strengths and challenges of each type and how to flex your own style to work effectively with the other styles. At the end of the one-day workshop each associate creates an “I will” statement. they commit to taking action on one or two insights they have had that day to increase their personal effectiveness and fulfillment. there are several indicators of the success of this initia-tive. wellPoint has surveyed workshop participants 90 days after going through the workshop. Positive feedback has been received from our associates. In addition to tapping into recent culture workshop participants, wellPoint also con-ducts an annual, all associate engagement survey, to assess our progress on living the core values and reaching our desired culture. our survey results indicate positive progress, despite significant organizational change and turbulence within the U.s. economy. Ultimately, as humans, we are all just a group of think-ers. wellPoint understands that valuing the differences and similarities in our thoughts, and tapping into that diversity to create a culture of competitive distinction, is what is going to help us achieve our vision to “transform health care and become the most valued company in our industry.”

Wellpoint, inc.

Corporate Cultural Change —one Person at a Time3


www.wellpoint.com



CVs CAreMArk is the largest provider of prescriptions and related health care services

in the nation. the company’s goal is to lead in the cutting-edge development of diverse employment, training, and education programs, and to establish CVs Caremark as the distinguished model for innovative workforce initiatives. In order to help realize this vision, CVs Caremark has established partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations.

recognizing a national trend that sees only 56 percent of working-age people with a disability in a job, CVs Caremark has maintained a commitment to hire and train people with disabili-ties. CVs Caremark tailors its physical workplaces and job duties to make the company more friendly and accessible to workers with disabilities.

one particularly innovative partnership that formed in 2006 was with the Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI), a not-for-profit agency headquartered in smithtown, New York, with more than 30 locations throughout suffolk and Nassau Counties. serving nearly 1,000 children and adults with a diag-nosis of an Autism spectrum Disorder (AsD), DDI is the largest provider of services for individuals with autism on Long Island. It provides educational, vocational, and residential programs, as well as medical and dental services, for over 1,500 children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. CVs/pharmacy’s Long Island regional office, Human resources, as well as district and store managers, worked with DDI’s vocational department to ensure the placements were success-ful and employees with disabilities were properly trained and effective in a store setting.

the DDI partnership has proven to be incredibly success-ful for both CVs and the employees the company has hired through the program. since the start of the program two years ago, CVs has hired 12 employees with autism. of the 12, nine are still employed. one of the reasons this partnership has been so successful is because CVs store managers have been open to carving out a relatively small job with a small number of hours for employees with autism.

one success story is that of George Hanna, an employee with autism who has worked at a CVs/pharmacy in Long Island for the past two years after coming through the DDI program. Hanna

works four days a week at CVs and his main job responsibilities include spacing (making sure products are aligned properly on shelves), cleaning, helping customers, and paging co-workers and managers. His favorite parts of the job are helping customers and cleaning, and he is especially proud of a certificate he was awarded for his great work. Hanna’s grandmother says that she’s seen a significant positive attitude change in her grandson since he started his job at CVs, and he has really learned about respon-sibility at his job. Hanna saw an opportunity to get training and build a career; the company looked beyond his disability to see the capable and committed employee he has turned out to be.

DDI feels that employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities are rare, and recently honored CVs for its willingness to hire and support employees with autism and developmental disabilities. the New York state rehabilitation Association (NYsrA) presented CVs of suffolk County with its “2007 employer recognition Award” at a breakfast celebration. Members of DDI’s Adult Vocational program nominated CVs of suffolk County for the award in appreciation of their commit-ment to employ over a dozen adults served by DDI in their stores. the award recognized the collaborative effort put forth every day by CVs’s Long Island regional office, the Human resources department, as well as district and store managers to help place DDI individuals.

Inclusion of employees with disabilities in the workplace is an important part of CVs’ diversity initiatives. In 2006, CVs received the New Freedom Initiative Award from U.s. secretary of Labor elaine L. Chao. the award recognized CVs for dem-onstrating exemplary and innovative efforts to recruit, hire, and promote people with disabilities, incorporating the principles of President George w. Bush’s New Freedom Initiative to give people with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of community life.

Committed to building an outstanding workforce through the hiring, training, and retention of quality and diverse col-leagues from all backgrounds and walks of life, CVs Caremark and DDI have worked together to unlock the potential of people with disabilities—which not only benefits the employees but is good business for CVs Caremark.

cvs caremark

A Partnership for a Diverse Workforce4


www.cvs.com



As A FIrM, kPMG’s particular focus is on youth and education. we recognize that all too often, children from poorer communities

may be disadvantaged when it comes to acquiring basic reading, writing, and math skills. or they may lack a strong adult role model in their lives to mentor and encourage them. either way, the result is a gap in skills that affects their future. In June 2007, kPMG became the sole corporate sponsor of Major League Baseball’s reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (rBI) program. the multi-year, multi-million dollar relationship with Major League Baseball helps to further underscore our firm’s commitment to diversity and provides our people with a compel-ling and personally rewarding new way to give back to others. established by Major League Baseball (MLB) player John Young in 1989, today rBI is a worldwide outreach program for inner city boys and girls designed to increase participation in baseball and softball and promote the inclusion of minorities in the mainstream of the game, while encouraging academic achievement, developing self-esteem, and teaching the value of teamwork.

Why RBI is Uniqueour partnership with rBI enables us to provide volunteer oppor-tunities to our partners and employees that are consistent with our strategic goals as responsible corporate citizens. rBI helps us change lives while supporting our commitment to diversity and our profession. working through rBI, kPMG volunteers help inner-city children learn how to play baseball and softball, and acquire the skills they will need to excel throughout their lives. we believe the dedication of our people will continue to be our most valu-able contribution to rBI—the direct and long-lasting impact they will have on the children whose lives they touch through a simple game of baseball or softball. our support of rBI has had immediate results, with far-reaching impact. we’re especially proud that:

• Working with MLB, KPMG helped launch RBI in six cities in 2007 and helped create a National Board of Directors.

• With preparations for RBI’s 2008 season now underway, kPMG has helped nine more cities to launch programs—for a total of 15—and is facilitating launches in six additional cities, including in Hawaii and Puerto rico.

kPMG and Major League Baseball Charities established the “rBI for rBI” scholarship Fund, a new initiative that will provide rBI high school seniors with financial support to pursue a post-secondary education. More importantly, each scholarship recipi-

ent will be assigned a kPMG mentor who will provide encour-agement as the student makes this life transition. In addition to the initial endowment of $500,000, kPMG and MLB will donate $1 for each run batted in throughout the major league baseball season. More than 900 kPMG partners and employees volunteered for rBI activities across the United states. they served as on-field coaches and scorekeepers, field maintenance, and site manage-ment personnel, and off-field volunteers working in classrooms to help provide various academic and mentoring programs to rBI’s boys and girls. kPMG has developed two educational courses for rBI youth—“skills that Pay the Bills” and “Fair Ball”—to be delivered by kPMG volunteers. each course will help kids see business as an exciting career opportunity and educate them on the ethical issues that transcend sportsmanship and life. we established a permanent Community sponsorships team within kPMG that’s focused on expanding our rBI initiatives and activities, as well as rBI Core teams and volunteer networks in kPMG offices in each of the original rBI cities. Chairman and Ceo tim Flynn presented a donation of $1 million to MLB during the 2007 world series, representing kPMG’s initial financial support. since our involvement with rBI began in June 2007, kPMG partners and employees have had many opportunities to volunteer, including during MLB’s 2007 All star week. those opportunities will continue throughout the 2008 season as our people volunteer at rBI tournaments and clinics, and again dur-ing All star week.

Measuring—and Sustaining—SuccessAccording to Major League Baseball, in 2007, 17 rBI alumni were selected in Major League Baseball’s draft. And in the years since rBI began, 30 Major League ball clubs have drafted more than 150 rBI graduates. But even more importantly, thousands of girls and boys have graduated high school, attended college, and are building successful careers. rBI enables kPMG to reach out to inner city youth and encourage them to look toward their own futures. we are extremely proud to have the opportunity to team with MLB. our involvement reaffirms our commitment to diversity and our communities, and inspiring boys and girls as they reach higher, strive for a brighter future, and achieve goals they thought were otherwise unattainable.

KpmG LLp

Major League Baseball Is Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities5


www.kpmg.com



tHe woMeN’s LeADersHIP ForUM (wLF) was founded at Burger king

Corporation (BkC) in 1998. this organization was formed by a group of BkC women in the corporate headquarters who had a vision to enhance the leadership potential of women within the company by providing opportunities for continuous learning and networking, both inside and out-side of the organization. today, the wLF consists of more than 300 BkC employees worldwide—20 percent of whom are men—who have the opportunity to participate in an array of mentoring, community outreach, and professional development programs. the wLF began offering a structured mentoring program in 2001 with the support of BkC, with great results. In 2007, BkC support led to its expansion both financially and organizationally to become a linchpin of the corporate workforce self-development goals, as all officers and directors are required to participate, enabling BkC to extend the benefits of the wLF Mentoring Program to a broader audience. the program pairs a senior level professional with a more junior level person from a cross-functional part of the business. It is primarily a mentee-driven program in which all of the mentees are self-nominated so the dedi-cation to results is based on each mentee’s commitment. while the program is flexible in order to meet the specific objective of the mentee, there also are business objectives of the mentoring program. they are to:• Enhance employee effectiveness and results by estab-

lishing supportive relationships with senior individuals outside their immediate work group.

• Assist employees in advancing their career opportunity potential and complement additional current training opportunities offered at BkC.

• Motivate employees by providing additional supportive individuals that encourage development and performance results through proven leadership and experience.

• Provide resources for demonstrating and modeling leadership.

• Provide an opportunity for employees to engage in professional networking.

• Support employees in adjusting to and providing leadership in a changing corporate culture.

the keys to the success of the program are the dedicated 9-member steering Committee and 26-member Implementation team (I-team). the chair of the Mentorship program rotates among wLF members. these volunteers facilitate several aspects of the men-tor program: applications, interviews of mentors and mentees, and the training. they also provide a resource to aid the mentor/mentee relationships throughout the year—devoting significant man-hours.

Impact of the Program

the wLF mentoring program has grown in its impact each program year. the number of participants has grown, and the participants have confirmed its benefit in addressing their personal objectives. several members have participated each of the years as a mentee, mentor and/or I-team member. this year’s mentor program is the largest to date with over 250 people involved in 115 pairings. this includes a few dual mentors/mentees and two executive team members who have volunteered to become mentors to more than one mentee. the expansion of field par-ticipation to almost 50 percent of the program further magnifies the impact of the program. Female participa-tion has increased over 240 percent, and there is increased participation from ethnic minorities as well.

burger King corporation

Women’s Leadership forum (WLf) Mentor Program6


www.burgerking.com



At soDeXo, we employ more than 120,000 employees at more than 6,000

locations across North America. Increasing diversity and inclusion is one of our strategic imperatives, as we firmly believe that this helps us fulfill our mission “to contribute to a more pleasant way of life for people…” sodexo’s ten key elements model, which can be repli-cated in other organizations, underpins our systemic cul-ture change efforts and has been an organizing framework to keep us focused and helped us get traction in a relatively short period of time. through the ten key elements, we have enhanced employee engagement and client retention, and provided added value for business development. Here is a descrip-tion of the ten key elements: 1. Commitment from the top. our chief diversity

officer reports directly to the Ceo, who chairs the diversity leadership council. the executive team demonstrates commitment and personal involve-ment through executive sponsorship, mentoring, ongoing diversity education, and connecting with diverse communities.

2. Strong business case. sodexo’s leaders understand how critical D & I is to our success, making it one of our six strategic imperatives. we recognize its role in recruiting and retaining the best talent. It is a key differentiator for sodexo with our clients, customers, and employees, and is helping to grow the business.

3. Clearly articulated diversity strategy. our “top down-bottom up” strategy includes the work-place, stakeholders, and the communities in which we do business. the strategy continually evolves as we drive initiatives through four strategic levels including leadership at all levels, awareness and skills to manage diverse teams, recruitment and retention of the best talent, and internal and external communication.

4. Resources and structure. three senior directors report directly to our market presidents acting as CDos in their respective business lines. In addition to the close to 20 content experts who work within the diversity office, we trained and manage a pool of 20 external consultants who provide interventions for our teams.

5. Grass roots involvement. our six “best in class” employee network groups drive engagement at the grass roots level, while our market segment diver-sity councils focus on operational engagement.

6. Measurement system. sodexo’s innovative Diversity scorecard Index evaluates progress in recruitment, promotion, and retention of minority and female exempt employees. this measurement system has proven to be key to our culture change.

7. Accountability. A significant portion of the bonus is tied to our Diversity scorecard Index. It is noteworthy that the Ceo has opted to pay out these bonuses, independent of profitability.

8. Supplier diversity and partnerships. sodexo nurtures over 60 partnerships in diverse commu-nities as a part of our external relations strategy. we use our diverse vendor program as a sell-ing point of differentiation and build equity in communities that grow both businesses.

9. Recognition. sodexo’s formal and informal recognition programs, including “Champions of Diversity” and “spirit of sodexo,” acknowl-edge exceptional efforts and reinforce role model behaviors.

10. Diversity integrated into core of business. through the ten key elements, we are mak-ing diversity and inclusion an inherent part of our culture and business growth, domestically and globally. with diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage, sodexo is an employer of choice and the benchmark for customers, clients, and communities.

sodexo

Ten Key Elements7


www.sodexoUSA.com



New York LIFe’s women’s Market unit created a user-friendly web site to

provide information about the benefits of a career as a life insurance agent at New York Life. the web site for women—www.nylcareersforwomen.com—provides easy access to information about the rewards a career in life insurance can offer women at all stages of their profes-sional development.

the benefits, which many women seek, include the ability to have a flexible work schedule, the opportunity for unlimited income potential, and a career that offers lifelong training and support from a company of experts. In essence, as a life insurance agent at New York Life one has the opportunity to be an entrepreneur while being supported by a Fortune 100 company that offers additional benefits including health insurance, participation in a retirement plan, and residual compensation.

In addition, life insurance agents build lasting relation-ships in their community as they help families achieve financial security. surveys show that more than 70 percent of women agents feel making a difference in people’s lives is their main reason to become an agent.

the purpose of the web site is to recruit women to become life insurance agents and managers. the site allows visitors to take a step towards a career in life insur-ance. It also serves as a method for New York Life to gain insight that can be used in the future for various women’s initiatives both online and off. online surveys are regularly

used as well as web analysis tools to gauge what visitors are most interested, in such as the on-line videos featuring successful agents and managers.

Many departments and individuals at New York Life were involved with the implementation of the project. the corporate Internet department (CID) worked closely with the women’s Market to create content, incorporate interactive tools, and design the look of the site. After CID performed tests, management and communicators in the company analyzed and approved these elements. Many agents and managers regularly participate by sharing their real life success stories and providing ongoing feedback and content and suggestions.

the web site is reaching people who might not have been aware of the career opportunities at New York Life. the women’s Market and New York Life in general have benefited from the increase in the pool of potential agents. the number and quality of applications that have already come through the site have far surpassed initial expec-tations. An unexpected benefit was that this pool also includes men.

In addition, nearly a third of the women’s Market newly-hired agents in 2007 originally researched the company and a career in insurance over the web before applying. the web site was one of the factors in the suc-cess of the women’s Market surpassing their 2007 hiring objective.

new York Life

Finding Work Through The Web8


www.newyorklife.com



At CreDIt sUIsse, developing and promoting an inclusive workplace is of

utmost importance. Credit suisse’s innovation and drive stem from the diverse backgrounds, ideas, and experiences of our employees. therefore, the optimal work environ-ment is one in which all employees are accepted and treat-ed with dignity and respect. the end goal is clear: promot-ing diversity within Credit suisse is not only beneficial for our employees, but for our clients and the bank as well.

the high value Credit suisse places on diversity spurred the creation of our four employee Networks: Americas women’s Network, the open Network, the Multicultural resource Network, and the Family Network (UsFN). these global networks are open to all employees and serve as forums through which employees can share their expe-riences, ideas, and knowledge. these diverse organizations facilitate career growth through informal mentoring and networking, offer further access to senior management, help employees maintain a balance between work and personal life, and enable employees to engage in and drive diversity efforts.

the Credit suisse Family Network’s mission is to create an information network that supports working families uti-lizing practical tips and shared personal experiences from members, research from external resources, and experts with a strong focus on child and elder care issues. the UsFN acts as a channel for Credit suisse’s family-related activities, provides additional opportunities to network across divisions, offers feedback to the bank regarding existing and proposed policies, and positively influences corporate culture to embrace work/life balance.

with over 1,200 active members, the Family Network is able to provide a wide range of programming con-cerning the parenting lifecycle and caring for children, parents, and grandparents. these programs correspond with the network’s commitment to address, among other issues, children with special needs, alternative family structures, elder care, family building, parenting of chil-dren from kindergarten through high school, and college/ education planning.

every month the UsFN hosts a lecture event featuring a guest speaker on a topic of relevance to families.

the Credit suisse Family Network also sponsors a series of programs and workshops such as:

• CPR Courses for infants, children and adults taught by experienced paramedics

• “Ask the Pediatrician”—a regularly offered program

• “The Parent Equation: The Art and Science of Parenting”—a six part series

• First Aid Workshops for medical and traumatic emergencies

• “Thriving Teens: Parenting for Positive Growth”—a six part lunch series

• Childproofing Classes—a frequently offered and highly popular seminar.

Additionally, members of the Family Network have organized monthly discussions to further explore the broad range of interests within the organization.

In support of all Credit suisse employees with children in high school, the Family Network also coordinates a yearly College expo in which 400 employees and their college bound children participated. the positive feedback was overwhelming and the success of the College expo enabled the Family Network to partner with Credit suisse to establish a scholarship for Children of employees.

At Credit suisse, we determine success in terms of impact. with an annual event attendance of approximately 3,000 (roughly 30 percent of our New York employee population), we regard the Credit suisse Family Network as an overwhelming success. the UsFN has truly made an impact not only within its membership, but also throughout the entire bank.

the Credit suisse Family Network is an outstand-ing organization that has done an incredible amount of work to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace. through its innovative programs, the UsFN has provided a necessary support system for employee parents and care-givers, and, more importantly, has helped to mold Credit suisse into a larger, more accepting family.

credit suisse

Credit Suisse family Network9


www.creditsuisse.com



BorDers GroUP established a diversity initiative more than six years ago to sup-

port the business imperative of diversity in the workplace. through the work of an internal Diversity task Force and related subcommittees and advisory councils, the initiative focuses on four strategic cornerstones of diversity: reflect-ing the communities Borders Group serves; anticipating and surpassing the expectations of diverse customers; formalizing a supplier diversity program; and building internal and external awareness of Borders Group’s com-mitment to diversity.

As an extension of our commitment to diversity—and more specifically, our belief that older workers are a valu-able part of America’s workforce—Borders Group teamed with retirementJobs.com and AArP to launch a series of free Age 50+ Job seeker workshops in four Boston-area Borders stores. the 90-minute workshops were targeted at job seekers, age 50-plus, and were intended to enable them to plan and complete a successful job search. A total of 175 job seekers attended the sessions. the work-shops were led by Bob skladany, VP research & services for retirementJobs.com, and ed redfern of the AArP workforce Issues team.

the sessions, though small in scale, were a great exam-ple of the positive things that result when different com-panies, which share at least one goal, come together at the local level to provide trusted and valuable information to a specific population segment. expenses for these sessions were kept at a minimum: the sessions were conducted at Borders stores; attendees were provided with simple hand-outs; and marketing was limited to traditional in-store promotions and local media outreach via a press release. Planning for these sessions was coordinated at the corpo-rate office level, but store staff was integrally involved in ensuring the sessions were executed properly.

Participant feedback, personal observations and subse-quent participant follow up confirms that the Age 50+ Job seeker workshops had a significant and positive influence on the mindset and job searching capabilities of those attending. Borders is currently looking at conducting more of these sessions in major markets around the country.

the personal reactions have been consistently favor-able and strongly confirm the value and effectiveness of the workshop venue, material and presentation. representative written comments include:

• “This was an excellent high-level presentation with just so much detail.”

• “This is a very important issue at this time when there are so many of us beyond 50. thank you all for this information.”

• “Excellent presentation – good mix of detail and humor. I learned a lot.”

borders Group, inc.

Age 50+ Job Seeker Workshops10


www.borders.com



“It GIVes Me GreAt PLeAsUre to introduce the inaugural issue of

‘Cornerstone.’ this monthly newsletter is designed to inform you about national monthly diversity themes, showcase the talents of our regional Diversity Network groups and highlight [excellus BlueCross Blueshield’s] community outreach programs and partnerships. the office of Diversity is dedicated to fostering an environment where the contributions of all employees are valued.” these were the words used by David klein, president and Ceo of excellus BlueCross Blueshield, to introduce the office of Diversity Cornerstone newsletter and posters.

As tHe seCoND LArGest employer in Nebraska, Alegent Health, a healthcare

system in Iowa and Nebraska with over 8,700 employees, felt the need to foster diversity by strengthening employ-ee and community relationships. In october 2007, the Alegent diversity department launched a new, five-level training program series that has been rolled out to over 6000 employees. the new training modules are created to increase diversity awareness among employees as they provide care in a Healthcare environment. Monthly “Cultural Food Days” were implemented in January 2008 to bring cultural awareness to each hospital campus by delivering historical, geographical, cultural, religious, and nutritional information to employees. we collaborated with our three Child Development Centers to develop an educational program around each culture which would allow the children, grandchildren, or family members of Alegent employees to learn about our many diverse cultures. employees and their families made the decorations for the displays. other training modules included the following:

• A free semi-annual Health Care Career Camp was offered to 50 diverse high school students in an effort to breech the gap between generational diversity.

• Four Diversity Healthcare Scholarships were created for graduating high school seniors or current college students who are pursuing healthcare related fields. these scholarships give the non-typical, non-traditional student the opportunity to pursue a post high school education.

• Four Community Diversity Awards were created to strengthen and recognize community relationships.

Alegent Health

Excellus BCBS

Five-level Diversity Training

Cornerstone Poster and Newsletters Series


Award of Excellence

Award of Excellence

AwArds of ExcEllEncE Profiles in Diversity Journal is proud to honor the

following companies with our Award of Excellence for their innovations in diversity. They are

presented here in alphabetical order.

the awards honor individuals or nonprofit organiza-tions that advocate and protect civil and human rights; lead the fight against discrimination and prejudice; foster positive communication; and promote relations among persons of different backgrounds or physical and mental abilities.

A scholarship Banquet will be held in July of every year where both the Diversity Healthcare scholarship and Diversity Awards will be given. recipients are selected by the Alegent Diversity Council. the purpose of all of our initiatives is to live out our mission: “Faithful to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, our mission to provide high quality care for the body mind and spirit of every person…to achieve this mission we pledge to be creative, visionary leaders committed to the most holistic healthcare in the region.”

www.alegenthealth.com

www.excellusbcbs.com



INCLUsIoN trAINING at Freescale was launched in 2006 as the result of

diversity-related conversations that took place over the course of the last few years. the first phase of this train-ing was titled, “winning Culture & Inclusion.” this was the first training of its kind at Freescale in an effort to build awareness around diversity.

Freescale had a strong desire to define inclusion in meaningful terms, especially with the arrival and creation of a new winning culture and inclusion director and team. As the conversations continued, Freescale became con-vinced that launching an e-learning course was the most effective and innovative way to build understanding and a global definition of inclusion that would resonate with every employee.

the “winning Culture and Inclusion” training module is an online course that is for all levels of employees and embedded into the onboarding processes for new hires. the course was designed specifically to deliver effective winning culture and inclusion content, with examples, utilizing communication, coordination, and teamwork.

there were several obstacles that had to be over-come: the company would not settle for off-the-shelf

done with great ease. to ensure that we had the right look for our venture, we purchased new computer software packages and conducted training sessions to create the Cornerstone Poster. the benefits and observed positive feedback have been overwhelmingly positive. the feedback from employees has only served to strengthen our efforts to select executive-level diversity champions and identify-ing diversity related themes that speak to the lives of our employees.

Excellus BCBS (continued)

Freescale Semiconductor

Inclusion Training


Award of Excellence

the Cornerstone newsletter and posters seek to inform and educate employees by highlighting diversity issues. the newsletter features information pertaining to diversi-ty in our workplace and the world around us. each edition highlights a monthly theme, Diversity Network (D-Net) activities, Champions for Diversity spotlights, diversity quizzes, as well as a “Lest we Forget” topic, which gen-erally relates to a historical event or topic related to the monthly theme. the National Diversity Calendar determines the theme for each month. the Diversity Networks are volunteer employee groups designed to support and sustain diversity efforts in the company by planning activities, speakers, and fairs centered on diverse topics. Champions for Diversity highlight employees within the company who uphold the mission and philosophy of the office of Diversity. Cornerstone posters precede the newsletter and are meant to serve as a teaser to spark the interest of employ-ees as well as create conversation pieces especially in common, yet “awkward” gathering areas such as the elevator, the lobby, or the restroom. the posters include intricate graphics, quotes, and quick blurbs relating to the topics in the upcoming newsletter. the posters are designed so they can be displayed in a variety of ways and in various locations, even as framed art. the posters are distributed in hard copy format and are mailed throughout our upstate New York region, from Buffalo to Utica. excellus BCBs employs 7,000 workers throughout upstate New York, covering a service area that spans about 380 miles. the newsletter is distributed both electronically and in hardcopy format. employees may visit the Diversity web site and click on the link to find not only the most current Cornerstone newsletter, but to also access prior editions. Launching Cornerstone was a collaborative effort between the diversity office, human resources, corporate communications, corporate administration, and mail services. Because this was a new initiative, budgets and line items had to be shifted and reallocated. with the sup-port of the Ceo and our financial offices, all of this was

www.freescale.com



INterPUBLIC GroUP (IPG) is a global provider of advertising and marketing services.

through our 43,000 employees in all major world mar-kets, our companies specialize in consumer advertising, interactive marketing, media planning and buying, public relations, and specialized disciplines. our clients include many of the world’s best-known companies and best-loved brands.

IPG began a formal Diversity and Inclusion effort in 2004, with the hiring of the first director of diversity in our industry. since then, the company has implemented a number of new initiatives to complement recruitment and hiring efforts. these initiatives included a two-year fellowship program, employee Business resource Groups, education and training, an active supplier diversity pro-gram and a menu of metrics to gauge progress.

In 2006, IPG launched an initiative that would serve as a catalyst for deeper and more enduring change through a cohesive strategic approach. the IPG Leadership for Progress Initiative is breaking new ground and building a foundation for success. For us, this effort represents an innovation in governance and leadership, a foundation for sustainability and institutional commitment, a com-mitment of appropriate resources, an effort that is deliver-ing clear benefits to the organization, and a strategy that has taken hold and demonstrated results.

Because of the initiative, which began in 2006, the IPG board of directors, the Ceo, and the company’s agency Ceos are now formally aligned to make progress against an important business strategy.

the IPG Board of Directors holds annual Diversity and Inclusion reviews. IPG’s chairman and Ceo, Michael

Freescale (continued)

content; the learning had to be delivered in five languages; the launch of the training had to be in real time for all employees; and finally, the content had to include busi-ness conduct and inclusion examples for working across borders, not just U.s.-based diversity issues.

to manage these expectations, the e-learning project manager worked with his counterparts in all regions to solicit input from employees on what inclusion meant to them, how inclusion plays out in real scenarios, and the variety of anticipated outcomes. It was important for employees to relate to the content and actually put them-selves into the scenarios that were created. they defined what inclusion genuinely meant to them in their primary languages, including Mandarin, spanish, French and english. the same individuals led a Q&A session for the course student to close the training module.

the objectives of the training were to increase diver-sity/inclusion awareness among employees and provide a visual metric behind diversity/inclusion and its impact on talent and culture. to meet these goals, the team tapped several resources that grew this initiative into a truly global and collaborative effort. some of these included the information technology department, legal, corporate communication, Hr, and creative services.

As a result of Freescale’s diversity training, posi-tive changes are underway including an overall shared understanding of what inclusion and diversity mean at Freescale, enabling the company to grow every day. so far, 21,000 of 24,000 Freescale employees have taken the winning Culture and Inclusion training.

the launch of diversity training has been a milestone for Freescale and has contributed to the elevation of inclusion as a key, global business imperative. the team continues to encourage and drive more and more conver-sations every day that will undoubtedly shape its future training offerings. these conversations facilitate employee solutions and empower employees to be the best ambas-sadors possible to customers and to one another; they will serve as the bridge between ongoing innovation and long-term sustainability.

Interpublic Group

Leadership for Progress Initiative

Award of Excellence


www.interpublic.com



MGM MIrAGe is a presenting sponsor of the women of Color Conference. Last

year’s inaugural event was the first of its kind in Las Vegas. Members of the corporate diversity department were catalysts in creating the event along with the four ethnic chambers of commerce—American Indian, Asian, Latin, and Urban. this historic event attracted more than 500 minority women and men who gathered to participate in workshops ranging from health and wellness to personal finance, beauty and self-esteem, career development, and leadership skills.

the conference attracted local and national leaders including Marilyn Johnson, vice president of market development for IBM; Juana Bordas, author and president of Mestiza Leadership International; terrie williams, entrepreneur and motivational speaker; sachi koto, presi-dent and Ceo of sachi koto Communications; Brenda Perryman, author and performance poet; Nevada First Lady Dawn Gibbons; and Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.

Debra Nelson, MGM MIrAGe vice president for corporate diversity, communications and communi-ty affairs, saw a need for dialogue among minority women in the Las Vegas community. she approached the chambers of commerce with the idea, and they overwhelmingly agreed. From there, a day-long event was created to bring women together from across southern Nevada and beyond. the goal of the event was to provide leadership, networking, and learning opportuni-ties through a variety of workshops.

As a presenting sponsor last year, MGM MIrAGe con-tributed in-kind donations to the conference. Additionally, the company had six executives on the planning commit-tee and enlisted the department’s three summer interns to work on the conference.

I. roth, personally leads the IPG Network Diversity Council. the Council, which meets as many as three times each year, consists of his direct reports, the Ceos of IPG agencies and the leaders of new employee Business resource Groups.

Compensation is linked to progress with workforce diversity at all levels, including supplier diversity and the implementation of best practices within each organization.

the Leadership for Progress Initiative is establishing an enduring, institutionalized foundation to bring about sustainable diversity and inclusion. the initiative address-es long-term commitment, leadership involvement and governance, and accountability for measurable results.

substantial resources are invested to ensure the effec-tiveness of the IPG Leadership for Progress Initiative. Funding has been made available, and the initiative is supported by the board and top management on a con-tinuing basis.

Now in its second year, the IPG Leadership for Progress Initiative has benefited our network at the corporate and agency levels in many ways including the following:

• Diversity and Inclusion are being worked into IPG’s cultural and corporate DNA.

• CEOs and other C-Suite stakeholders are becoming partners with human resources leaders, diversity managers and supplier diversity officers.

• The initiative is promoting more credibility with employees and talent markets.

• Workforce diversity, supplier diversity and inclusion programs are beginning to take hold.

• More agencies have begun to implement similar approaches, including many of our largest subsid-iaries such as McCann-erikson, Draftfcb, Initiative, Deutsch, and Universal McCann, among others.

• In the U.S., the network’s representation of people of color has doubled!

IPG (continued)

MGM MIRAGE

Women of Color Conference

Award of Excellence


www.mgmmirage.com



For the upcoming 2008 women of Color Conference, MGM MIrAGe has committed to a leading role as a presenting sponsor in addition to hosting the event at its Mandalay Bay resort & Casino. Debra Nelson serves as chair of this year’s planning committee and sev-eral executives are again playing key roles in the success of the event.

the women of Color Conference benefits women of all ethnicities, professions, and social backgrounds. Conference attendees include students, young profession-als, seasoned executives, and business owners in numer-ous fields. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary, however, is the Las Vegas community, as the conference is a demonstra-tion of the collective power of the local minority chambers of commerce to enact a program that benefits women across the country. the inaugural conference also raised $20,000 which was donated as scholarship funds to the four chambers.

the inaugural women of Color Conference received a tremendous amount of positive response. surveys were filled out by conference attendees, rating the conference on quality of speakers, timing of events, relevance of discussion topics, etc. overall, attendees felt informed, inspired, and looked forward to future events. the confer-ence attracted participants from around the country, and several attendees have created similar events in their local communities. Additionally, the success of the inaugural conference led to it becoming an annual event.

tHe New JerseY Department of environmental Protection (DeP) is an agency that provides environmental ser-

vices and information to the residents of New Jersey. By 2010 the population of New Jersey is expected to reach

50 percent minority classified groups, making New Jersey one of the most diverse states. According to the DeP’s office of environmental Justice, DeP is now looking at the impact its decisions and services have on its minor-ity population. As such, diversity competence is a critical component for DeP’s effective and productive operation.

As communities become more diverse, there is a need to assist individuals in learning ways to better communicate with one another across difference. the Diversity training workgroup (DtwG) sought to bring together a dialogue with managers about issues such as race, sexual orientation, workplace, and education, in a way that is safe, constructive, and leads to growth for the organization.

the training prepares individuals to participate in the creation of a respectful, multicultural society that honors the background and experience of all individuals. the training focuses on making participants aware of how racism is connected to both conscious and unconscious attitudes and behaviors. It moves beyond the notions of superficial politeness and political correctness to teach a way to talk about race in a culture that offers few oppor-tunities for honest, open communication across racial, ethnic, and other differences.

Diversity as defined in DeP Policy #2.02 means the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values, beliefs, and differences as assets to the groups and organizations with which they interact regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital sta-tus. key indicators that further define Diversity include:

• Creates harmony among individuals and enables the department to use everyone’s abilities more effectively;

• Enables the Department to have a workforce, includ-ing management, that is reflective if its stakeholders;

• Encourages a climate of inclusion and involvement, which minimizes tension;

• Cultural competence skill building through effective communication, training, and hands on experience.

thus far the training program has only been provided to DeP managers (section Chiefs and above). to date,

MGM MIRAGE (continued)

New Jersey DEP

Beyond Diversity Training

Award of Excellence


www.state.nj.us/dep



IN 2003, the ottawa Police service recog-nized that making the organization more

diverse would enable it to better serve the diverse commu-nity at large. the outreach recruitment Project was born.

one of the main principles of the outreach recruitment Project was fact-based decision making. the police service needed to know who made up its ranks before it could establish where as an organization it wanted to go. work on devising a way to collect that information started mid-2004 with the idea of a census. In March 2006, the ottawa Police released the results of its census. the census has fundamentally changed the way the police operate and significantly fuelled progress on ottawa Police service’s quest to become employer of choice for all.

the results provided the police service with the ability to identify the demographic characteristics of its employee population. this information was in turn used to develop

and implement specific programs, policies, and practices that support its employees.

Prior to the census, the police service was simply guess-ing when the community asked ‘Does anyone at the Police speak my language?’ or when human resources wondered if there was a need for employee support in a particular area, such as elder care. the workforce census helped answer those questions and more.

the census consisted of 28 questions involving age, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, education, skills, ethnic/cultural group, citizenship, visible minority status, aboriginal ancestry, disability, religion, and language. More than 640 pieces of information were gathered. the resulting report became the baseline instrument that man-agers rely on to this day to develop their plans, policies, and procedural recommendations.

this was the first time a police service in Canada conducted a voluntary census of this scope. An outside consulting agency was used and tabulated the results. Communications efforts before, during and after the census demonstrated the organization’s commitment to promote transparency through the entire process. From the start, the very decision to model the quest for data around a Census—something recognizable, trustworthy, voluntary—lent the effort legitimacy.

the census findings revealed a rich and varied organi-zation in terms of skills, demographics, and experience. Census information directly helped establish the business case to expand programs and services, like dependent care, language training, changes in subsidies for education training, and the curriculum for diversity awareness training. It was also used to identify gaps in workforce charac-teristics such as language, religion, and culture to steer recruiting efforts.

Best of all, for the first time, the police service can now speak openly and factually about how it does or doesn’t represent some segments of the community. the census has helped open doors and establish clear lines of com-munication, a critical factor in building successful partner-ships and fostering trust between the community and the ottawa Police service. PDJ

there have been several noticeable benefits. Managers are articulating the organization’s diversity goals and can identify common stereotypes and realize their negative impact. they are demonstrating the skills needed to man-age a diverse workforce and have a better understanding of the business case for diversity.

DeP’s Diversity training workgroup (DtwG) evalu-ated three of five training sessions. the evaluation assessed the level of knowledge or competency of the training on a scale of 1 to 5, with five being excellent. the results clearly demonstrated that the participant’s knowledge and com-petence of diversity management increased significantly as a result of taking the course.

the evaluation also asked the participants if the training met their expectations. over 95 percent of the participants said that it exceeded their expectations. over 98 percent said that they would implement the course content in their managerial roles.

Ottawa Police Service

The Workforce Census

Award of Excellence

New Jersey DEP (continued)


www.ottawapolice.ca

diversity journal | 2008 innovations in diversity awards

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