Also Featuring…Front-Runner Susan Chambers—Wal-Mart • Corporate Philanthropy • 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards

Volume 10, Number 4

JULY / AUGUST 2008
$
12.95 U.S.

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

July / auGust 2008 • VOLUME 10 NUMBER 4
www.diversityjournal.com
Our company is global. Our passion is local.

As a premier supplier to the motor vehicle industry, ArvinMeritor is passionate about

at ArvinMeritor,
Diversity at
investing in the communities where we live and work. We proudly support this cause,
along with many others that are close to our hearts. And close to our homes.

www.arvinmeritor.com Starts the toP

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notebook
editor’s notebook
editors notebook

Companies Share
How They Navigate
Rough Waters James R. Rector
PUBLISHER

I
John Murphy
MANAGING EDITOR

In this issue, I want to draw your atten- Cheri Morabito

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
tion to a few significant features. The first is
our cover story about ArvinMeritor, a global Damian Johnson
MARKETING DIRECTOR

automotive and commercial vehicle supplier.

Laurel L. Fumic
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Charles G. (Chip) McClure, the company’s
chairman, CEO, and president, has a long Alina Dunaeva
O verseas C orrespondent
history in the automotive sector. We all know
Jason Bice
how difficult the environment has been for WEB MASTER

the manufacturing sector. It would be easy,

maybe even understandable, for companies like ArvinMeritor to focus on opera- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
tions before diversity. But under McClure’s leadership, the company continues to Commentaries or questions should be
move forward with a solid commitment to diversity and inclusion, unfazed by a addressed to: Profiles in Diversity Journal,
sluggish economy. Others should follow ArvinMeritor’s lead. P.O. Box 45605, Cleveland, OH 44145-0605.
All correspondence should include author’s
We are also featuring the winners of this year’s International Innovation in full name, address, e-mail and phone number.
Diversity Awards. Again, we were delighted and impressed by the efforts of those
companies who chose to share with us the best of what’s working in their organiza- DISPLAY ADVERTISING

tions. Take a close look at the creativity and imagination shown by these diversity Profiles in Diversity Journal
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We also present a capsule look at corporate philanthropy. Frankly, this feature Westlake, OH 44145
is bound to pick up your day. Each of the companies featured in this report have a Tel: 440.892.0444
big heart. How they go about improving the lives of people in their communities is Fax: 440.892.0737
profiles@diversityjournal.com
inspiring. These are prime examples of selfless giving. Philanthropy is, indeed, alive
and well in the boardrooms of some of our finest companies. SUBSCRIPTIONS

Finally, we’d like to introduce you to Wal-Mart’s Susan Chambers. U.S. $49.95 one year / $89.95 two years;
in Canada, add $15 per year for postage.
We’re featuring her in our Front-Runner in Diversity Leadership Series for her
Other foreign orders add $20 per year.
work leading a raft of diversity initiatives at the giant retailer. You can find her
U.S. funds only. Subscriptions can be ordered
story on page 81. at: www.diversityjournal.com or call
customer service at 800.573.2867 from
Enjoy the issue! 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.

SUBMISSIONS
Reprints:
profiles@diversityjournal.com
John Murphy
Managing Editor Editorial:
edit@diversityjournal.com
Photos & Artwork:
art@diversityjournal.com

On the Cover: ArvinMeritor Executives (clockwise from front): Rhonda Brooks, Rakesh Sachdev,
Victoria Jackson, Lin Cummins, Vernon G. Baker II, Chip McClure, Joe Anderson, and Mary Lehmann.

2 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

Goodstein
At UnitedHealth Group, unique is everywhere. In our approach to health care. Let us hear your unique voice in these careers available nationwide throughout
In each segment of our business. In every professional. In the career op- our family of businesses.
portunities we offer. As a global leader in health care, UnitedHealth Group
is committed to creating a workforce of unique individuals. Their unique per-
spectives bring about innovative ideas.
• Business Analysts
• Customer Care Professionals
It is the unique backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs our professionals bring to
their work that fuels innovation, creates a healthy environment and drives us • Financial Analysts
towards our goal of creating a better health care system. • Information Technology
Founded in 1974, UnitedHealth Group has since grown into a Fortune 100 • Inside & Field Sales
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Through innovative leadership in health care, UnitedHealth Group provides ongoing
As unique as the many businesses that unite to form UnitedHealth Group, are career opportunities for diverse individuals, enriching the employment experience
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Regardless of their unique talents, our professionals are united to improve UnitedHealth Group is an equal opportunity employer and employs individuals
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 contents
table of contents
features
Volume 10 • Number 4 July / August 2008

Corporate Philanthropy
16 Special Focus:
Corporate Philanthropy
Corporate philanthropy is alive and well.
The examples in this feature prove it.

16
Compassion is its own action item in the
boardrooms of the largest companies.

47 On the Cover / ArvinMeritor, Inc.

Charles G. (Chip) McClure, ArvinMeritor’s
chairman, CEO, and president since 2004, has
become well respected in the industry for
his financial and strategic acumen and for
building strong business. Under his leadership,
ArvinMeritor not only delivers on aggressive cost-
reduction and sales targets, but also maintains
a diverse organizational culture with a positive

47
outlook on future growth and opportunity.

81 Front-Runner / Susan Chambers

Meet Susan Chambers, Executive Vice President,
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Global People Division.
She’s only been on the job for two years, but
she’s already making a big impact at Wal-Mart.

89 81
89 Special Focus:
Innovations In Diversity
Here are this year’s winners of the Profiles in
Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation
in Diversity Awards. Some of the ideas you’ll find
here are simply brilliant. We’re proud to introduce
this year’s winners.

4 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 contents
table of contents Volume 10 • Number 4 July / August 2008

departments

8 Momentum Diversity Who, What, Where and When

44 Catalyst W
 omen of Color in Accounting: Exploring the
Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Gender

78 Special Report R
 ohm and Haas
A look at how Rohm & Haas
shares its culture change process

108 MicroTriggers Inclusiveness Education for

Work Team Leaders

perspectives

12 T
 houghts Through the Office Door …
by Carlton Yearwood, Waste Management, Inc.

14 From My Perspective by Linda Jimenez, WellPoint, Inc.

74 My Turn by Shirley A. Davis, PhD, SHRM

76 Viewpoint by Melanie Harrington, AIMD

112 Last Word by Marie Y. Philippe, PhD

6 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

CHEVRON and HUMAN ENERGY are registered trademarks of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC. The CHEVRON HALLMARK is a trademark of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC. ©2008 Chevron Corporation. All rights reserved.

Our people are as diverse as their ideas.

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represents
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momentum
momentum
Brooks Kushman P.C. Names
Phyllis Golden Morey Chief
Diversity Officer
SOUTHFIELD,
Mich.—Brooks
Kushman P.C. has
named Phyllis
Golden Morey its
first chief diversity
officer (CDO),
MOREY
focused on imple-
menting and growing the diversity
initiatives of the intellectual property
(IP) and commercial law firm. The
announcement was made by James
Kushman, chairman and chief execu-
tive officer, and Mark Cantor,
president, of Brooks Kushman.
In this new role, Morey will be
responsible for recruiting, retaining
and mentoring the firm’s minority
attorneys. Additionally, she will work
to foster alliances and networks with
minority organizations, attend relevant
seminars and events, and work with
clients on diversity issues.
Since Brooks Kushman specializes
in providing counsel on IP and
technology-related matters, its lawyers
need to be trained in a broad range of
scientific disciplines so they can
respond creatively to the IP challenges
its clients face. This provides a unique
challenge in talent acquisition efforts,
as technical or engineering degrees are
often prerequisites of employment at
Brooks Kushman.
Morey earned her juris doctor
degree from the University of Tennessee
College of Law in Knoxville,
Tennessee, and her bachelor’s degree
from Memphis State University in
Tennessee. After law school, she
served as a judicial law clerk to
judges on the Sixth Circuit Court of
8 Pro f i les i n D ive rsit y Journal
who…what…where…when
Appeals and the U.S. District Court
in Memphis.  of Excellence Award presented by
Morey is a member of the State
Bar of Michigan, the American
Bar Association, the Federal Bar
Association and is admitted to practice
before the Sixth Circuit and the
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. She
has previously served on the board of
directors for various non-profit
organizations and currently serves as a
board member for Music Hall Center
for the Performing Arts in Detroit.
Godwin Pappas & Ronquillo
Managing Partner Among
2008 Legal Diversity
Award Recipients
DALLAS—
Attorney Marcos
Ronquillo, of
the Texas-based
law firm of
Godwin Pappas &
Ronquillo PC,
ronquillo
recently was
honored as one of four recipients of the
2008 Legal Diversity Award presented
by the Texas Diversity Council.
The Legal Diversity Award recognizes
individuals who have demonstrated a
commitment to the values of diversity,
inclusion, and cultural understanding.
This year’s honorees were recognized
for their role in the hiring, retention,
and promotion of diverse attorneys,
as well as for their efforts to ensure
equal opportunities for all persons
involved in the legal profession.
The Legal Diversity Award is
the latest honor for Ronquillo, who
is a former president of the Dallas
Mexican American Bar Association
and chairman of the Dallas Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce. He is a
J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
past recipient of the national Spirit
the American Bar Association’s
National Commission on Minority
Lawyers. Ronquillo also is a past
recipient of the State Bar of Texas
President’s Special Citation Award
and Outstanding Lawyer of the
Year Award from the Texas Mexican
American Bar Association.
“Marcos is a leader in every sense
of the word. He is an exceptional law-
yer who has helped start and nurture
the careers of countless attorneys,”
says Donald E. Godwin, firm chair-
man and CEO. “The Texas Diversity
Council could not have made a
better selection.”
 
Union Bank’s McNeely
Receives Community
Reinvestment Act Award
SAN DIEGO—
In recognition of
his longtime
commitment to
disadvantaged
communities
throughout
Mcneely California, the
Greenlining Institute recently
honored Robert A. McNeely, executive
vice president and manager of cor-
porate community development for
Union Bank of California, with its
first Community Reinvestment Act
award. The honor coincides with the
30th anniversary of the implementation
of the CRA, a federal law that requires
banks to provide credit to underserved
populations and small businesses.
Under McNeely’s leadership,
Union Bank’s management has part-
nered with the Greenlining Institute
and the California Reinvestment
Coalition as part of the bank’s com-
mitment to the CRA, and most
recently in the development of Union
Bank’s community reinvestment
pledge. From 2006 to 2016, the bank
will reinvest 6.5 percent of its assets,
more than $3 billion a year, into
communities throughout California
and will contribute 2 percent of its
net profits annually to charities and
nonprofit organizations.
The Greenlining Institute is a
multi-ethnic, nonprofit public policy
and advocacy organization that
promotes economic development in
California’s low-income and
minority communities.
Citi Names Deborah Hopkins
Chief Innovation Officer
NEW YORK—
Citi has announced
the appointment
of Deborah
Hopkins to the
new position of
Chief Innovation
hopkins
Officer, effective
immediately. Since joining Citi in
2002, Hopkins has held several senior
roles at the company, including chief
operations and technology officer and
head of corporate strategy, mergers
and acquisitions. This new role will
bring together the strategy, informa-
tion technology, and research and
development to drive cross-business,
client-focused innovation across
the company. Hopkins will report
to Don Callahan, Citi’s chief
administrative officer.
Hopkins will be responsible for
developing and leading Citi’s approach
to creative, forward-looking collabo-
ration with external constituencies,
including current and prospective clients,
venture capital firms, government agen-
cies, and academic institutions. She
also will create and direct methods
to maximize the internal creativity
of Citi’s newly reorganized corporate
structure with the goal of creating
operating efficiencies across global
products and regions.
Hopkins also will retain her
current role of managing director and
senior advisor in Citi’s Institutional
Clients Group, where she will continue
to support and advise investment
banking clients.
Hopkins also has held senior level
positions at several global companies,
including the Boeing Company,
Lucent Technologies, and General
Motors Europe.
Bingham Names
First Manager of Diversity
and Inclusion
BOSTON—
Bingham
McCutchen LLP
has announced that
Minita Shah has
joined the firm as
its first manager of
shah
diversity and inclu-
sion, a position dedicated to fostering
diversity and implementing the goals
of Bingham’s Diversity Action Plan.
Although based in Boston, Shah
manages Bingham’s diversity and in-
clusion agenda throughout the firm.
Believed to be the first large-firm
position of its kind in Boston, the
manager of diversity and inclusion
will work with the firm’s diversity
committee, lawyers, and staff in each
office to develop programming and
implement long-term diversity goals.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l
The firm’s diversity plan aims to
promote Bingham’s continuing dedi-
cation to recruit, retain and advance
lawyers and staff who will contribute
to the diversity of the firm and the
legal profession.
Bingham has been recognized
nationally for its diversity efforts.
Accolades include being named for
four straight years to Fortune maga-
zine’s 100 Best Companies to Work
For list, as well as one of Multicultural
Law’s Top 25 Law Firms for
Diversity, and Working Mother’s Best
Law Firms for Women. Bingham also
received a perfect score of 100 on the
Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate
Equality Index in 2007.
Shah, who received a master’s in
social work from Boston University,
began focusing on diversity issues
while working in legal recruiting and
human resources for law firms
in California.
Bingham McCutchen LLP is a
national law firm with global capa-
bilities, with nearly 1,000 attorneys in
13 offices. For more information, go
to www.bingham.com.
Jodi Pulice of JRT Realty
Group, Inc., Named Among
Women of Power
Impacting Diversity
NEW YORK—
Jodi Pulice, founder
and president of
JRT Realty Group,
Inc., the nation’s
largest minority-/
woman-owned
pulice
business enterprise
(M/WBE) in the commercial real estate
industry, has been named as one of the
J u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 0 8 9
momentum
momentum
top 25 Women of Power Impacting
Diversity by DiversityPlus Magazine.
The award recognizes outstanding
women who exemplify excellence in
advancing supplier diversity practices.
Pulice established JRT in 1996
when supplier diversity initiatives
were first being implemented, and
there was a shortfall of M/WBEs in
the commercial real estate industry.
Today, JRT assists corporations, gov-
ernment entities, and institutional
clients in achieving their aggressive,
multi-million dollar supplier diversity
initiatives and goals through commer-
cial real estate assignments.
In addition to being recognized
for her efforts to hire other M/WBEs,
Pulice was acknowledged for her
industry-unique strategic alliance with
Cushman & Wakefield, the global
leader in commercial real estate
services. Formed in 2003, the
alliance enables both firms to retain
complete autonomy while pooling
their resources to fulfill M/WBE
requests for proposals. Just last year,
the JRT/Cushman & Wakefield alli-
ance brokered more than 140 deals
nationwide. This accounted for an
overall joint portfolio increase of more
than 400 percent during the course of
the last four years.
Recognized as a trailblazer, Pulice
is one of the industry’s most vocal
advocates for inclusion and diversity.
She is a sought-after guest lecturer
and panelist whose speaking engage-
ments range from industry-sponsored
programs to global diversity events.
A graduate of Wagner College, Pulice
has handled transactions totaling
more than $2 billion.
10 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal
who…what…where…when
Tisa W. Jackson Named Vice
President of Diversity and
Inclusion for Union Bank
of California
SAN
FRANCISCO—
Union Bank of
California, N.A.,
has announced that
Tisa W. Jackson
jackson has joined the bank
as vice president
of diversity and inclusion. Jackson is
responsible for developing and execut-
ing diversity and inclusion strategies,
initiatives, and programs for the bank.
Prior to joining Union Bank,
Jackson was the vice president of
the diversity and inclusion strategies
group at Countrywide Financial. She
also served as the human resources
administrator for Deloitte & Touche
Tax Technologies and human resourc-
es manager for InfoNXX. Jackson
began her career with Advanced
Micro Devices, where she served as
the human resources program man-
ager for the workforce planning and
development division, and was re-
sponsible for creating and implement-
ing the diversity work-life balance
programs and initiatives.
Jackson is the founder of the
Professional & Technical Diversity
Network and is the program chair
of the Young African American
Women’s Conference. She also is a
leadership council member of the
Global Organization for Leadership
and Diversity and is a member
of the Asian Pacific American
Dispute Resolution Center Dinner
Committee. Jackson is a past recipi-
ent of the Urban Financial Services
J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
Coalition’s Philanthropist Award.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from
Emerson College.
Teresa L. White Named
Executive Vice President,
Chief Administrative Officer
Teresa White has
been named executive
vice president and
chief administrative
officer for Aflac
US. She will over-
white see administrative
functions in a va-
riety of departments, including client
services, claims, Aflac New York ad-
ministration, administrative services,
and corporate communications. She
also oversees Aflac’s sales technology,
sales administration, and sales finan-
cial management departments.
White began her career with Aflac
in 1998 as second vice president of
policy/payroll account services, and in
2000 was promoted to vice president
of client services. She was appointed
senior vice president of sales support
and administration in 2004 and
deputy chief administrative officer
in 2007. Before joining Aflac, she
held leadership positions with AT&T
Universal Card Services.
White holds a master’s degree in
management from Troy University
and a bachelor’s degree in business
administration from the University
of Texas at Arlington. She is married
with two children. PDJ
IT’S A SMALL,
DIVERSE, MULTICULTURAL
WORLD AFTER ALL.
Diverse companies are like a rainbow. And we all know what’s at the end of the rainbow. It’s why
companies that value diversity, talent and passion in their workforce partner with Monster to find
the best candidates. And it’s why we offer a suite of customizable diversity products, such as Diversity
Resume Access, Diversity Jobs, and Diversity Media. After all, what good are hundreds of employees if they
only offer one perspective? To learn more, call 1.800.Monster or visit www.diversitysolutions.monster.com
 thoughts through the office door…

Co-mingling Diversity Management

and Business Ethics
By Carlton Yearwood

I
Chief Ethics and Diversity Officer
Waste Management, Inc.

I was smiling a bunch, sense in my way of thinking. To my pleasant surprise, Waste

and couldn’t help it.
Dave Steiner, the CEO
of my company, Waste
Management, was about
midway through his
speech to the Ethisphere Institute, acknowledging our new
ranking on the institute’s “Most Ethical Companies” list.
Sitting comfortably distant in the audience, I gazed across the
wide representation of U.S. companies, every person listening
Management agreed.
Now, some years later, we’ve learned that business ethics
and diversity can indeed share the same organizational home.
At best, both disciplines not only grow better, but the overall
corporate entity assumes new desirable traits. Respect for
people and all that they do fills the halls; honesty in all
relationships becomes a hallmark of doing business; and
openness becomes the expected norm for communication
among and between all levels of people.

“
raptly to what Waste Management’s
leader was saying about our com-
mitment to and practice of the But behavior trumps compliance
highest business ethical practices. every day. And that, in my mind,
Yes, I smiled.
is what the joining of ethics and

A decade ago, in 1998 and
1999, Waste Management was the
poster child for corporate fraud. The
back-to-back scandalous write-offs
ravaged investors and employees alike, with the management
team ultimately tarred and feathered in full public humilia-
tion. It occasioned the start of a national re-examination of
accountability for business, with results still playing out in
corporate boardrooms today. The situation also opened the
door for me at Waste Management.
The turnaround team was committed to building a new
company, to creating a new corporate culture framed by
untarnished ethical practices and standards at every level.
That expectation appealed to me greatly. Almost coinciden-
tally, in time I found myself critiquing my own approach to
diversity more frequently and with more seriousness.
What surfaced within me, as headlines of fraud swirled
in more public forums, was a growing strength to the notion
that discrimination in any way was inherently unethical.
Business ethics, I thought, should be transparent, whether
the situation involved people or financials, gender or market
performance, inclusion or stock options. Combining diversity
and business ethics under one corporate office made much
”
diversity delivers.
Co-mingling the management of diversity and ethics,
I know, still seems too far a bridge to cross for many
organizations. There the functions remain discretely housed
and addressed. And, I’ll concede that the separation may be
appropriate for some company cultures. But behavior trumps
compliance every day. And that, in my mind, is what the joining
of ethics and diversity delivers.
What’s clear, too, is that this co-mingling nurtures principled
leaders, individuals whose commitment and action drive solid
improvements in organizational vitality and business results.
That’s the kind of person Dave Steiner has grown to be, a
leader who can say: “We have to make sure our causes are
ones our people believe in and value… we have to explain
what our motivations are… we have to focus on our people…
and listen to what they are telling us.” That kind of talk
brings a smile to my face any day. PDJ
Waste Management, Inc. is the leading provider of comprehensive
waste and environmental services in North America.
The company is strongly committed to a foundation of financial
strength, operating excellence, and professionalism.

12 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 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
© 2008 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.
 from my perspective…

How Far Has America Come?

By Linda Jimenez
Chief Diversity Officer & Staff Vice President—Diversity & Culture
WellPoint, Inc.

O
On July 26, 2008, this disabilities, fair access to air travel, and advances in technology
country celebrated the en- for people hard of hearing or deaf, were guaranteed.
actment of the Americans The crowning achievement of these decades of progress was
with Disabilities Act, one passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
of the great civil rights How far have we come? Today, in this country, we see
laws in the nation’s history. many signs of the progress that means so much in our efforts
Eighteen years ago, Congress acted on the fundamental principle to include persons with disabilities in every aspect of life—the
that people should be measured by what they can do, not what ramps beside the steps, the sidewalks with curb-cuts to accom-
they can’t do. modate wheelchairs, the lifts for helping disabled people to
The anniversary of this landmark legislation is a time take a bus to work or the store or a movie.
to reflect on how far America has come in improving the We still face many challenges, especially in areas such as
real life possibilities for the nation’s 56 million people health care and in home-based and community-based services
with disabilities.

“
The 1940s and the
1950s introduced the nation
to a new class of Americans ...when people are excluded from
with disabilities—wound-
ed and disabled veterans the social fabric of a community,
returning from war. They
it creates a hole, and when there is a hole,

found a society grateful for
their courage and sacrifice,
but one that relegated
the entire fabric is weaker.
them to the sideline of the
American Dream. Even before
the war ended, however, rehabilitation medicine had been
born. Disability benefits were added to Social Security. Each
decade since then has brought significant new progress and
more change.
In the 1960s, Congress responded with new architectural
standards, so we could have a society everyone could be a part
of. In the 1970s, Congress responded with a range of steps to
improve the lives of people with mental disabilities as well. The
country supported the right of children with disabilities to
attend public schools and guaranteed the right of people with
disabilities to vote in elections.
The 1980s brought a new realization, however, that
in helping people with disabilities, we can’t rely solely
on government programs. Thus, the private sector be-
came involved. Fair housing opportunities for people with
14 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
”
and support. Today, about one in six Medicare beneficiaries,
more than six million people, are persons with disabilities
under aged 65. Over the next 10 years, that number is
expected to increase to eight million.
As the saying goes, when people are excluded from the social
fabric of a community, it creates a hole, and when there is a
hole, the entire fabric is weaker. How far has America come?
The fabric of our nation is stronger today than it was 18 years
ago, because people with disabilities are no longer left out and
left behind. And because of that, America is a greater nation. PDJ
Linda Jimenez is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and attended
the University of Texas at Austin where she received her BA
with honors. She is also a graduate of the University of Texas
School of Law and has spent 20 years specializing in labor
and employment law.
C o r p o r at e
PhilanthropY

Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) is a worldwide outreach program that touches more than
125,000 boys and girls. In June 2007, KPMG became the sole corporate sponsor of the program.

16 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

Is Alive and Well
We recently invited our readers to share the ways their
companies make a difference in their communities and the world. Of
those who responded, the depth of their commitment, the diversity of
their reach, and the quality of their programs astonished us. Corporate
philanthropy is alive and well. The examples in this feature prove it.
Compassion is its own action item in the boardrooms of the largest
companies.

Measured in dollars, the value of donations, goods, and services of the

featured companies surpasses the million-dollar mark several times
over. But counting up the money is only part of the story. The intangible
benefits of corporate philanthropy are countless.

While some corporations fund research into pediatric cancer,

other companies seek out and support the scholars who may one
day eradicate it. While corporations donate the necessary dollars
for supplies and equipment, their employees deliver boxes of food
to elderly citizens, coach inner-city youth, and teach reading. Other
employees provide job training to recovering substance abusers
and involve themselves and their families in the lives of children
with severe disabilities. One on one, face to face, hand to hand,
and heart to heart are the characteristics of today’s volunteerism.
Hope, nourishment, second chances, better health, and happiness are
its gifts.

The rewards of volunteering are equally important. The personal nature

of today’s volunteerism makes the experience as rich for those who
give as those who gain. We are honored to share these examples
of corporate generosity and employee volunteerism with our larger
universe of readers.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 17

Corporate Philanthropy

Victoria Dinges
Assistant Vice President, Public Social Responsibility

Allstate Insurance Company

“Good Hands” Remake Inner-city Gymnasium

More than 40 Allstate Insurance Company
volunteers used their “Good Hands” to
complete a $50,000 makeover of a decades-
old gymnasium at the Martin Luther King
Jr. Boys and Girls Club in Chicago this past
April. Allstate volunteers painted locker rooms,
hung wall safety mats, built a “tower of toys,”
and cleaned the gymnasium. In addition, Allstate re-
finished the floor and provided new exercise equip-
ment, basketball hoops, scoreboards, and bleachers.
Upon completion of the makeover,
the new gym and toys were unveiled to near-
ly 100 club members. The celebration con-
tinued with a visit from Chicago Bulls player
Thabo Sefolosha, who led the kids in a basketball
mini-clinic.
“We had a blast making over the gym, and seeing
the impact the makeover had on the club and kids
was priceless,” said volunteer Bruce Brown, senior
division manager of Allstate’s Print Communications
Center and president of the MLK Jr. Club’s Board
of Directors. “This project and celebration dem-
onstrated the amazing culture of caring we have at
Allstate and the power that culture can have out-
side the walls of our
company.”
Allstate has a history of supporting the club
through its ongoing partnership with the Boys and
Girls Clubs of Chicago. The club’s gymnasium also
has its own storied history, as several basketball
players, including former NBA stars Isaiah Thomas
and Mark Aguirre, grew up playing there. When
Allstate learned the gym needed renovating, but the
club lacked the finances and volunteers to make the
repairs, the company jumped at the chance to help.
“This center means everything to the kids and
this community,” said Sidney Johnson, director of
the MLK Jr. Club. “What they’ve done is restore the
pride to this community and this facility.”
The MLK Jr. Club is located in an area of
Chicago with a 32 percent unemployment rate and
high secondary school dropout rates. Every day the
club serves more than 200 youth, the majority of
whom come from low-income, single-parent homes.
Ninety-six percent of the club’s members are African
American. The restoration of the gym and other fa-
cilities at the club is part of Allstate’s ongoing work
to create safety and security for individuals and com-
munities across the United States.

Allstate Insurance
Company
Headquarters:
Northbrook, Illinois
Web site:
www.allstate.com
Primary Business: Insurance and
financial services
Employees: More than 70,000
professionals, including 14,900
exclusive agencies and financial
representatives in the United States
and Canada

18 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Managing Director, Global Community Affairs
Applied Materials Education Initiative Strategy
In 2001, Applied Materials commissioned a study
focusing on student achievement in southern Bay
Area public schools. The results identified high-
need, low socio-economic communities with a
high percentage of school-age children and low stu-
dent achievement. Shifting strategies to address the
study’s findings, in 2002 Applied Materials launched
an education initiative to serve the needs of these
disadvantaged children in two specific, targeted
communities—the downtown and parts of the east
side in San Jose.
The Applied Materials Education Initiative is
engaging deeply in these two geographic areas over a
sustained period of time to support the entire educa-
tional pathway—from pre-school to college enroll-
ment. The company’s strategy is to identify barriers
to educational success and then support programs
to overcome them. Applied Materials is engaging
partners and making investments to intervene at
critical leverage points along the education pathway:
entering kindergarten ready to learn, exiting third
grade reading on grade level, navigating the transi-
tion from middle school to high school, providing
Corporate Philanthropy
Mark Walker
Applied Materials
a diversity of programs at the high school level to
meet the needs of more adolescent students, and
increasing access to college.
An example of the success of Applied’s education
initiative is its work with the nationally acclaimed
Breakthrough program in downtown San Jose since
2002. Breakthrough provides a tuition-free, six-
week, intensive summer program for talented, low
income, middle school students with the ultimate
goal of college completion. As a result of Applied’s
involvement with the organization, the program has
grown from serving 24 students in 2002 to serv-
ing 100 middle school students from two middle
schools and 71 high school students in 2007.
Applied Materials’ Education Initiative is a
long-range project, which is yielding significant
results. The company has focused its philanthropy,
marshaled its resources, and is standing behind two
entire communities and their children. Applied
Materials’ Education Initiative has obtained com-
mitments and forged effective partnerships with
schools and districts, supporting multiple educa-
tional programs and organizations to achieve the
common goal of enabling all
children to have a bright future
in an increasingly knowledge-
based economy.
Applied Materials
Headquarters:
Santa Clara, California
Web site:
www.appliedmaterials.com
Primary Business:
Special industry machinery
Employees: 14,500
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 19
Corporate Philanthropy

Andrew Plepler
President, Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Bank of America

Building Community Leaders of Today and Tomorrow

Since 2004, Bank of America has funded more than
10,000 nonprofit organizations that address critical issues
in the communities we serve across the country. Our phil-
anthropic approach centers on a strategy we call neighbor-
hood excellence. Through that strategy, we identify critical
issues in our local communities and direct resources to
address them.
Increasingly, our nonprofit partners’ ability to de-
liver services had become hampered by a convergence of
challenges. These included donors choosing to invest in
specific programs rather than organizational infrastruc-
ture, the proliferation of nonprofit organizations, and
the pending leadership gap facing the nonprofit com-
munity. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation
set out to develop a solution to address these issues and
created the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative (NEI) in
2004. NEI provides unrestricted funding to nonprofit
organizations to strengthen their infrastructure, foster
innovation, expand programs, renovate facilities, and
other efforts. The program develops and nurtures non-
profit leadership, from high school students, to involved
citizens, to existing nonprofit leaders, through paid
internships, mentoring, and innovative
leadership development forums.
Through the Neighborhood
Builder award for nonprofits, NEI’s
leadership program plays an integral
role in our commitment to strength-
ening the communities we serve
by investing in the continued
growth of nonprofit leaders and
their organizations.
“Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builder award
allowed our organization to think differently about our
role in the community,” notes Jesus Garcia, president
of Little Village Community Development Corporation
(LVCDC) in Southwest Chicago. “Through exposure to
the leadership training, the network of nonprofit leaders,
and new possibilities of how to carry out our mission to
serve Hispanic individuals and families, we have man-
aged and sustained tremendous growth.” LVCDC is a
nonprofit corporation that serves Hispanic individuals
and families through educational programs, economic
development projects, and violence prevention initiatives.
Since receiving the award, LVCDC has developed its
communications strategy and has upgraded its technology
to better serve the community.
Bank of America has committed more than $90
million through NEI to provide support, training, and
encouragement to our community leaders of today and
tomorrow. In 45 markets across the United States and in
London, we are proud to recognize, nurture, and reward
the organizations, local heroes, and student leaders who
are improving our neighborhoods.

Bank of America
Headquarters:
Charlotte, North Carolina
Web site:
www.bankofamerica.com
www.bankofamerica.com/foundation
Primary Business:
Pictured (l to r) Carmen Velasquez (Alivio Medical Center),
Financial services
Omar Sierra (Venezuelan Embassy), Linda Sarate (LVCDC Board Member),
Employees: 200,000 Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (LVCDC President)

20 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


In a time of rapid change for our company and for our
industry, we believe that the unique perspective of each
Pfizer employee is vital. Why? Because the tough health
care challenges people are facing today call for new,
different, and diverse ways of thinking.
That’s why we’re implementing a global strategy to ensure
Pfizer’s culture not only respects, but also leverages each
individual employee’s background, character, and life
experiences. We’re putting those unique perspectives to
© 2007 Pfizer Inc Printed in USA
work to find new, innovative solutions for patients, and
better ways of working with our customers, our partners,
and the communities we serve.
At Pfizer, we believe diversity means an inclusive and
empowering work environment. The result? A happier,
healthier tomorrow for us all.
www.pfizer.com
Corporate Philanthropy

Andy Corley
Corporate Vice President and Global President, Surgical Products
Bausch & Lomb

Unique Initiative Perfects Vision and Enhances Life

On April 9, the 100th day of 2008, Bausch
& Lomb sponsored a unique program called
Changing 100 Lives in 100 Minutes. The
program was developed to mark the implanta-
tion of B&L’s 100,000th crystalens®. Bausch
& Lomb’s crystalens is the only FDA-approved
intraocular lens (IOL) to use the eye’s natural
muscles to help postsurgery cataract patients
regain the ability to focus at all distances—near,
intermediate, and far.
The program was a major success thanks to the
collaborative efforts of the more than 100 oph-
thalmologists from coast to coast who donated
their surgical services to implant 100 lenses,
free of charge, in low-income patients within
a 100-minute time frame. Changing 100 Lives
in 100 Minutes resulted in nearly $1 million
in lenses and surgical services being donated to
people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able
to afford the lenses or surgery.
We couldn’t think of a better way to show our
appreciation for the success of crystalens than to
share the gift of sight with people who struggle
with cataracts. We’re confident that our contri-
bution and the contributions of the generous
surgeons across the country made a difference
in the lives of people in need.
Visit www.crystalens.info for a complete
list of the participating surgeons and more
information about the Changing 100 Lives in
100 Minutes program.

Bausch & Lomb

Headquarters:
Rochester, New York
Web site:
www.bausch.com
Dr. Steven B. Siepser of Siepser Laser Eyecare in Wayne, and
Primary Business: Eye health through Plymouth Meeting, PA, with a patient who received treatment
the manufacture and production of soft during Changing 100 Lives in 100 Minutes.
and rigid gas permeable contact lenses,
lens care products, and ophthalmic
surgical and pharmaceutical products.
Employees: 13,000 worldwide

22 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 © 2008 Lockheed Martin Corporation

BETWEEN THE CHALLENGE AND THE SOLUTION,

T H E R E I S O N E I M P O R TA N T W O R D : H O W.

Diversity. It’s not a goal. It’s a necessity. When facing down the most important projects in the world, you need
fresh ideas. And unique perspectives. Delivering the most complete answers to solve complex problems is all a
question of how. And it is the how that makes all the difference.
Corporate Philanthropy

Debra Hettleman Plant

Executive Director

Building STEPS, Inc.

Building STEPS to Careers in Science

Matthew Weinberg prides himself on hiring the
most qualified and capable individuals to work
with him at his scientific consulting firm, the
Weinberg Group, headquartered in Washington,
D.C. As chief executive officer, it is his job to sur-
round himself with professionals who can effectively
serve clients needs. However, although he consis-
tently interviewed candidates for open positions,
he noticed that he wasn’t hiring minority staff
members. He realized that the problem was due to a
lack of qualified minority professionals.
Weinberg decided to do something about it.
In 1995, he founded Building STEPS (Science,
Technology, Education, Partnerships), a nonprofit
organization that provides underserved high school
students exposure to career opportunities in science
and technology.
“Your business ought to reflect society,” he said.
“For diversity of opinion, you want to have a varied
work force because, as a consultant, you want to give
your clients the best views you can.”
The program was founded in
Washington, D.C., and moved to
Baltimore, Maryland, in 2000. The
goal of the program is to help students
become acclimated to the workplace
environment and acquire knowledge and skills for
future application. The program offers students
paid internship opportunities in the science and
technology industries during the summer. Building
STEPS accepts up to 460 high school juniors each
year, beginning in September. Students participate
in nine monthly seminars that expose them to tech-
nology- and science-based careers and education.
During their senior year, students receive intensive
assistance with the college and scholarship applica-
tion process.
The Building STEPS program has been
extremely successful, with 94 percent of the students
advancing to college. Collectively, students have
been accepted at 62 colleges and universities and
have earned nearly $3 million in scholarship funds.
Matthew Weinberg believes programs such as
Building STEPS are essential to providing oppor-
tunities for underprivileged children and that such
programs allow children to achieve their full poten-
tial and turn their dreams into reality.

Building STEPS, Inc.

Headquarters:
Baltimore, Maryland
Web site:
www.buildingSTEPS.org
Primary Business:
Matthew Weinberg is the founder
of the STEPS program and he is the
CEO of The Weinberg Group. Matthew Weinberg with STEPS students.

Employees: 2 Full Time, 6 Volunteers,

5 Board Members, 3 Advisory
Board Members Matthew Weinberg, CEO and Founder
of the STEPS program.

24 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 Corporate Philanthropy

Anne Marie Agnelli

Vice President, Communications and Community Affairs
CA, Inc

Connecting Nonprofits to the IT World

Many challenges are faced in connect- said John Goslin, BGCA’s vice president of in-
ing nonprofit entities to today’s fast-paced, com- formation technology operations. “CA’s support
plicated, and often costly world of information helps us protect our club members from spam,
technology (IT). With hopes of breaking down deliver software more quickly to a complex net-
this barrier, CA Inc., through the company’s CA work, and secure 56,000 workstations from the
Together IT program, entered into a strategic part- ever-increasing threat of virus attacks. This
nership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America supports Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s efforts
(BGCA). The CA Together IT program works with to reduce costs and provide more efficient services
nonprofits around the globe, providing them with to our clubs.”
a full range of IT management services. Through CA not only supports the BGCA through its
this program, CA is equipping nonprofits with the IT initiative, but also gets involved through em-
technological capacity necessary to be successful in ployee volunteerism at many local clubs. Volunteers
the 21st century. assist with after-school mentoring programs, paint
Serving as BGCA’s official national information club houses, and help
security partner, CA has committed to $4.6 million kids with homework,
in financial and in-kind contributions over three sports, and computer
years. CA’s donation of Unicenter infrastructure projects. Another very
management and eTrust security management will exciting component
enable BGCA to increase information technology of the partnership in-
security significantly at its national headquarters in volved BGCA mem-
Atlanta, Georgia, and in more than 3,900 Boys and bers in playing golf, in-
Girls Clubs nationwide. cluding lessons from
“We are extremely pleased that CA is our na- CA-sponsored golf
tional information technology security partner,” pro, Retief Goosen,
and other pros.
The CA Together
IT program further CA employees helped the kids at the Boys and
builds on CA’s long Girls Club of Bellport, New York, with homework,
computer lab work, and a Thanksgiving craft.
history of giving to
the communities it
serves. By providing
IT management software that meets
the infrastructure and security man- CA, Inc
agement needs of nonprofit organi-
Headquarters:
zations and by extending the com- Islandia, New York
pany’s partnership out to the local Web site:
(Back row, l to r): Bill Hughes, senior vice president, Global clubs, CA is better able to serve the www.ca.com
Communications, CA Inc; Alex Rodriguez-Roig, Miami/Dade greater good of our communities. Primary Business: IT solutions
Boys & Girls Club; and Eddie Carbone, executive director,
CA Championship with members of the Miami/Dade Boys Employees: 14,000 worldwide
& Girls Club (front row).

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 25

Corporate Philanthropy

Pamela Flaherty
Director of Corporate Citizenship, Citi; and President and CEO, Citi Foundation
Citi

Building Bridges to College and Career

By all accounts, the odds were against
Trivia Afraid of Lightning graduating from high
school, let alone college. The 30-year-old Native
American and single mother of two in Rapid City,
South Dakota, recalled overhearing a grade school
teacher denounce her as “stupid,” in part because
she was raised speaking Lakota, not English, and
struggled mightily in class. On top of that, Afraid
of Lightning had acted as head of the family house-
hold since she was 11, when her grandmother died,
leaving the girl to cook and clean for her siblings
and cousins and ensure they went to school and did
their homework.
Fast-forward two decades. Afraid of Lightning
will graduate this winter from Oglala Lakota
College with a bachelor’s degree in literature and
communication. She plans to earn a master’s degree
in public health at Southern Methodist University
and continue her work mentoring young Native
American girls, encouraging them to get a college
degree and to avoid the pitfalls of teen pregnancy,
drugs, and alcohol.
Afraid of Lightning, a member of the Cheyenne
River Sioux tribe, attributes much of her success to a
scholarship she received from the Citi Foundation.
“You have no idea how much this helps someone
like me,” she said.
American Indian College Fund (AICF), headquar-
tered in Denver, Colorado, to establish the Citi
Scholarship and Career Exploration Program in
2002. The goal is to help Native American students
like Afraid of Lightning make the dream of college
education a reality. The program provides annual
$4,000 scholarships to 20 students attending South
Dakota’s three tribal colleges.
In addition, AICF staff and scholarship recipi-
ents collaborate annually with employees at Citi’s
credit card business in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to
develop a career exploration day at one of the par-
ticipating schools. The career fair program is open to
the entire tribal college community and leverages the
diverse resources of Citi as well as Native American
small business owners and community leaders.
Together, they work to expose students to the lead-
ership skills, education, and commitment necessary
to succeed in business. The program is an integral
part of the Citi Foundation’s new education initia-
tive, Building Bridges to College and Career, which
emphasizes increasing college access and building
awareness of career opportunities.

CITI The New York-based Citi

Foundation partnered with the
Headquarters:
New York City
Web site:
www.citi.com
Scholarship recipient
www.citigroup.com Trivia Afraid of Lightning with
www.citigroupfoundation.com Rick Williams, executive director of
Primary Business: the American Indian College Fund.
Financial services
Employees: 370,000

26 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


National Director of Community Involvement
Creating a College-going Culture
A college education is a determining
factor in professional success and one of the most ef-
fective ways to break the cycle of poverty. Annually,
nearly 200,000 college-capable high school gradu-
ates from low-income families do not enroll in
college or even submit a college application. For
many students, high school is a destination—with a
diploma and graduation being the end goal.
College Summit views high school as a launching
pad for college and career success. It is the largest
schoolwide college-access provider in the country,
working with 200 high schools that serve 17,000
graduates and 80,000 total students. At the core of
the organization is the belief that high schools should
use research-based indicators to track college enroll-
ment rates. Such a practice creates a college-going
culture that can dramatically increase the number
of students enrolling in college. Only a handful of
school districts have the ability to track those rates
reliably, but College Summit and Deloitte are work-
ing together to change that.
Given Deloitte’s deep knowledge and experience
in developing complex measurement systems, a
major focus of our relationship with College Summit
is to meet this national challenge by contributing
pro bono services to develop a database capable of
efficiently and effectively measuring college enroll-
ment rates across entire cities. At the conclusion of
our first year working together, the database is fully
Corporate Philanthropy
Evan Hochberg
Deloitte llp
operational and has cut production time on critical
reports by 75 percent, enabling College Summit
to spend more time helping individual students,
instead of crunching numbers. The cutting-edge
technology also provides analysis of what encour-
ages more students to go to college so that College
Summit and its school partners can use the data to
improve their programs.
Deloitte’s integrated support is valued at more
than $2 million. In addition to the data services,
other commitments include:
• Creation and sponsorship of the Deloitte
Awards for College Enrollment Achievement
and Innovation being awarded in communities
across the country.
• Skills-based volunteering at College Summit
summer workshops to jump-start students’ col-
lege enrollment preparation (most volunteers
of any company).
• Board service, nationally and locally, to con-
tribute leadership.
• Capacity-building philanthropy.
Deloitte LLP
Headquarters:
New York City
Web site:
www.deloitte.com
Primary Business:
Professional services
Employees: 41,000
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 27
Corporate Philanthropy
Jim Vella
President, Ford Fund
Ford Motor Company
Althea Gibson Scholarship, Jackie Robinson Foundation
Ford Motor Company Fund has been a commit-
ted supporter of educational programs designed to
help youth of all ethnicities achieve their academic
potential. Since its founding in 1903, Ford Motor
Company has recognized the importance of provid-
ing educational opportunities and their impact on
local communities.
For more than five years, Ford Motor Company
Fund has been a supporter of the Jackie Robinson
Foundation. In tribute to tennis great Althea Gibson,
the first African American to win at Wimbledon,
Ford Motor Company Fund endowed a scholarship
in her name in 2003. The first recipient, Carolyn
M. Wright, class of 2008, is an international affairs
major at Harvard University. In a recent conversa-
tion with Ms. Wright, she mentioned that the Althea
Gibson Scholarship had created opportunities that
she never thought possible.
Ms. Wright recently returned from Cairo,
Egypt, where she studied Arabic and taught English
to Sudanese refugees. “It’s not enough to be an
individual; it takes a community to raise aware-
ness and make a difference,” she said. Her experi-
ence in Cairo has sparked her interest in public
service. Consequently, she is spending her summer
in an internship with Washington, D.C.-based
Whitman-Walker Clinic, a nonprofit communi-
ty-based health organization serving the gay and
lesbian community.
Ford Motor Company
Headquarters:
Dearborn, Michigan
Web site:
www.ford.com
Primary Business:
Automotive manufacturing and
distribution
Employees: 228,000 in about 90
plants worldwide
28 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
“Ford strongly believes in the power of educa-
tion and the importance of equipping all young
adults with the necessary skills to achieve their full
potential,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman of
Ford Motor Company. “We are thrilled to support
the foundation and particularly pleased to support
the Althea Gibson Scholarship fund as we know
financial resources are a key factor in helping young
people obtain a college education.”
Founded in 1973, the Jackie Robinson
Foundation (JRF) is the nation’s premier education
and leadership development program. It provides
four-year college scholarships to minority students
who demonstrate academic distinction, leadership
capacity, and financial need. Transcending financial
assistance, JRF equips its scholarship recipients
with a comprehensive set of support services in-
cluding mentoring, career guidance, and practi-
cal life skills, resulting in a
97 percent graduation
rate, more than twice
the national aver-
age for minority
students. JRF has
provided $16 mil-
lion in support to
nearly 1,200 scholars
since its inception. JRF
alumni are both leaders in their
professional fields and consummate ambassadors of
Jackie Robinson’s legacy of public service.
 Simply
stated,
diversity
means
difference.

WWW.ROHMHAAS.COM

> AT ROHM AND HAAS,

we believe that understanding, valuing and
managing diversity will result in a dynamic,
more enriched workforce, maximized profitable
growth and sustained competitive advantage.
Leading the way since 1909, Rohm and Haas is a global pioneer in the creation and development of innovative
technologies and solutions for the specialty materials industry. We pair creativity with sound knowledge, making it
possible for our customers to meet ever-changing market demands.

With operations in 27 countries on five continents, Rohm and Haas’ 16,500 employees are proud to offer specialty
and performance materials that help our customers succeed. The company, which is based in Philadelphia, PA,
generated annual sales of approximately $8.9 billion in 2007 and is dedicated to helping customers, communities and
partners imagine the possibilities™ around the world.

Visit www.rohmhaas.com/careers to learn more about these and

other great opportunities that await you at Rohm and Haas.

We are an equal opportunity employer. ©2008 Rohm and Haas Company. imagine the possibilities™
Corporate Philanthropy

Cathy Mann
Director of Communications

Halliburton

Volunteers Help Interfaith Ministries in Houston

Halliburton’s community involvement
is based in large part on the interests of its em-
ployees. By supporting the organizations that are
important to employees, the company helps to
improve the quality of life in the many places where
Halliburton employees work and live.
Halliburton’s support of the Interfaith Ministries’
Food for Seniors program in Houston is one of many
examples. In 2007, Halliburton donated $50,000 to
the nonprofit organization for the purchase of a van
after one of its Meals on Wheels trucks was stolen
and later found vandalized.  Interfaith Ministries is
the largest Meals on Wheels provider in the city of
Houston, delivering more than 3,000 hot, nutritious
meals to homebound senior citizens daily.
The new van was only the beginning of a con-
tinuing relationship between Halliburton employees
and Interfaith Ministries. In addition to providing
the Meals on Wheels service, the Food for Seniors
program counted on volunteers to deliver 35-pound
boxes of groceries to seniors’ homes on the third
Saturday of every month. When the organization
experienced a shortage of volunteers to deliver
those monthly groceries, Larry Hicks, a Halliburton
employee, organized a group of volunteers. As a
result, several Halliburton employees have
adopted monthly routes of their own. One
of them, Annie White, said, “It’s really gratifying to
participate in this program and know that you are
bringing a little sunshine to these seniors. I’ve been
volunteering with the Food for Seniors program
since last year, and I’ve developed a bond with the
seniors on my route. We enjoy visiting with each
other.” Annie’s route usually takes her about an hour
and a half to complete, depending on how long she
stays at each place and chats.
At Halliburton, we believe in giving back as a
way to strengthen individuals and the communities
where our employees live and work. We give back
to our communities by supporting a wide variety
of charitable organizations, with an emphasis on
those that are most important to our employees and
customers. Halliburton’s total corporate giving for
2007, including cash and in-kind donations, was
nearly $353 million, and our employees volunteered
more than 30,000 hours during the year.

Halliburton
Headquarters:
Houston, Texas and
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Web site:
www.halliburton.com Halliburton’s Cathy Mann
and Mabel Menefee,
Primary Business:
left, present a company
One of the world’s largest
donation to Lou Keels of
providers of products and
Interfaith Ministries.
services to the energy industry.
Employees: More than 50,000 in
approximately 70 countries

30 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 [ BANK OF THE WEST ]

WANT TO WORK FOR A

TRULY GREAT BANK?

AT BANK OF THE WEST, WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE

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

www.bankofthewest.com

Bank of the West and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers. M/F/D/V © 2007 Bank of the West. Member FDIC.
Corporate Philanthropy

Timothy P. Flynn
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
KPMG llp

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program

At KPMG, serving our communities is part of our
firm’s culture. Our focus is on youth and education.
We recognize that children from underserved com-
munities may be disadvantaged in acquiring basic
reading, writing, and math skills or lack role models
to mentor them academically or personally.
To further underscore our firm’s commitment
to youth and education, KPMG began a multiyear
relationship with Major League Baseball (MLB)
in 2007, becoming the sole corporate sponsor of
MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI)
program. RBI’s worldwide outreach program
touches more than 125,000 boys and girls. RBI
increases participation and inclusion of minorities
in the game, while encouraging academic achieve-
ment, developing self-esteem, and teaching the value
of teamwork.
RBI is more than a sponsorship opportunity. It
helps KPMG increase opportunities for inner-city
youth and make a difference in their lives. RBI also
provides rewarding, hands-on volunteer opportuni-
ties for our partners and employees that are consis-
tent with our firm’s core values and aligned with
our strategic goals as responsible
corporate citizens. RBI helps
us change lives while supporting our commitment
to diversity and our profession, both of which are
integral to so many of the firm’s philanthropic and
volunteer programs.
Working through RBI, more than 900 KPMG
volunteers help RBI’s children learn how to
play baseball and softball and acquire the skills they
will need to excel throughout their lives—off the
field, in school, and, later on, in business. It is our
belief that the dedication of our people will continue
to be our most valuable 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 and softball.
Thanks to KPMG volunteers, thousands of chil-
dren will graduate from high school, attend college,
and build successful careers. Through RBI, KPMG
is able to reach inner-city youth and encourage these
children to look toward their futures. Together we
impact our most valuable resource—our children.

KPMG LLP
Headquarters:
New York City
Web site:
www.us.kpmg.com
Primary Business:
Audit, tax, and advisory services
Employees: 23,000

32 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

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Corporate Philanthropy
Merlinda Gallegos
Vice President of Corporate Philanthropy
MGM MIRAGE
Executives Leading Philanthropy Efforts
Paul E. Culley Empowerment School
In 2006, MGM MIRAGE “adopted” Paul E. Culley
Elementary School, one of four empowerment
schools in the Clark County School District in Las
Vegas. Empowerment schools allow school staff
to have more control over budget, curriculum,
and scheduling. Through the partnership, MGM
MIRAGE contributes $50,000 annually in addition
to providing support such as job assistance for par-
ents, school supplies, mentors, teacher training, and
professional development.
Over the past two years, MGM MIRAGE:
• Provided backpacks filled
with school supplies to more
than 2,000 students.
• Contributed new socks and
shoes for every child through
the Shoes That Fit program.
• Allowed students to tour
the world-renowned conser-
vatory at the Bellagio Resort
& Casino to learn about
horticulture.
• Provided leadership training
to staff and administration.
• Leveraged its relationships with other youth-
serving organizations to deliver additional services
and resources to the Culley campus.
MGM MIRAGE’s leadership in the empow-
erment program has yielded significant results.
Students at Culley have increased
achievement significantly across
MGM MIRAGE all grades, all subjects, all student
Headquarters:
demographics, and subgroups.
Las Vegas, Nevada Student achievement in math and
Web site: reading increased more than 20
www.mgmmirage.com percent in each area.
Primary Business:
Hospitality
Employees: 66,000
34 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
Three Square
MGM MIRAGE joined
several other business
and community leaders
to create Three Square,
a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating
hunger in Southern Nevada. Seeded by a $50,000
contribution from MGM MIRAGE and other
donations, the group aims to build a model facility,
designed by leading hospitality industry chefs, that
will provide fresh, nutritionally balanced meals to
nonprofit food distribution centers such as shelters,
churches, and social service outlets.
Already, Three Square has garnered local and
national support and achieved significant milestones
that include:
• A $2 million investment by America’s
Second Harvest, the national organization
addressing hunger.
• A multiyear, multimillion-dollar investment by
the Conrad H. Hilton Foundation.
• More than $1 million in corporate and
individual donations.
Beyond its financial contribution, MGM
MIRAGE executives from across the company, in-
cluding community affairs, philanthropy, and food
and beverage, are spearheading the efforts of Three
Square. Company employees have worked tirelessly
in every aspect of developing this vital community
organization, from leadership, to menu design, to
food preparation and technology, to galvanizing
support from the Nevada restaurant community.
 Join us in Atlanta.
Registration
open now!

Leading, Changing, Transforming

SHRM Diversity Conference & Exposition

Keynote Speakers
Oct. 27-29, 2008
Atlanta, Ga.
Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Lisa Ling Frans Johansson Bill Strickland

Host, National Author, The Medici President and CEO,
Geographic Channel’s Effect Manchester Bidwell
Explorer Corporation

Early bird price until Global Diversity and Inclusion Issues

8/1/08 in the 21st Century Panel
SHRM Member: Chief Diversity Officer Speakers:
$1,025 Steve Bucherati Deborah Dagit Dr. Rohini Anand
The Coca-Cola Company Merck & Co. Inc. Sodexho USA
Nonmember:
$1,270 Moderator:
Dr. Shirley Davis
Director of Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives
Society for Human Resource Management
08-0514

Please visit www.shrm.org/conferences/diversity for more information or to register.

Corporate Philanthropy

Chris Park
President, New York Life Foundation

New York Life

Fostering Healthy Connections

The New York Life Foundation award-
ed a three-year, $748,000 grant to the Child Welfare
League of America (CWLA) to expand its mentor-
ing program, Fostering Healthy Connections, to
eight CWLA member agencies in Schenectady and
Stony Brook, New York; Des Moines, Iowa; Peoria,
Illinois; Melbourne, Florida; Holmes, Pennsylvania;
Columbus, Ohio; and East Providence, Rhode
Island. The curriculum of the mentoring program is
the only one developed specifically to involve former
foster youth as mentors for those who are currently
in the foster care system.
The curriculum was created in collaboration
with FosterClub, a nonprofit organization with
expertise working with foster care youth, the result
of New York Life Foundation’s $199,200 grant
to CWLA in 2005. The FosterClub program was
piloted at Boys’ Haven, a CWLA member agency
in Louisville, Kentucky. Boys’ Haven provides resi-
dential and foster care services to children who have
been victims of abuse and neglect. The program has
proven successful with nearly 100 percent participa-
tion in all activities by all mentor/mentee matches.
Based on the success of the pilot program,
CWLA requested funding to offer Fostering Healthy
Connections training, ongoing technical assistance,
and a “toolkit” of activities and resources to ad-
ditional agencies. FosterClub will again collaborate
with CWLA and use the curriculum to develop the
trainers for each new agency. The curriculum and
program materials will also be available to all CWLA
members at the conclusion of the grant.
“With this significant, ongoing support from
the New York Life Foundation, CWLA can expand
this important program. Now even more youth in
foster care will benefit from the relationships with
their mentors at a critical time in their lives,” said
Christine James-Brown, CWLA’s president and chief
executive officer.
“The New York Life Foundation is proud to
build on the success of our initial grant and provide
additional support to a program that has already
proven to be successful. Through our partnership
with CWLA, additional children in foster care,
who desperately need strong connections in their
lives, will benefit from the insight of mentors who
uniquely understand their needs,” said Chris Park,
president, New York Life Foundation.

New York Life

Headquarters:
New York City
Web site:
www.newyorklife.com
Peer mentor Sophia (left)
Primary Business: shares a special moment
Life insurance, retirement with her mentor, Andrea.
income, long-term care insurance,
institutional asset management, and
retirement plan services
Employees: 8,689 (domestic)

36 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

Corporate Philanthropy

Kathleen Ryan-Mufson
Director of Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Reading Is Fundamental Training Program

Since 2005, the Pitney Bowes Literacy and
Education Fund (PB L&EF) has supported the
programs and activities of Reading Is Fundamental
(RIF), the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit lit-
eracy organization for children and families. Juanita
James, chief communications officer, Pitney Bowes
Inc., has served on its board since June 2004.
In 2007, the PB L&EF provided a $50,000
grant in support of RIF’s “Care to Read” early
literacy training program. This program supports
children’s emergent literacy skills through training
and resources for childcare staff in center and home-
based programs. Six workshops cover topics in early
literacy development and use children’s literature to
actively engage childcare staff and illustrate literacy
development concepts. The workshops are designed
to “train the trainer,” preparing participants to
return to their programs and deliver the six work-
shops to their colleagues. The six workshops cover
the following topics:
• Understanding Early Language and
Literacy Development
• Creating Literacy-rich Environments
• Where Conversation Leads
• Reading Aloud
• Making My Mark
RIF Training Workshop
• Supporting Language and Literacy
Development Every Day.
The PB L&EF’s 2007 grant went toward two
training sessions in Spokane, Washington, and
Appleton, Wisconsin, that trained a total of 120
education and childcare professionals. Each partici-
pant was also provided with a Trainer’s Resource Kit
which contains approximately 20 children’s books,
teacher resource books, three literacy-themed full
color posters, RIF’s “Read with Me” videos and
guide, and a trainer’s manual which includes the
training activities for each workshop, handout mas-
ters, and other resource materials a trainer needs to
deliver the workshops for groups of participants. RIF
officials expect that each “Care to Read” program
participant will go back to his or her educational or
childcare institution and train five or more people.
The Pitney Bowes Literacy and Education Fund
is proud to support the “Care to Read” program, a
tremendously successful model for how to cascade
high-impact literacy training skills to educational
and childcare professionals.

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Headquarters:
Stamford, Connecticut
Web site:
www.pb.com
Primary Business:
Mailstream hardware, software
and services
Employees: 36,000 worldwide

38 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 We all have distinct perspectives and
individual talents that make each of us
unique. Recognizing and celebrating
those differences is integral to
Bank of America commitment to
diversity and inclusion. From our
boardrooms to our banking centers to
our offices abroad, we continue to build
powerful alliances throughout our
company and in the communities we
serve. And our commitment to diversity
and inclusion has helped foster a rich,
rewarding environment that offers each of
our associates unlimited opportunity.

To learn more about starting a career

with Bank of America and about our
associate diversity programs, visit
www.bankofamerica.com/careers.

©2008 Bank of America Corporation

Corporate Philanthropy

Kevin Bott
Chief Information Officer

Ryder System Inc

Making a Difference for Special Needs Students

For almost 10 years, Ryder System has
helped Neva King Cooper Educational Center, a
school for profoundly mentally handicapped chil-
dren and adults, ages 3 to 22, in Homestead,
Florida. The school, located in southern Miami-
Dade County, has 106 students, half of whom are
confined to wheelchairs and need assistance with
basic daily functions. The majority of the parents of
Neva King Cooper students face difficult financial
situations. Many lack the resources to obtain the
food, clothing, and medical supplies they need to
provide a comfortable life for their children.
Over the years, Ryder has developed a close
relationship with Neva King Cooper. The company
organizes an annual Thanksgiving celebration, do-
nating turkeys to every family and additional food
supplies to dozens of the poorest families. Ryder
also organizes a Holiday Extravaganza in December,
delivering toys to the students from their Christmas
wish lists. The children, their families, and Ryder
officers attend the daylong celebration, which in-
cludes games and entertainment. For many families,
Ryder’s holiday meals are their only holiday dinner.
Throughout the year, Ryder also lends Neva
King support on a needs basis, providing everything
from basic toiletries and diapers to funds for hearing
aids and wheelchairs. Additionally, the company has
contributed bathing suits and towels for the children
who receive therapy in the school’s swimming pool.
Recently, company volunteers attended a school
beautification day, planting a butterfly garden and
painting colorful murals.
Assistant Principal Henny Cristobal explained
that Ryder’s assistance has done an extraordinary
job of improving the students’ quality of life. “Most
of our parents’ energy is focused on solving prob-
lems,” he said. “Because of their health challenges
and weakened immune systems, our students are
constantly getting sick, and their parents are focused
on meeting their basic health needs. They don’t have
time to focus on the simple pleasures of life, and
that’s where Ryder’s assistance has been so crucial.
Ryder’s support has helped improve our students’
overall enjoyment of life.”
Ryder System Chief Information Officer Kevin
Bott gives a Christmas present to a student of
the Neva King Cooper Educational Center.

Ryder System Inc

Headquarters: Ryder employees
Miami, Florida and officers attend
the annual Holiday
Web site:
Extravaganza,
www.ryder.com
a day of food,
Primary Business: entertainment, and
Transportation and supply chain fun for students and
management solutions their families.
Employees: More than 28,000
globally

40 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications
Training Chefs, Turning Lives Around,
Relieving Hunger
DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) is one of
the nation’s largest and most successful hunger
relief organizations. From its busy, state-of-the-art
central kitchen, the organization recovers unused
food, prepares and delivers meals to partner so-
cial service agencies, trains and employs homeless
men and women for the food service industry,
and intellectually engages volunteers. Every day
DCCK prepares and delivers 5,000 meals to nine
shelters and more than 60 partner agencies across
the District of Columbia.
The man behind the hectic daily kitchen opera-
tions is Jerald Thomas, a seasoned chef who almost
lost it all to substance abuse—his job, his family,
and his home. Today Jerald has his life back thanks
to his hard work, the help of Sodexo, and the
DC Central Kitchen.
While in recovery at a residential treatment
center, Jerald first learned about DCCK’s
Community Kitchen, a
12-week Culinary Job
Training Program. He com-
pleted the program, was
recertified in kitchen sanita-
tion, and was hired by Sodexo
as a cook.
Jerald Thomas,
Kitchen Director of
DC Central Kitchen and
Community Kitchen
success story.
Corporate Philanthropy
Steve Brady
Sodexo
“Sodexo took a chance on me and gave me a
great start back on my life,” Jerald recalled. “They
saw my potential and promoted me from cook to
junior chef in just one week.”
Sodexo and the Sodexo Foundation are long-
time supporters of the DCCK and the national
Community Kitchen program. Sodexo supports local
program efforts and funds individual Community
Kitchens with grants. Since 2000, Sodexo has hired
200 Community Kitchen graduates, placed more
than 250 Community Kitchen students in intern-
ships, and helped train close to 950 students.
Jerald Thomas is one of the shining stars of the
Community Kitchen-Sodexo collaboration. After
a one-year stint with Sodexo, Jerald returned to
DCCK—not as a student, but as a leader. He
began as a sous chef and was soon promoted
to kitchen director, a position he has held for
nearly four years. While managing a staff of 15
and producing 5,000 meals
a day, Jerald earned his
associate degree in culinary
arts from Stratford University
in Virginia. Jerald has
turned his life around, and
the Sodexo Foundation is
proud to have played a role in
his recovery.
Sodexo
Headquarters:
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Web site:
www.sodexoUSA.com
Primary Business:
Food and facilities management
services
Employees: 110,000
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 41
Corporate Philanthropy

Caroline “Caz” S. Matthews

President, WellPoint Foundation; Vice President of Social Responsibility

WellPoint Inc.

Community Service Day

Every year WellPoint Inc. associates give Through these charitable projects, the WellPoint
generously to more than 9,000 not-for-profit Foundation is able to promote the company’s com-
organizations across the country. The WellPoint mitment to enhance the health and well-being of
Foundation LLC matches 50 percent of those those in the communities WellPoint serves. More
dollars to provide even greater financial support to than 70 percent of the projects included an element
these organizations. During the 2007-2008 cam- of improving community and population health.
paign, associates pledged more than $15 million, The remaining programs targeted areas of need
and the WellPoint Foundation provided a $7.5 mil- such as environmental renovations, basic needs sup-
lion match to these pledges. port, and disaster preparedness. The initiative was a
To further connect associates to the communi- resounding success, involving more than 5 percent
ties and people they serve through their pledging, of associates, and the project team has already started
WellPoint’s Community Service Day was created planning for next year.
by Angela Braly, WellPoint president and CEO, and In 2007, including the campaign match of asso-
Caroline Matthews, WellPoint Foundation presi- ciates’ giving, the WellPoint Foundation committed
dent. The initiative brought together associates $23 million to community organizations nation-
nationwide to volunteer in April 2008. In its inau- wide, and WellPoint Inc. gifted $4.9 million to civic
gural year, approximately 3,000 people volunteered and charitable organizations through its community
time to more than 220 projects in 140 cities spanning relations support.
30 states and the District of Columbia. Projects were
developed in partnership with the March of Dimes,
United Way and many other nonprofit organizations
and included the March for Babies events, efforts to
reduce obesity in children with the Boys and Girls
Clubs, and community health clinics that served
the uninsured.
Community Service Day was designed to address
direct needs in WellPoint’s communities. The found-
ers wanted to provide a meaningful experience for
associates and their families and friends and to show
that time, talent, muscle, and money are necessary to
support WellPoint’s communities.

WellPoint Inc.
Headquarters: Top to bottom:
Indianapolis, Indiana • An associate plants new grass in a
clearing.
Web site: • The team works to clear a hiking
www.wellpoint.com path through the woods for
Primary Business: campers.
Health benefits • A large group of volunteers fills in
Employees: 42,000 holes and gaps for new grass.

42 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

And that may be the one true link that brings us all together,

regardless of race, creed or color. Boeing proudly supports

those courageous enough to make discrimination, history.

 www.catalyst.org

Women of Color in Accounting:

Exploring the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity
and Gender

A
By Catalyst

According to the Occupational Outlook Findings

Handbook, employment of accountants and audi-
tors is expected to grow faster than average for all
occupations through the year 2014.1 With women
and people of color receiving certification in ac-
counting2 and joining the accounting industry at
an increasing rate,3 firms are faced with the job of
creating more inclusive environments in a tradition-
ally white, male-dominated, “up-or-out” culture.
Although a certain amount of attrition is built into
the business model for professional services firms,
to stay competitive, accounting firms can no longer
afford high turnover among talented professionals
whom they train only to become regretted losses.
In Women of Color in Accounting, Catalyst con-
tinues its investigation of the experiences of women
of color in professional services firms, which are
characterized by a client-service focus and firmly
entrenched “old boys’” networks. In the report
Catalyst benchmarks the experiences of women
of color against other demographic groups in the
workforce. This examination lets us understand
better the “intersectionality” that women of color
experience: that is, how a person’s different attri-
butes and characteristics interact with one another
and inform personal and professional identities,
experiences, and expectations about privilege and
disadvantage in the workplace.
Women of color had more in common with men
of color than with white women in their attitudes
regarding exclusivity of the work environment and
their perceptions that practices intended to support
inclusion were not as effective as they could be.
• People of color felt less included in the
accounting firm work environment than
did whites. For example, they were more
likely to perceive low expectations from their
managers and double standards regarding
performance evaluation. They felt less con-
nected with influential mentors who could
help advance their careers; even those people
of color with mentors were likely to feel that
their mentors lacked influence as compared
with those of their white colleagues. Perhaps
because of this, people of color felt more
challenged than whites in understanding
organizational politics.
• In judging the firms’ responses to diversity
and inclusion challenges, people of color
were less likely than whites to perceive
accountability and commitment. This is
consistent with earlier Catalyst research that
found that people of color tended to perceive
diversity practices at their firms as well-
intentioned but suffering from “imperfect
execution.”4

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Accountants and Auditors,” Occupational Outlook Handbook (December 20, 2005). http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm
2According to The National Center for Education Statistics (Integrated Postsecondary Datasystem, 2007), in the 2005-2006 school year, people of color
(African Americans, Latinos, Asian-Pacific Islanders, and American Indians) earned 26.2 percent of all accounting bachelor’s degrees, 19.0 percent of all
accounting master’s degrees, and 19.0 percent of all accounting PhDs.
3Beatrice Sanders, The Supply of Accounting Graduates and the Demand for Public Accounting Recruits: 2005 (New York: AICPA, 2005).
4Deepali Bagati, Retaining People of Color: What Accounting Firms Need to Know (Catalyst, 2007): p. 4.

44 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


“...firms are faced with the job of
creating more inclusive environments
in a traditionally white, male-dominated,
“up-or-out” culture.
”
• Some people of color believed that work-life employees at participating firms. For the quantitative
practices at their firms lack racial sensitivity. portion of the study, a web survey was distributed
There were a few areas in which women of to a sample of employees at some of the 20 largest
color and white women had similar experiences (by revenue) accounting firms in the United States.
and perceptions. For example, they both perceived One-half of the firms in the sample were from the
some level of social exclusion from the “old boys’” top four accounting firms and the remainder came
network and also perceived a lack of support from from the rest of the top 20. Participating organiza-
firms for their family responsibilities. tions fielded the survey between December 2006
Most importantly, women of color experienced and May 2007. The survey was sent to a total of
“intersectionality” in that they faced many barriers 3,918 individuals, and 1,424 of them responded,
to a greater extent than did white women or men of for an overall response rate of 36.3 percent. PDJ
color. Many of these barriers relate to difficulty in
navigating a client-based environment, and include
lack of similar role models, stereotyping, a greater About Catalyst
level of exclusion from networks, and difficulty in Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit
accessing high-visibility assignments and business corporate membership research and advisory
development opportunities. organization working globally with businesses and
the professions to build inclusive workplaces and
Methodology expand opportunities for women and business.
This study consisted of both qualitative (interviews To download free copies of this and other Catalyst
and focus groups) and quantitative (survey) data reports, visit www.catalyst.org. You may also sign up
collection. We conducted six interviews with senior to receive our monthly email updates at
partners and nine focus groups of professional news@catalyst.org.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 45

Thanks to you,
Peter feels the support he needs to become a
stronger, more independent individual.

At WellPoint, we are addressing tomorrow’s health care issues

today. Our Associate Giving Campaign offers associates the
opportunity to contribute dollars to a number of qualifying
nonprofit organizations.

What’s more, WellPoint’s 50 percent match of employee

contributions is making everyday goals a reality for many
individuals in our communities. Commitment like this has
had an immediate impact on people like Tom, who’s doing
more for himself than he ever thought possible. Working to
better people’s lives is not something you do every day.
But it can be – at WellPoint.

Better health care, thanks to you.

Visit us online at wellpoint.com/careers and wellpoint.com/diversity

Contact us at diversityrecruiting@wellpoint.com

EOE ®Registered Trademark, WellPoint, Inc.© 2008 WellPoint, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
®Registered Trademark, DiversityInc Media LLC
 Special Feature
at ArvinMeritor,

Diversity at
Starts the top

48 CEO Leadership
57 Leadership Profiles
ArvinMeritor Executives clockwise from front:
Rhonda Brooks, Rakesh Sachdev, Victoria Jackson, 66 A Culture of Opportunity
Lin Cummins, Vernon G. Baker II, Chip McClure,
Joe Anderson, and Mary Lehmann. and Success
CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

ArvinMeritor—a leading global automotive

and commercial vehicle supplier—is not alone
in the number of challenges facing the entire
manufacturing sector. Among them is building
and maintaining a motivated, productive
workforce. Perhaps even more important,
however, is creating a positive team culture
in which talented men and women from all
over the world and from diverse backgrounds
can reach their full potential while helping the
company to thrive in today’s tough business
climate.

Getting to Know ArvinMeritor’s

Chip McClure
Charles G. (Chip) McClure, ArvinMeritor’s chairman, CEO, and presi-
dent since 2004, has become well respected in the industry for his fi-
nancial and strategic acumen and for building strong business. Under
his leadership, ArvinMeritor not only delivers on aggressive cost-re-
duction and sales targets, but also maintains a diverse organizational
culture with a positive outlook on future growth and opportunity.

Prior to joining ArvinMeritor, McClure served as CEO, president,

and board member of Federal Mogul Corp., a $5.5 billion global
supplier of automotive components. In this role, he was instrumental
in creating an aggressive plan to resolve difficult issues related
to Federal Mogul’s reorganization and planned emergence from
Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Prior to that, McClure held senior positions at Detroit Diesel,

a major designer and manufacturer of diesel engines and related
products; Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee-based global automotive
supplier; and Ford Motor Company.

48 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


You’ve faced human resource issues at a number of
automotive companies. Now that you’re in the top
spot at ArvinMeritor, how do you define diversity for
the organization?
Diversity is about recognizing, respecting, and valuing
the uniqueness of each individual. By identifying and
appreciating each individual’s personal and professional
abilities, talents, and experiences, we can make the most
of these valuable human resources to drive superior
business performance.
Tapping into each person’s ideas, problem-solving skills
and perspective on each project nourishes the creative power
that is our strongest and most sustainable competitive
advantage. That creativity, in turn, helps drive us toward
our goal to deliver innovative solutions to our customers
around the world.
ArvinMeritor appears to have an exceedingly motivated
workforce. How do you create a high level of commitment in
the organization?
I have been in business for nearly 30 years. The most impor-
tant thing I have learned is that only by fully embracing
diversity and maximizing the contributions of our people
can we completely realize the strength and competitiveness
of our company.
We must also encourage individuals to reach their full
potential and reward them for their contributions. In the
auto industry, we continually work through up and down
cycles. So we must keep our business flexible enough to
adapt to change. At the same time, we must maintain our
ability to provide strong value to our shareholders. That
flexibility calls for a very talented and motivated work-
force.
Our success requires that we strengthen our balance
sheet, grow globally, create and invest in viable core com-
petencies, recruit and retain a technically advanced work-
force, and, of course, continue to reduce costs. All of our
employees must be engaged in order for ArvinMeritor to
meet these aggressive commitments. Our people are moti-
vated to contribute not only because they are rewarded for
their contributions, but also because they are recognized for
sharing new ideas. In an industry in which companies thrive
on innovation, our workforce—from the executive offices
CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
Corporate Profile
Company Name ArvinMeritor, Inc.
Headquarters:
2135 W. Maple Rd., Troy, Michigan, 48084
Web Site: www.arvinmeritor.com
Primary Business: Premier global supplier of a broad
range of integrated systems, modules and components
to the motor vehicle industry.
Industry Rank: 301 on the Fortune 500
Number of Employees: 19,000 employees
Annual Revenues: $6.4 billion
to the plant floor engineers and everyone in between—is
constantly challenged to develop viable solutions to recur-
ring and new complex problems. That is exciting and highly
motivating.
People want more than a job and a paycheck. They want
inclusion, understanding, and to be part of a culture that
respects their differences. We work hard at creating that
kind of environment at ArvinMeritor, and I think we have
done a good job.
How do you believe diversity impacts your workforce and,
ultimately, your company’s bottom line?
At ArvinMeritor, workforce diversity is viewed as a com-
petitive advantage and business opportunity. The ultimate
success of our company depends on our ability to hire,
train, retain, and promote a diverse workforce and supplier
base across the global organization.
For a long time in the automotive sector—especially
in manufacturing—a very homogenous group led us. Not
enough effort was made to recruit qualified women or
minorities with innovative ideas, and the industry suffered
for it. In a business driven by creativity—whether in new
technology, new products, or new processes—it goes with-
out saying that you will get improved results with varied
and diverse input. Men and women from different cultures
perceive problems and solutions differently, and those fresh
opinions can produce powerful results.
It’s not enough that we develop our products on time
and under budget. In today’s competitive environment, our
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 49
CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
solutions must be focused on building lighter and enhanced
products at a lower cost than ever before. Having the advan-
tage of a diverse workforce with a variety of strengths and
points of view is key to helping ArvinMeritor create smart,
breakthrough products for the future.
Before we move on, I’d like to take a moment to say
that ArvinMeritor is privileged to have talented men and
women from diverse backgrounds and with varied experi-
ences at virtually every level of the organization—many
more than we have space to mention in this company
profile. Their valuable individual contributions factor
heavily into our long-term success every day. As I said earlier,
they are perhaps ArvinMeritor’s most important sustainable
competitive advantage.
How have you changed your recruitment efforts at
ArvinMeritor to be more inclusive?
A major concentration in our diversity efforts has been on
recruitment. This is an issue that starts, literally, at the top of
the organization with a very involved board of directors.
On our board, we have an Environmental and Social
Responsibility Committee that has instilled metrics to
By the numbers…ArvinMeritor employs approximately
19,000 employees in 24 countries.
50 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
monitor success and areas of improvement in our recruiting
and retention efforts. Also, it is part of our culture to recruit
and develop a strong talent pool.
For example, our finance department has long had a
Financial Development Program (FDP), an initiative to
proactively recruit 15 to 20 of the best and brightest MBA
and BBA graduates to the company each year.
In addition, we realized several years ago that we had
historically been recruiting from schools that provided a
limited number of diverse potential candidates. Since then,
we have greatly expanded our recruitment efforts at uni-
versities with more diverse student bodies, such as Howard
University, Morehouse College, Georgia Tech University,
and many others.
Since we’ve reached out to the men and women attend-
ing a broader spectrum of campuses, more than half of
our FDP candidates now represent a variety of cultures,
backgrounds, and ethnicities. Now that we’re building
a strong, inclusive entry-level pool of talent, we are also
making strides in our retention efforts. We realize the
importance of supporting these skilled new team members
and giving them the opportunities they need to grow with
the company.
I know that you’re active in Washington,
D.C., with the Executive Leadership
Council (ELC). What type of diversity
issues is that organization dealing with,
and how are you incorporating your
work in Washington at your
own offices?
Our chief legal counsel, Vernon Baker,
is a member of the ELC, and he got me
involved four years ago. Every year, I
attend a day-long CEO summit where
30 to 40 of my peers gather to have an
open dialogue on embracing diversity.
These sessions have been a real revela-
tion, and allowed me to see the world
through the eyes of people with differ-
ent backgrounds and different points
of view.

“
ArvinMeritor is privileged to have talented men and women from
diverse backgrounds and with varied experiences at virtually every
level of the organization—many more than we have space to
mention in this company profile.
” — Chip McClure
During that day, the ELC members and the CEO par-
ticipants candidly discuss how people of dissimilar races
view issues, problems, and solutions differently. The sum-
mit offers a priceless insight I can bring back to the office
that helps me to stay more open-minded and committed to
diversity.
Another aspect of our involvement in the ELC is
that we bring several young minority professionals from
ArvinMeritor with us to the ELC fundraiser. Those who
have attended have told me that it has been extremely
motivating to see the successful role models that the ELC
honors at the event. They also appreciate seeing the efforts
ArvinMeritor is making to embrace diversity.
I’m also heavily involved in the National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) led by former Michigan Governor
John Engler. I serve on the executive committee, and I am
chair of the HR council, where we develop and recommend
actions on various HR public policy issues.
Healthcare has obviously been a big issue, as has immi-
gration. Our role is to offer and recommend fair and just
immigration reform policy for consideration by Congress.
We also presented an important paper on the subject of
women in manufacturing and made several recommenda-
tions for best practices in increasing the number of women
professionals in the industry.
I believe it is the responsibility of leaders like me to be
active on issues that will drive our industries forward, and I
pledge to maintain that level of commitment.
Has this involvement led to specific policy changes at
your company?
Here’s one good example: Being more involved in examin-
ing healthcare policy has underscored for me how much
employees rely on their organizations for support. I have
also come to better understand how those needs change
CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
based on the life needs of a
diverse workforce.
To address those unique situ-
ations, traditional staffing, lead-
ership, and succession planning
are not enough. At ArvinMeritor, we also have programs
and policies such as Adoption Financial Assistance and
the Family and Medical Leave Act. To support the vari-
ous needs of our people, we also encourage flexible work
options, such as compressed workweeks, flextime, job
sharing, part-time positions, and telecommuting.
ArvinMeritor has been recognized by Catalyst, one of the
leading professional women’s organizations, and inforum,
your own local women’s economic club, for the number
of women you have in senior-level positions. How did
that happen?
We are very proud of the fact that ArvinMeritor has more
women in board and officer positions than many of our
peers in the automotive industry. So, I was very pleased to be
recognized for our commitment to promoting women. We
are lucky to have found many strong female leaders. These
women are highly skilled professionals who have more than
proven themselves in a largely male-dominated industry.
A great deal has changed since I graduated from Cornell
University with an engineering degree. And at that time,
there were very, very few women in the program. I continue
to be an active alumnus, and both my son and daughter
attend Cornell.
Obviously then, I remain close to the program. There
are now more women than ever in the engineering program,
and I believe that is true across the country. Fortunately,
there is a much greater pipeline of female engineering talent
than there was, so that’s a big gain for the manufacturing
and engineering profession. That having been said, however,
there’s still a long way to go in encouraging young women to
enter the fields of science and engineering.
When those young women look for role models, I want
them to find them here at ArvinMeritor. And that’s not
just here at our U.S. headquarters. ArvinMeritor employs
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CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

a large number of highly successful women in Asia-
Pacific, Europe, and many other regions of the
world.
The bottom line is, our country is becoming more
diverse. The diversity and character of the American
workforce has undergone tremendous changes over
the last few years. Companies that do not actively
embrace and foster diversity are going to be at a loss
if they do not recruit and retain more talented men
and women from diverse cultures who can bring fresh
ideas and a different perspective to the table. That is
one of the new business realities.
What are some actions you are taking to measure
accountability in your diversity efforts?
Final accountability for diversity is held at the
board level. As I mentioned earlier, we have an
Environmental and Social Responsibility Committee
that is responsible for quality, safety, ethics, com-
munity, and environment issues. The committee
also applies metrics to our recruiting and retention
efforts.
While the board regularly reviews high-level execu-
tive appointments, we also spend a great deal of time
discussing minority candidates at all levels of the orga-
nization. We do this to ensure that we remain aware
of the diverse management potential we have within
the organization, and where we might find qualified
candidates for advancement. Above all, the board
holds all of the officers accountable for improving
diversity initiatives in each of their areas of respon-
sibility. This solid, top-level commitment is going to
make this organization better.
We also have an annual, rigorous, two-day
Succession Development Program where all of the
company officers participate to review and discuss
the future leaders of the company. In these sessions
we also measure the current state of diversity of
our organization. In addition, although this action
is not diversity-specific, we do whatever is neces-
sary to encourage employee retention. As a result of
those efforts, we currently fill 70 percent of our posi-
tions with internal candidates. Our target is to reach
80 percent.
What qualities do you look for when hiring
management? How do you quantify attitudes?
Depending on the position and level, the candidate
must first be technically capable. Next, we carefully
consider the individual’s personal and professional

Pictured (l to r), Terry Barclay, President and CEO, inforum; Anthony Earley, Chairman
and CEO, DTE Energy; Stan Smith, National Director, Deloitte; Charles ‘Chip’ McClure,
Chairman of the Board, CEO and President, ArvinMeritor, Inc.; Daniel Loepp, President and
CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; panel moderator Ann Thomas, WJR radio; and
Kathy Oswald, President, Right Management.

52 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

ethics. I want people who, at any time, can publicly
share whatever they are doing with the rest of us with-
out hesitation or question. Finally, we have a unique
culture here, and look for men and women who will
add to that culture, benefit from it and make it even
stronger.
We are in the transportation industry—both auto-
mobiles and commercial trucks. Fifty percent of our
business is outside of the United States. We must have
people who are not only comfortable in dealing with
global business environments, but thrive in them.
ArvinMeritor has been in countries like China and
India for a long time, and we are fortunate to have a
good core of people in the management team that
have been developed from both the local population
and our expat community. It comes down to having
a good balance.
What kind of human resource challenges do you face in
your industry?
This is a tough industry going through a rough
time. When you are operating in an industry that
is contracting rather than expanding, recruitment
and retention is all the more challenging. So, we go
out of our way to put our best candidates and our
best people in situations where they will not only
be recognized, but be able to make real, meaningful
contributions to the success of this company. The best
and the brightest often crave challenges and want to
be leaders. So, we try to give them that opportunity
whenever we can.
For example, we recently took close to 100 of our
best people away from their regular roles and created a
group designed to develop and drive our transforma-
tional Performance Plus Program. It was the group’s
complete responsibility to lead one of the biggest and

Closing the Gap Award

ArvinMeritor received the Closing the Gap Award from New Detroit in recognition of its efforts in southwest Detroit to pro-
mote economic development and educational initiatives, and reduce racial tensions in the city of Detroit. The award was pre-
sented to ArvinMeritor’s Chairman, CEO and President Chip McClure before approximately 650 civic and community leaders
at the Detroit Opera House.

ArvinMeritor’s Detroit operations were

specifically cited for the hiring of Detroit citi-
zens, collaboration with neighboring South-
western High School, support for human
services in the city and for efforts to feed the
needy.  

New Detroit was formed in 1967 and is

a coalition of leaders from civil rights advo-
cacy, health and community organizations,
business, labor, foundations, education,
media and clergy.  

Pictured with the

Closing the Gap Award are:
(l to r) Chip McClure;
Shirley Stancato, President and CEO of New
Detroit; and John Rakolta, Jr.,
Chairman of New Detroit.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 53

CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

An avid runner, Chip McClure has made physical fitness a part of his
life. To encourage fitness at work, employees are invited, twice a
month, to “Walk and Talk with the Chairman.”
These 30-minute walking sessions use the outdoor, ArvinMeritor
1-mile heart-healthy track. The track was created in 2007 to
encourage employee exercise, and includes signage describing
heart-healthy facts and tips.

most dramatic cost-reduction and growth initiatives in our

company’s history. They literally were charged with trans-
forming the company. And that experience has given them
just one of the kind of incredible opportunities we have to
offer to potential recruits anywhere in the world.

Where does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion

come from? Who were the role models who shaped your point
of view on diversity?
I come from a family of engineers, one of whom was my
mother. She studied engineering for two and half years on encouraging mentorship. It gives employees throughout
before going on to teach. I have a tremendous respect for her the organization an informal affinity group where they can
contributions to the workforce. I found the same inspiration discuss issues that relate to them. It’s all about increasing
in my wife, who was a stockbroker and then a teacher. I see understanding.
the same drive and commitment passed down through them
How would you describe your leadership style?
to my daughter. I learn something from them every day.
I continually share my commitment to ethical standards. I
In my business career, I was fortunate to have an expat
make a point to tell people that, if I cannot post something
assignment in Germany. I know first hand that, no matter
I have done on the front of this building and be proud of it,
how well traveled you are, you cannot gain true respect for
it isn’t the right thing to do. I cannot share my values with
a culture and its language until you’ve actually lived among
people, however, unless I make a connection with them.
its people. Upon my return to the States, I found that I was
So, I make sure I am out there talking and listening to our
much more sensitive to people from other cultures, and real-
people on a regular basis. I am a big fan of the power of
ized (among other things) the challenge that language bar-
“walkabouts,” which I have enjoyed for years.
riers can present. As a result of that experience, I can better
I’m an engineer by education, so I am comfortable on
understand the difficulty for anyone to adjust to living in a
the technical side, I am still amazed, however, by what our
foreign country. I have also found that I have a great deal
engineers are doing in the research and development centers.
more patience and understanding in dealing with diversity
And then, when I walk into our simulation lab to see what is
and inclusion.
going on, I am even more amazed. I also make it a point to
In the business community, I have been privileged to
visit the garage, and see what trucks our technicians have up
work with senior management and leadership who could
on the lift and what they are learning from it.
talk very candidly about diversity programs. Board member
You will also see me walking around various
Joe Anderson and Vernon Baker, my head legal counsel, have
non-technical departments, getting to know the people and
had tremendous influence on my viewpoint on diversity.
finding out what they do to support the company every day.
Vernon is the individual who helped us develop our sup-
You’d be surprised how much I learn about our business that
plier diversity efforts so that they did not become a failed
way. In addition, I make a point to visit our plants around
“program of the month.” Moreover, I have learned first
the world frequently. In fact, I visit almost every continent
hand that having women and minorities in senior roles has
over the course of a few months. I do this on a regular basis
a tremendous positive effect on corporate morale as well as

“Measure results, not activity.” — Chip McClure

54 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Chip and Sarah McClure (waving)
at the 2008 American Heart Association Start! Heart Walk.
to meet people, find out how their individual operations are
doing and what we can do to make improvements.
As their leader, it’s important to me for people to know
who I am, what I stand for, what they can expect from me
and what I expect from them. For example, the last time I
went to our facility in Sao Paolo, Brazil, I did not simply
want a plant tour. I wanted to go into the neighborhoods
near the plants and see how ArvinMeritor employees are
getting involved in their community.
During this visit, the plant leaders introduced me to a
group of ArvinMeritor employees, who were instrumental
in supporting their community by developing and offering
a unique 16 week mentoring program for local area students.
ArvinMeritor employees mentored these students, who spent
half of their time on academics subjects like math and sci-
ence and the other half learning a job skill. I met with these
kids, and was tremendously impressed with their apprecia-
tion and commitment for the mentor program. I was equally
proud of our employees who were making this happen.
A lot of my style is about relating to people, no matter
what office I’m visiting. I am 6’ 3”, and I realize my height
can be intimidating to some people. So, rather that stand-
ing or sitting behind a desk during meetings, we sit around
a table where we can all be comfortable and feel like we’re
all on the same level. It’s a small way to demonstrate that
we are indeed a team in which everyone’s opinion counts. I
encourage lively discussion, and encourage others to make
their own informed decisions, rather than asking me what
they should do.
Have you any “mottos” to rally your team regarding diversity
and inclusion?
I have a few, but the one I probably use most often is related
to accountability. The motto is “Measure results, not activ-
ity.” This applies to any person or any initiative we have.
Whether we are talking about technology development,
manufacturing efficiencies, cost reductions, diversity pro-
grams, or community relations efforts, I’m interested in the
results of our actions. That’s how I measure success.
CEO Leadership
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
Were there any experiences that discouraged you or taught
you a hard lesson about implementing diversity and inclusion?
I’ve never been discouraged by any of our efforts, other than
realizing that we can always do more. But I have learned a
great deal on how to improve some of our efforts and how
to deal with people more effectively.
Often, it is necessary for me to make quick decisions
without having all of the information or data I would prefer.
When it comes to making decisions about people, however,
you cannot make snap judgments. I have learned to institute
a 24-hour rule. That means that when a decision involves
someone’s career, I take an additional 24 hours to assess the
individual’s contribution to the organization (or lack there-
of ), as well as the specific circumstances involved, before I
make my decision.
What has been your proudest moment as leader
at ArvinMeritor?
Every day is my proudest moment. I like what I do. That
is largely because I enjoy spending time with the people. I
have made it a priority to get to know every person in our
building; I want to know what they’re working on; I want to
know their kids’ names. Do we share a hobby? I have made
it part of my job to not only know what they do, but to
understand who they are as individuals.
Just the other day, I received a letter from one of our
team members who had been deployed to Iraq. I sent him
a personal note back, thanking him for all he’s done for us
and for the sacrifices he is making for our country. I was
surprised to get a lengthy letter in return. In the letter, he
generously thanked us for taking care of his employee ben-
efits and other necessities for his family while he’s on active
duty. I am extremely proud to be a leader of a company that
takes care of its people, and I am extremely pleased to see the
commitment we receive in return.
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CEO Leadership
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What is your advice to others just entering the
business world?
Aside from receiving a solid education, some of the most
important things I walked out of college with are a strong
work ethic, a love of technology, an interest in innovation,
and an appreciation and understanding of engineering
that has been the building block of my career. In my
opinion, those are the price of entry for those joining
manufacturing today.
I knew I was headed to the U.S. Navy right after gradu-
ation. However, after fulfilling my military commitment, I
was determined to be an engineer. Even then I knew that
there were other parts of the business world that interested
me, such as manufacturing, sales, and finance. Right then,
I made a personal commitment to explore those areas that
were outside my engineering and personal comfort zone,
both here and abroad. The point is, I ventured out and
took risks, which have made a dramatic difference in my
career and my life. When we challenge ourselves with a
wide range of experiences, we can open our minds to dif-
ferent ideas, different people and different ways of doing
things. It all adds up to realizing your professional poten-
tial and living life to the fullest. PDJ

Motor City Makeover

ArvinMeritor participates annually in the
Motor City Makeover, a City of Detroit urban
beautification effort. Together, Southwestern
Detroit High School and ArvinMeritor rally
over 100 volunteers to pick up litter, paint
over graffiti, and plant flowers and shrubs.
The partnership has resulted in the largest
concentration of Motor City Makeover volun-
teerism in the city.

These pictures show ArvinMeritor Chairman,

CEO and President, Chip McClure, and his
wife, Sarah, working with Southwestern
Detroit High School students and ArvinMeritor
employees to clean-up the neighborhood.

56 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Profile
Victoria Jackson  A rvinMeritor Board of Directors;
President, Victoria Belle, Inc.
Victoria Jackson, a
director at ArvinMeritor since
July 2000 and a director of its
predecessor, Meritor Automotive,
is one of two women on the
eight-member board of direc-
tors. She serves on both the
Audit Committee and on the
Environmental and Social
Responsibility Committee. Jackson, who currently serves as
president of Victoria Belle, Inc.—a designer, manufacturer, and
marketer of specialty retail products—is no stranger to the auto-
motive industry. In fact, she grew up in it.
Jackson took over her father’s aftermarket parts business,
ProDiesel, after his death and just after she graduated from col-
lege. She managed the business through a leveraged buyout,
patented the ProDiesel line of aftermarket parts, and tripled reve-
nues before selling the business 22 years later. As a young woman
in the auto industry, Jackson often had to overcome stereotyping
and misunderstanding, but a strong work ethic and open-mind-
edness led her to success.
Where does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion
come from? Were there any particular role models or
experiences that helped shape your point of view?
My personal belief in diversity and inclusion comes from my fa-
ther and the way I was raised as a child. My father insisted
that I attend a public school system that had a diverse composi-
tion of students.
While in school, I was active in cheerleading and intramural
sports with diverse team members. That gave me an early under-
standing and appreciation of working with others who have very
different backgrounds from my own. Also, my religious upbring-
ing and family beliefs were cornerstones in the development of
my own belief in and support of diversity and inclusion.
Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
Who has shaped your thinking as a business leader? What
about their business skill or style influenced you?
There were few female role models within my sphere of manu-
facturing in the late ’70s. However, I was extremely fortunate to
have three male mentors—each of whom had daughters—who
made significant contributions to my professional development.
Two of the three men became directors in the ProDiesel
company that I led for 22 years. One had an engineering and
manufacturing background, and the other was an educator from
my graduate school. The third mentor served on another public
company board with me in the early ’80s. He was an “old soul”
and perhaps the wisest individual I have ever known. I was ex-
tremely fortunate to have the support of these mentors to advise
and guide me after my father’s death.
Most company leaders say diversity drives business
results. What part does diversity and inclusion play in your
company’s growth and earnings?
Diversity is enlightenment! We all learned early in life that “two
heads are better than one.” It just follows that if we have the
insight and thoughts from a broader group of individuals who
bring different experiences to the company, it should and will
make us a better and stronger organization. We are fortunate that
we experience a culture of inclusion at ArvinMeritor that gives us
a much broader perspective.
As a member of the board of directors, what is your role
in ensuring diversity and other social responsibility efforts
within the company? How is this different from other
boards in your industry?
At ArvinMeritor, we have an Environmental and Social
Responsibility Committee at the board level that oversees our
performance in the areas of diversity within our company. The
committee also benchmarks our industry peers. In my prior ser-
vice on other public company boards—with the exception of one
other company—I have not seen as significant board level atten-
tion to diversity as I have experienced at ArvinMeritor. PDJ
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 57
Leadership Profiles
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Profile
Joe Anderson  A rvinMeritor Board of Directors;
Chairman and CEO of TAG Holdings, LLC
Joe Anderson is one of
the original members of
the ArvinMeritor Board of
Directors, and is chairman and
CEO of TAG Holdings, LLC.
Throughout his remarkable ca-
reer, Anderson has achieved an impressive number of “firsts” in
opening doors for diversity in this country. Anderson was the
first African American from Kansas to attend the United States
Military Academy at West Point and later became one of the first
African American professors there. Serving two tours of duty in
Vietnam, he was not only the first African American aide-de-camp
(assistant) to an Army general, but was also highly decorated and
the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary.
Anderson’s business career has been equally outstanding. He
was among the first African American plant managers at General
Motors, and now owns a business that has made him a driving
force in minority supplier programs in the auto industry. In addi-
tion, Anderson was the first African American to become a mem-
ber of the prestigious Oakland Hills (Mich.) Country Club.
Anderson shares how his ground-breaking accomplishments
have influenced his own corporate mission with Profiles in
Diversity Journal.
Because you were often a “first,” we could assume that
you didn’t have many African American role models in your
career. Who were your mentors?
There were only six African American colonels and no generals in
the Army when I graduated from West Point. Fortunately, I had
white mentors in both the Army and at General Motors who were
willing and able to be responsive to my need for counsel, mentor-
ing, and support. By the time I became an automotive supplier in
1994, there were a few other black-owned supplier companies out
there—Dave Bing, George Hill, and others—who I could turn to
for support and guidance.
58 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
As a frequent pioneer in minority advancement, was there
a pivotal experience that shaped your point of view on
diversity?
I grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and was part of the landmark legal
case of Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. I
went to segregated grade schools—one of the final vestiges of overt
segregation, and I received a wonderful education. Along with that
education, I learned that I must live the concept of embracing
diversity every day. In my lifetime, more often than not, I have
either been the only African American in a given group or one of
just a few. And, while I did not have many black role models, I
have been able to be a mentor for other African Americans who
aspire to greater things.
Are there unique opportunities in the automotive industry
for implementing supplier diversity programs?
As president of the National Association of Black Auto Suppliers,
I have been on the Chrysler Diversity Council for Suppliers. At
ArvinMeritor, I am on the Social Responsibility Committee, work-
ing with the company to develop its supplier diversity program.
In the automotive industry, the importance of having strong
diversity programs is well recognized, and the automakers encour-
age diversity in their supply base. However, having a diverse supply
base doesn’t just happen naturally. It takes the leadership of an
organization to put that vision in place and implement it every
day, the same way they implement the vision for quality, sales, and
other areas that affect the bottom line.
At ArvinMeritor, the board of directors helped put a supplier
diversity program in place, encouraging the company to set specif-
ic goals. Today, our customers expect such programs, and we made
a commitment to the federal government more than ten years ago
to make five percent of their purchases from minority suppliers.
As a board, we continue to challenge ArvinMeritor management
to help them meet that ongoing commitment.
 Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

“ As competition increases between businesses, and benchmarking

becomes critical, it will be increasingly evident that those
organizations winning in the marketplace are those with diverse
workforces. Diversity is repeatedly going to be one of the pivotal
business advantages in the future.
”
As a board member, how do you encourage diversity
development throughout the organization?
As the only ethnic minority on the board, I am very comfort-
able taking on diversity development along with other areas of
importance to the board and shareholders. We’re seeing a natural
transformation of the workforce profile, with more and more
women and minorities being considered for management posi-
tions. As competition increases between businesses, and bench-
marking becomes critical, it will be increasingly evident that those
organizations winning in the marketplace are those with diverse
workforces. Diversity is repeatedly going to be one of the pivotal
business advantages in the future.
If you want optimal performance out of a workforce, that
workforce must be confident that management is respectful of
individual differences, and that diverse individuals are reflected in
the management profile. A segment of the workforce that believes
it is not accepted and included will not be motivated to perform
to its potential.
In my opinion, corporate boards must provide management
oversight of diversity development programs. We have seen the
board involvement at ArvinMeritor add a focus and accountability
aspect to diversity programs that did not exist previously, and we
are confident that these changes will drive success in diversity de-
velopment and business success across the global organization.
If a company does not have an extremely strong employ-
ee development and succession plan, successful recruitment Anderson had a military career of many firsts. He was the first
and retention of top minority talent becomes vulnerable and African American from Kansas to attend the United States
weakened. If there isn’t a strong succession and development Military Academy at West Point, and later became one of the first
African American professors there. While serving two tours of
program in place as other companies become more diverse, those duty in Vietnam, he was the first African American aide-de-camp
competitors will identify your most talented diverse employees (assistant) to an Army general.
and recruit them away from you. That’s why senior management
must remain focused on diversity issues. As the competition in-
creases, finding and keeping the best and brightest—regardless of
gender, race, or cultural differences—are key to any organization’s
long-term success. PDJ

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 59

Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
Profile
Rhonda Brooks  A rvinMeritor Board of Directors;
President, R. Brooks Advisors, Inc.
Rhonda Brooks has held
senior positions at major man-
ufacturing companies for more
than 30 years. As one of the
early female leaders in an in-
dustrial workforce traditionally
domi-nated by men, Brooks understands the meaning of breaking
new ground.
When she joined the board of Meritor in 1999, Brooks played
an important role when that automotive supplier merged with
Arvin. Following the merger in July 2000, she became a mem-
ber of the new ArvinMeritor board, and serves as chair of the
Environmental and Social Responsibility Committee. Brooks is
also the president of R. Brooks Advisors, Inc., a consultant for
start-up firms and an advisor for a private equity company. She
previously held several top-level positions at Owens Corning,
PlyGem Industries, Warner Lambert, and General Electric (GE).
Where does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion
come from? Were there any particular role models or
experiences that helped shape your point of view?
Having joined the business world in the 1970s as a 24-year old,
my personal belief in diversity and inclusion comes from my many
years of experience being the only woman in whatever business or
group of which I was a part—especially as an executive.
Fortunately, the extra effort to be heard and to perform to
my potential was something I was able to do. However, I always
thought it was a waste of energy and talent that people from dif-
ferent backgrounds and different cultures couldn’t be heard and
judged based on their individual performance rather than simply
being discounted as “different.”
Who has shaped your thinking as a business leader? What
about their business skill or style influenced you?
My first job was with General Electric, and I stayed with that
company for 14 years. It was a very demanding, at times macho
culture, but I found that, despite the negatives, people like Jack
Welch valued performance above all. If he saw results, that was
60 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
what counted with him first, not the color of your skin or your na-
tionality or your gender. Performing at GE gave me the confidence
in my skills and abilities that empowered me to move on and take
on bigger leadership roles.
Most company leaders say diversity drives business
results. What part does diversity and inclusion play in your
company’s growth and earnings?
In today’s tough competitive environment, diverse approaches and
thought processes are needed to find the niche or unique feature
that will differentiate your products and services from those of
your competition. As our population becomes more diverse, the
importance of differentiation is clearer, especially when you are
marketing products directly to consumers who understand that
respecting different nationalities and cultures is critical.
But it is also important when marketing industrial products
such as ArvinMeritor’s to be able to find new ideas and new
services that support the company’s product offerings. Even new
ways to package or deliver products can make a difference. Having
a company culture that values diversity and inclusion pays off in
new ideas, but also in how people deal with their customers, who
will increasingly reflect our changing demographics.
As a member of the board of directors, what is your role
in ensuring diversity and other social responsibility efforts
within the company? How is this different from other
boards in your industry?
ArvinMeritor has an Environmental and Social Responsibility
Committee, which is one of four standing committees of the
board. I have been a member of this committee since I joined the
board, and am now the chairperson. Our charter is to review the
company’s goals and results in these areas.
We cannot do it for the company. However, we can set the
standards and define our expectations. Some items, such as envi-
ronmental emissions and safety standards, are mandated by regula-
tory agencies around the world. It is the committee’s responsibility
to check not only for compliance, but also for ways in which
ArvinMeritor can be considered best in class.
 Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

Providing Aid to Earthquake Victims

As chair of the ArvinMeritor Environmental and Social

Responsibility Committee, Rhonda Brooks ensures
ArvinMeritor is in the right place at the right time.
Through the ArvinMeritor Charitable Trust Fund and
employee fundraising worldwide, ArvinMeritor donated
nearly $90,000 to the American Red Cross International
Response Fund in support of disaster relief efforts in China.

(Above) ArvinMeritor employees from the Xuzhou, China facility volunteer

to support earthquake disaster relief efforts.

Many of the other issues, however, fall in the realm of “doing counts. Will your contributions be valued? Will you be heard? Are
what’s right.” I am proud of what ArvinMeritor has done in the you in an environment where you can grow and learn? Only the
area of community involvement, including its many fine examples management and leadership of a company can make that happen.
of good corporate citizenship in the cities where it has plants and The industry in which your company operates cannot.
facilities.
How does a company in a fast-changing industry like the
The leadership has also done an excellent job in setting the automotive industry keep up with diversity development
tone to support diversity of all types. Chairman, CEO, and throughout the organization?
President Chip McClure personally makes certain that the people
When Chip McClure or his key staff talk about diversity and
of ArvinMeritor know his values in this area. For example, he re-
discuss the progress or lack thereof, the rest of the company takes
cently approved a top-level executive and an additional hire in the
notice. Above all, we make sure that we have communication ve-
area of supplier diversity to ensure the company was doing its part
hicles in place to spread the word.
to support minority development.
Do international issues ever get in the way of corporate
In today’s marketplace, are there any particular challenges
support for diversity objectives and processes? What
in your industry to hire and retain good people?
kinds of strategies does the company employ in dealing
Currently, Detroit’s automotive industry is struggling with its with them?
image across the country. As an automotive supplier based in
To the contrary, an international company has a mandate for
Detroit, ArvinMeritor is not immune to public opinion. One way
diversity. The different cultures and nationalities in a global com-
to overcome negative perceptions is by simply going the extra mile
pany require respect for diversity from the start.
to attract good people—regardless of race, ethnicity or gender.
The movement of people and products across national
In addition, make sure your corporate reputation is spotless, be
borders requires flexibility, respect, and stepping out of your
honorable in your dealings, promote your leadership, and support
comfort zone. PDJ
their values. In the end, the day-to-day work environment is what

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 61

Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
Profile
Vernon G. Baker, II 
Vernon G. Baker II,
ArvinMeritor’s senior vice
president and general counsel,
has overall legal responsibility
for all of the company’s global
operations and subsidiaries.
In addition, Baker has functional oversight responsibility
for human resources as well as for environmental, health,
and safety. However, as a senior officer and ethnic minority,
the role about which Baker may be most passionate is as the
company’s champion for diversity efforts in recruiting and
retaining talented men and women of all races, as well as for
providing opportunities for minority-owned suppliers.
Over the course of his career, Baker has encountered
those who have resisted the need for diversity programs.
He responds to that kind of thinking by explaining, “If
you’re a law firm with 110 partners, and only two of them
are African American, the firm is not taking advantage of
the tremendous pool of talent available today in the minor-
ity community. Furthermore,” Baker said, “if you have no
plans to recruit more qualified people of color, your busi-
ness is going to suffer over the long term. Potential clients
value a diverse workforce and the wide range of insight it
offers. Those are the facts.”
“ArvinMeritor has continuously been a proponent of
diversity in the workplace,” Baker added. “The leadership
is completely on board, whether it’s to sponsor professional
associations—primarily focused on African Americans—to
strengthen recruitment and retention efforts, or to simply
encourage robust discussions about majority perceptions
concerning minorities.”
62 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
A rvinMeritor Senior Vice President and General Counsel
When it comes to succession development planning,
Baker is proud of his company’s commitment to support-
ing diverse candidates. “Twice a year, as part of our overall
process, the officer group devotes two full days discussing
high-potential minority employees and establishing plans
for their development,” Baker said. “We give tremendous
visibility to these employees, because we recognize that in
order to be successful, we have to ensure that we have a
diverse workforce. We have found it to be a tremendous
opportunity for ‘checks-and-balances’ when looking at the
whole HR picture as it relates to women and minorities.
“When it comes to supplier diversity, ArvinMeritor has
set aggressive targets for money spent with minority suppli-
ers. However, while we’re making progress, we still have a
long way to go,” said Baker. “To reach our goals we must
have a significant pipeline of opportunity for our minority
supply base.”
To fill that pipeline, Baker and his team set up regu-
lar meetings with all internal purchasing directors to
identify potential opportunities to source business with
minority suppliers. The company has also launched
a Supplier Diversity Awareness Training Program for
ArvinMeritor personnel, to increase their understanding
of the importance of supplier diversity and provide aware-
ness of the initiatives in place to expand spending with
minority suppliers.
ArvinMeritor intends to lead the industry in its com-
mitment to supplier diversity. As a Tier One supplier, the
company is working toward creating a benchmark that will
become a model throughout the supply chain.
 Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

“ArvinMeritor intends to lead the industry in

its commitment to supplier diversity.
“If we’re going to set a standard, we have to
get our customers involved as well,” said Baker.
“Meeting with diversity managers at Volvo/
Mack Trucks, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Toyota, and
International Truck provides an opportunity for
tremendous feedback and support of our diversity
supplier efforts. These open discussions on expec-
tations and successes further solidify our customer
relationships.”
In addition to one-on-one meetings, the com-
pany participates in many of the auto and truck
manufacturers’ supplier diversity events. For ex-
ample, ArvinMeritor participates in Ford Motor
Company’s Matchmaker Event. The event, which
”
draws many other Tier One suppliers, is designed
to encourage business relationships and sourcing
opportunities for certified minority companies.
ArvinMeritor is also active in the Michigan
Minority Business Development office, and par-
ticipates in many of that office’s initiatives to grow
minority suppliers. The development office also
creates an interface between purchasing decision-
makers and minority suppliers.
“Our most successful initiatives become reality
when we proactively develop minority sourcing
strategies upfront. Then, we basically work the
plan,” said Baker. PDJ

Diversity: Every Day at ArvinMeritor

This Employee Involvement team consisting of

11 members, and representing five different countries
Trying to investigate a returned part, Jesse Laycock (r) tapped into
is working together in close harmony on continuous
ArvinMeritor diversity and asked Julio Montoya (l), a bilingual
improvement initiatives.
coworker, to translate some of the Spanish words on the part.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 63

Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

Profile
Rakesh Sachdev  A rvinMeritor Senior Vice President and President, Asia-Pacific
International Diversity

Globalization is the re-
ality of business today, which
places a much greater emphasis
on international teams. While
building a workforce made up
of different cultures, different
backgrounds, and different val-
ues and beliefs is new territory
for many businesses, Rakesh Sachdev, ArvinMeritor senior vice
president and president, Asia-Pacific, has dealt with this reality
for many years.
Sachdev moved to the United States from India in 1978 to
attend Indiana University. He got his start at Cummins, a leading
global engine manufacturer. During his 18 years at Cummins,
Sachdev held management positions in both the Mexico and
Brazil operations, as well as in the United States. When he dis-
covered a new opportunity to grow Meritor—a new company
spun off from Rockwell Automotive—into a global operation,
the challenge was too exciting to pass up.
So Sachdev joined the organization as a general manager of
one of the global Commercial Vehicle Systems business units.
After serving in several key corporate finance positions, Sachdev
moved into his most challenging position yet—heading up
ArvinMeritor’s Asia-Pacific business, located in Shanghai, China.
“The biggest human resource issues today are in Asia,”
said Sachdev. “The economy is so strong there, and China hasn’t
been open all that long. There isn’t a huge pool of professional
talent, so, hiring people is a challenge. Keeping them is even
harder, however.”
The ArvinMeritor Shanghai office is a microcosm of what it
means to be a global company. Sachdev’s staff includes technical
experts who have moved from the States to help transfer knowl-
edge; local professionals who understand the local markets and
can interact with customers, government, and suppliers; and a
number of Chinese from different regions within the country,
who speak different dialects and languages. Most recently, en-
gineers have moved from ArvinMeritor’s India office to China.
According to Sachdev, “That will be very helpful, because as big
as India and China are, they are just beginning to learn about
each other’s culture.”
Sachdev finds all of the cultural interplay very enriching and
sees a big benefit from all of the different viewpoints.

Rakesh Sachdev speaks at the 2008

Automotive News China

Rakesh Sachdev, president of Asia-Pacific,

delivered a speech on issues China is
facing: mobility, safety and environment.
China’s issues are related to a rapid
economic growth due to increasing
consumer demands for commercial and
passenger vehicles.

64 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Women’s Day Activity at
ArvinMeritor’s Shanghai, China facility.
“This is a global business,” said Sachdev. “For those in the
United States who have global responsibility, having a clear un-
derstanding of the business and the cultural environment in those
countries is very important. That understanding doesn’t always
happen, however. Quite often, you can look at someone who was
successful in the States, but put them in a global business situation,
and it doesn’t always work. We have found that it’s best to develop
people through expat assignments. If you want to groom people
for global assignments, they should live in the country for a couple
of years. It makes them far more effective later.
“We are becoming so dependent as a company to stakehold-
ers all over the world. Today, we bring in about 20 percent of our
products from Asia. Our goal is to increase that to more than
50 percent. Imagine the interaction we must have between our
people, suppliers and factories in that region to be successful.
Having people who have worked in the States and gone back into
the region or vice versa is immensely helpful.”
While this strategy has been used in the engineering func-
tion for many years to fulfill the need for interchange in product
design and sourcing, the practice is now becoming more com-
mon on the business side. Sachdev explains, “As our customers
become more global, so does their need for strategy, planning, and
global interface with their suppliers. Having people understand
customers in India, Africa, or Brazil is now a critical component
of our success.
“The automotive industry is receiving a tremendous amount
of attention in Asia-Pacific, which leads to a growing sense of
excitement. The industry is being redefined. As more manufactur-
ing moves overseas, the staffing will need to move with it. It is a
fascinating, complex, and growing industry that is ripe for innova-
tion, new thinking, and creativity. It’s going to be an exhilarating
time for all of us.”
Leadership Profiles
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
China: Focusing on Women in the Workforce
Lilian Wu, manager, human resources, for ArvinMeritor’s
Asia-Pacific region, is on the front line when it comes to staffing
its growing operations overseas. Wu is responsible for recruiting
much of the local workforce, as well as for integrating the U.S.
expats into the region.
“My job is to make sure that people don’t feel like different
parts of the elephant,” said Wu. “Communication is important
to ensure that we all have the same goals, and that people can see
all components of the equation, whether they are working on that
particular part or not.”
Women make up a large part of the ArvinMeritor workforce
in China. These women represent their own challenges, as they
increasingly play critical roles in filling the job needs of the explod-
ing automotive market there. One way to help attract and retain
talented employees in this competitive market is to allow for the
training and support system that many women in China’s work-
force need. To that end, ArvinMeritor conducts extensive diver-
sity training programs in conjunction with China’s International
Women’s Day every year.
This past year, ArvinMeritor focused its Women’s Day pro-
grams on training, mentoring, and open discussion. Several female
leaders led panel discussions on a number of diversity awareness
issues, including topics such as how to balance work and family
life.
“Our goal was to motivate and increase our female workforce’s
self-awareness as individual people, to celebrate strong personali-
ties as a foundation of success,” said Wu. “Life is about choices and
constant learning, and we want to help these women make good
choices that work for their unique situations.
“Events like this give me a chance to be more interactive with
the team, and to hear what they’re thinking and facing. It’s a
tremendous growth opportunity for us all.” PDJ
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 65
A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

Finance Development Program

Offers Fast-track Opportunity to New Recruits

LLike many companies, ArvinMeritor faces the chal-

lenge of attracting and retaining the best and the bright-
est talent available. According to Chairman, CEO, and
President Chip McClure, succession planning is a critical
element in retention. However, in order to meet its goal of
filling 70 percent to 80 percent of positions internally, the
company must have a strong base of entry-level talent ready
and able to climb the ladder. One key program to meet
that goal is the company’s Finance Development Program
(FDP).
ArvinMeritor launched the FDP in 2005 to improve
the bench strength of the finance organization by develop-
ing high-potential candidates. Each year, approximately 20
MBA graduates begin the three-year rotational program
with 12-month assignments in various functional areas.
This unique experience offers extensive exposure to senior
finance and business leaders, while providing a formal men-
toring program and career development planning.
“This is an opportunity not only to gain broad experi-
ence in the company, but also it is a fast-track program
that can have an immediate impact on our business,” said
McClure. “This is an industry that employs millions of
people, touches a billion consumers each year, and gener-
ates trillions in economic growth. That’s something worth
having an impact on.”
According to Vernon Baker, senior vice president and
general counsel, and a corporate champion for diversity, the
FDP has come a long way in targeting minority candidates.
By expanding the roster of schools from which ArvinMeritor
recruits, the company now benefits by having access to the
very best talent available.
“Minority candidates are highly sought after; they
get a lot of attractive offers,” said Baker. “Our recruit-
ing effort is designed to showcase everything the auto
industry has to offer. At ArvinMeritor, for example,
we’re not just about axles and brakes, we’re about innovation
and technology.” PDJ

ArvinMeritor and Universities

ArvinMeritor supports several programs with universities throughout the country. At the University of Michigan’s
Ross School of Business, Chip McClure participated in the “Visiting CEO Program” on February 12, 2008.
Business students and
faculty had a chance to
personally get to know
McClure, and discuss the
challenges and opportunities
in today’s business world.

66 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8


Through the FDP, Junnifa is relocating to ArvinMeritor’s
Cwmbran, United Kingdom, facility as a Senior Financial Analyst.
FDP Valedictorian Junnifa Echefu
Being number one in her Finance Development
Program (FDP) class is not an unusual accomplish-
ment for Junnifa Echefu. Echefu, who was re-
cruited for ArvinMeritor’s FDP from Clark Atlanta
University in 2007, has always done well in
school. However, now that she is out in the busi-
ness world, Echefu is demonstrating the same
drive and initiative that has helped her achieve a
great deal in a very short time.
Echefu, who was born and raised in Nigeria,
came to the United States by herself the day
after her seventeenth birthday to attend school
at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Needless
to say, it was a rough start adjusting to a new
country and an unfamiliar environment.
“I had never been to this country, but I have
an aunt and uncle who live in Maryland. So ini-
tially, we thought they could take me to school,”
said Echefu. “But the university turned out to
be six hours away. So, I got on a bus with all my
things from Nigeria and headed off to school. On
the way, I ran into one problem after another,
delays and misunderstandings, but once I finally
got there, it was all worth it.”
After graduation, Echefu went to Clark Atlanta
University for grad school on a full scholarship.
That was where ArvinMeritor recruited her. “I
was really impressed with the FDP program,” she
said. “The company really wants to see young
professionals progress, and they put all the pieces
in place to help us do that.
“When people move to a new place, one
of the things that makes them leave and go
back home is that they don’t have a support net-
work. FDP provides us with a network of people
that we can talk to, interact with and even vol-
unteer with.”
Echefu advises others to do well in school so
that they have options when choosing their first
A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
career step. “You need to find
the perfect company to get off to the
right start.”
“I get a lot of my inspiration from
a Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was the
minister of finance for Nigeria,” said
Echefu. “She started out like I did,
going out on her own at a very young
age to school in America. Since then,
she has worked in many countries. Okonjo-Iweala
has broken down a lot of barriers for women in
Nigeria. Moreover, she’s done so much to help
develop countries, reduce debt, and improve their
way of life. Even with that kind of responsibil-
ity, Okonjo-Iweala has been able to balance her
work, family and personal life, and is a good per-
son all around. That’s what I strive to be.”
Echefu has adjusted well to her new life in the
United States, although it’s not been without its
challenges. “People are always interested in my
background, and in the fact that I’m from Nigeria.
However, I don’t think it’s a really important part
of how to deal with me as an individual. There
have been some cultural differences, but those
are things I have had to adjust to. I’m focused on
harnessing the exciting opportunities that have
been offered to me. I look forward to a great
future.”
ArvinMeritor recruits from several leading
universities and colleges for FDP candidates, in-
cluding many academic institutions that celebrate
diversity. Some of ArvinMeritor’s educational part-
ners include Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Tech
University, Michigan State University, Morehouse
College, Ohio State University, Purdue University,
Spellman College, Tuskegee University, University
of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Vanderbilt
University, and Brigham Young University. PDJ
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 67
A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make
up 31 percent of the manufacturing workforce. While those numbers have slowly risen
over the last few years, organizational cultures in manufacturing industries, such as the
automotive sector, have been heavily dominated by men.
Women in Manufacturing
Find Opportunities Abound at ArvinMeritor
T
The 100-year-old automotive industry is an es-
pecially tough environment for females. At Tier One automotive
supplier ArvinMeritor, however, women have become an integral
part of the leadership team. In fact, ArvinMeritor was recently
recognized by Inforum, an influential women’s industry group in
southeast Michigan, for having more females in senior-level posi-
tions than most other automotive suppliers and an even greater
representation of females across the organization than many of the
largest automotive OEMs.
“It’s long-term, top-down leadership support that drives
diversity throughout an organization,” said Lin Cummins,
ArvinMeritor senior vice president of communications.
“Having so many women in leadership positions here has
had a direct impact on the company’s employment culture. From
the board of directors to the executive committees and from vice
presidents to directors and senior managers, there are strong,
diverse role models at every level. This environment confirms
that it is possible to be rewarded and respected for the contribu-
tions individuals bring to an organization, regardless of gender,
race, or ethnicity.
“My generation of women were a distinct minority in male-
dominated industries such as ours,” said Cummins. “A great deal
has changed, however. Today, more women are seeking educations
related to business and manufacturing, so the playing field is be-
coming more level. If you have the skills and are the best at what
you do, you will be recognized and rewarded. Performance and
results are all that matters.”
“ArvinMeritor’s success in recruiting and retaining talented
female executives is exemplary, considering the relatively small
number of women in the industry, particularly in operational posi-
tions,” said Mary Lehmann, ArvinMeritor senior vice president,
strategic initiatives, and treasurer.
“Women tend to bring a slightly different perspective and
a natural problem-solving ability to the workplace. And, while
women can be highly competitive, they can clearly see the long-
term value of creating a positive, interactive work environment
across the organization. Women also tend to be efficient, orga-
nized, and able to successfully prioritize operational tasks which
are valuable capabilities to an organization.”
“ArvinMeritor puts a lot of focus on performance manage-
68 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
ment, including succession development, diversity, and global
involvement,” said Deborah Henderson, ArvinMeritor vice
president and chief information officer. “As a result, there are
tremendous opportunities for qualified individuals who show real
interest and aptitude.”
Henderson knows this first hand, having held a number of op-
erational positions in the United States, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
She was relocated to ArvinMeritor’s facility in France, for example,
as the first female vice president in a general manager role. “It was
an amazing experience. I was responsible for 22 plants in 13 coun-
tries, but I loved the challenge.
“In many cases, women do need to work a little harder to
demonstrate their capabilities,” added Henderson. “The only way
to gain respect and credibility from our male colleagues is to con-
sistently deliver strong results.”
In Henderson’s case, results come through effective team build-
ing. Like many successful female executives, she sees this as one of
her best skills.
“To build a strong team you must be a leader and supporter, as
well as a mentor and coach,” said Henderson. “Good communica-
tions is the starting point—making objectives and goals clear, so
everyone understands your expectations of them. If your people
know where they’re going and see the value in that goal, they will
support and move with you toward that goal.
“I’m proudest of my ability to build strong teams,” said
Henderson. “I’m also gratified to see former members of my teams
and discover how they have developed their careers.”
Cummins echoes that sentiment. “As female executives, I think
it’s our responsibility to be enthusiastic mentors as well as role
models for the next generation of women in the workplace. In
doing so, we can help them reach their full potential.
“As a member of the minority in most leadership teams, it’s es-
sential for females to remember that the key to a successful career
is to make sure you are adding value and making a meaningful
contribution to the company every day. Women also need to net-
work and make the professional relationships that will help them
advance their careers,” said Cummins.
Professional business associations can play a key role in pro-
viding the support that female executives need for networking.
Lehmann, who serves on the board and is the treasurer for the

women’s organization, Inforum, believes that a great
deal can be accomplished by building alliances and
forming relationships through networking. “It can
be very rewarding, and provides an opportunity to
extend your professional circle by connecting with
a congenial group of talented peers,” she said.
“Getting involved in professional organizations
broadens your perspective,” Lehmann added. “You
can see what the rest of the business community
is doing as well as learn how other companies are
dealing with issues such as community relations or
diversity. It also provides a forum for new ideas,
where I can have a voice on important issues.”
“While networking is a skill that men per-
fected years ago, women are beginning to realize
its potential as a business tool,” said Cummins.
Chairperson of the American Heart Association’s
annual “Go Red for Women” luncheon, Cummins
recognizes the importance of an extended network.
“If I intend to raise awareness about heart disease,
the number one killer of women today, by helping
raise a half-million dollars for research and devel-
opment for the Heart Association—I know that I
can’t do it alone. I need to draw upon my network
and pull together other strong women to achieve
the expected results.”
“I believe women are stepping up, getting more
involved and supporting causes that impact their
gender,” said Lehmann. “We understand the strug-
gles women face at home and in the workplace, and
see the need to give back.” Lehmann is also on the
board of Vista Maria, a nonprofit organization that
aids severely neglected adolescent girls. She is also
on the organization’s planning committee, which
hopes to raise $11 million to expand their services
to assist children and families in crisis.
“Although the manufacturing industry is still primarily male,
women have come a long way in gaining respect for their knowl-
edge and skill set, and for what they can bring to the team,” said
Lehmann. “Being industry trailblazers for most of their careers,
these women have been able to overcome obstacles and challenges
to succeed in their careers. There is greater opportunity in the
industry than ever before for every minority to succeed, including
women.”
Cummins added, “One of the most important things we can
do as senior leaders is to keep an open-door policy. It is imperative
A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor
to reach out and provide minorities an opportunity
to talk to someone who can understand some of the
challenges and tough issues that they might be deal-
ing with and encourage them to persevere.”
“This is a stronger organization because of
ArvinMeritor women all over the world,” said
Henderson. “This strength is a result of our genu-
Cummins ine efforts to bring more women into the skilled
technology positions in operations and manufac-
turing. Women bring a tremendous skill set in
facilitating teams. That’s a critical element to con-
tinuous improvement and being lean—things that
we strive for in manufacturing.
“I’m very proud to be associated with a com-
pany that has done for women and minorities what
ArvinMeritor has done and continues to do,” said
Henderson. “It’s not just talk, it’s real progress.”
Lin Cummins, senior vice president, commu-
nications, directs the global marketing, communi-
cations, media relations and governmental affairs
Lehmann
efforts of ArvinMeritor, Inc.
Lin joined ArvinMeritor in 1999 after serving as
vice president of advanced marketing and commu-
nications at United Technologies Automotive, and
in senior level positions at Ford Motor Company.
Why she came to ArvinMeritor: “I joined
the company soon after Meritor spun-off from
Rockwell. I saw it as an opportunity to make a dif-
ference and be part of launching a new company
to the world.”
Mary Lehmann, senior vice president, strategic
initiatives, and treasurer, came to ArvinMeritor in
Henderson 2004 after 19 years in the finance group at Ford
Motor Company.
“I came to ArvinMeritor because of its size; it was big enough
to be global and have all the benefits of a large company, but small
enough that you can feel your influence.”
Deborah Henderson, vice president and chief information of-
ficer, came to ArvinMeritor in 2002 after serving as a multi-site
plant manager for Allied Signal.
Why she came to ArvinMeritor: “I was intrigued by the op-
erational leadership role in Detroit. There was a new technology
center being planned that had a real community interface. The
combination of technology and community relations was very
interesting.” PDJ
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 69
A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

ArvinMeritor Diversity Councils

Engage Employees All Over the Globe
Every year, ArvinMeritor employees around the world celebrate
Diversity Week—five days spent enhancing employee awareness of the
company’s efforts to promote a diverse workforce.

T
The event also promotes the need to have a diverse employee base, and the positive effects it
has on the global organization.
“Each day of that week is centered on a different activity,” said Agnes Handayani, senior financial analyst,
of the ArvinMeritor Diversity Council. “We’ve had everything from guest speakers, to talent shows, to in-
ternational food days. The week builds camaraderie, teamwork, and respect for each other. All that positive
energy means we can harvest fresh ideas and new concepts that can be put into place in a global business
environment.”
The activities are planned by regional diversity councils, of which there are nearly 50 worldwide. These
councils provide a unique way to guide the company’s efforts in addressing diversity at all levels in the organi-
zation. Councils, which include employees from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Asia-Pacific,
have several areas of focus including:
• Awareness training
• Inclusive leadership training for managers
• Cultural awareness events and education
• Employee resource groups and networks
• Community relations
• Employee and team development
• Diversity communications and surveys
• Work-life practices and programs
• Talent attraction and retention
• Customer satisfaction and supplier relationships.
The first Worldwide Diversity Week in 2006 featured teambuilding and educational events in locations
from Frankfurt, Germany, to Zurich, Switzerland, to Spartanburg, North Carolina. Every activity was de-
signed to promote innovation and collaboration. In Zurich, for example, the ArvinMeritor facility celebrated
diversity with 16 different nationalities represented in their Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket group.
Meanwhile, in Augsburg, Germany, the engineering leadership held a multi-continent videoconference
to discuss diversity among the company’s sites, and examine how it impacts work and business results. Their
goal was to increase awareness of working across multiple cultures and to establish best practices for future
endeavors.
Comprised of more than 700 employees, ArvinMeritor’s worldwide diversity councils are leading the charge
in improving understanding of cultural differences. By improving how international groups can better work
together by recognizing and respecting diverse values and contributions, everybody wins. PDJ

70 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

Age Diversity Is Valued at ArvinMeritor:

Just Ask Loraine Simler
Like many automotive suppliers, ArvinMeritor has been through several workforce reductions over
the years, but the company continues to recognize the benefit of retaining the institutional knowledge
and historical perspective of older employees. In an age of buyouts and early retirement, Loraine Simler,
now 80 years old and on the job at ArvinMeritor for 62 years, says “no thank you.”

What have been some of the biggest changes you’ve seen

in the female workforce in your tenure here?
Sixty years ago, most women were not placed in an administra-
tive role. We weren’t even considered for a management position.
Many women left when they got married. If you stayed and be-
came pregnant, you were expected to leave. Now, we have lots of
women in senior roles, and many of them juggle their career with
a family.

You’ve seen a lot of bosses come and go. What’s your take
on the current leadership?
I met Chip McClure his first day on the job. He still comes by to
Simler‘s sights are not set on retirement. In fact, much to her say “hi” and shake hands. I like that. It’s really obvious that he has
chagrin, she was recognized at the ArvinMeritor annual meeting, a genuine respect for people.
as well as at the board of directors meeting, on her sixtieth an-
niversary. Simler now has her own parking spot in the company’s What do you admire most about this company?
management parking lot.
The people. This is a great bunch of people to work with. When
Simler started at ArvinMeritor as a file clerk in 1946. Fresh
you’re here, you’re part of a team. It’s also about the friends you
out of high school, she made an immediate impact with her
make, the concern we have for one another, and the willingness to
conscientious work ethic. That’s why over the years, Simler has
help each other any way we can.
made a number of upward moves on the administrative ladder.
Another thing I admire is that the company has a goal.
In 1973, she earned a position with the new Commercial Vehicle
Management has its eyes set on where the company should go,
Aftermarket group, and has been there ever since. In her current
and we are all a team that will work together to get there. There’s
role as inside sales coordinator, Lorraine shared her thoughts after
a clear vision to work toward.
six decades on the job.

What is your advice for younger employees?

Most people put in 30 or 40 years of work and retire.
You’ve put in more than 60. Do you ever plan to retire? Be a good worker. Be determined. Know where you’re headed
Not really. I enjoy working. I enjoy the people. I like what with your position and follow through. When someone asks you
I’m doing. It keeps me active, keeps my brain going and gives to do something, do it. There’s no such thing as saying “it’s not
me something to look forward to every day. I can’t imagine my job.” PDJ
not working.
You know, all of my friends are retired. They say it’s really not
all of what it’s cracked up to be.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 71

A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

ArvinMeritor is a strong supporter of the American

Heart Association, helping to raise over $1.4 million
for the annual Metro-Detroit Start! Heart Walk.

A Culture of
Social Responsibility

A
As a major automotive supplier with a large and
growing global footprint, ArvinMeritor is in more than 100 com-
munities. From Detroit to Sao Paulo to Shanghai, ArvinMeritor
takes social responsibility seriously. In fact, social responsibility is
included as one of the company’s core values and receives oversight
from its board of directors.
Each site in the ArvinMeritor network has its own local strat-
egy and plan of action for volunteerism and community support
that receives strong encouragement from its global headquarters.
The ArvinMeritor Charitable Trust Fund and International Giving
Program supports education, arts and culture, civic, and human
A Global Perspective on Community Service
services initiatives. The trust committee provides oversight of strat-
ArvinMeritor employees have changed lives all over the world.
egies and budgets at the local level, and the board’s Environmental
Here are only a few examples:
and Social Responsibility Committee participates in an annual
• Sao Paulo, Brazil—Employees opened a day care and school
review of the company’s community involvement activities around
that was planned originally for their own children. It has
the world.
now been opened to the community, and serves 200 to 300
“Our employees are the foundation of our company’s culture
children in grades K-6. This is just one project on which the
of giving. ArvinMeritor team members have a real commitment
ArvinMeritor Charitable Trust Fund spends its money. The
to action,” said Chip McClure, chairman, CEO, and president of
trust fund contributes more than half its annual budget to
ArvinMeritor. “Our business model is to encourage local passion
support education efforts worldwide.
for the community and to do what we can to support employee
• Detroit, Michigan—Four years ago, ArvinMeritor broke
involvement.”
ground on its new Detroit Technology
Center located next door to Southwestern
Detroit High School. At the same time
the company began a relationship with
the school that’s still healthy. When the
school asked for ArvinMeritor’s help
in building students’ self-esteem and
confidence, the company helped to do
that by building a new football field
and track, as well as by making sev-
eral other significant improvements to
the school. ArvinMeritor has also spon-
sored the school’s robotics club, provides
classrooms with ArvinMeritor volunteers
and mentors and offers co-op training,
among other activities.

72 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 A Culture of Opportunity and Success
Special Feature :: ArvinMeritor

ArvinMeritor’s Chip McClure (right) and Rakesh Sachdev (left) at the

Metro Detroit Start! Heart Walk.

“These students have also become an integral part of our recruit-

ment pool,” said Jerry Rush, senior director of Government and
Community Affairs at ArvinMeritor. “We’re seeing a transforma-
tion in this often overlooked community, and we’re happy to be a
driving force in that change.”
• China Earthquake Relief—The ArvinMeritor Charitable Trust
Fund provided a $30,000 contribution to the American Red
Cross International Response Fund in support of disaster relief
efforts in China resulting from the recent earthquakes. The Red
Cross Fund provides immediate relief and long-term support
through providing supplies, technical assistance, and other ser-
vices for those in needs. ArvinMeritor is also assisting employee
efforts at our China-based facilities in organizing, funding, and
implementing local relief efforts.
“Pound for pound, this is an organization that more than carries
its weight in the community,” said Rush. “Our employees appreciate
and respect the fact that social responsibility is such a big part of the
company’s culture. Chip McClure underscores our responsibility to the
community and acknowledges employee involvement every chance he
gets. ArvinMeritor is just a very cool place to be.” PDJ

Employees at Troy headquarters participated in

a Food Drive, benefiting Gleaners Community
Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, the
region’s largest emergency food provider.
Thousands of hungry families in southeastern
Michigan are served by Gleaners each month.
Pictured (from l to r): Jerry Rush, senior
director of Community Relations; John Kastler,
Gleaners Food Bank; Bridget Lomax, Gleaners
Food Bank; Chip McClure, chairman, CEO and
president; Augie Fernandes, Gleaners Food
Bank; Lin Cummins, senior vice president of
Communications; and employee volunteers
Loraine Simler, Julie Garrisi and Judi Stefani.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 73

 my turn
What Keeps Diversity Professionals
Up at Night, Part 3
By Shirley A. Davis, PhD
I
Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
Society for Human Resource Management
In the last issue
of Profiles in Diversity
Journal, I focused on
two issues that were
keeping diversity
professionals up at
night: aligning diversity and inclusion with business
objectives and the need for practitioners to become
more strategic and less transactional. In this issue I
will address two more topics that need to be effectively
managed: recruiting top talent and building a pipe-
line with leadership capabilities, and establishing an
inclusive culture.
Sourcing, recruiting, and hiring the best talent
have always been key success factors for organizations.
However, with demographics changing, that talent
is no longer arriving at our doorstep in the same,
familiar packages of the past. These days, recruiting
top talent and building a pipeline with leadership
capabilities requires a new set of knowledge, skills,
and abilities.
Most of us are aware of the compelling statistics
that show how our workforces, workplaces, and
marketplaces are changing because of shifts in the
population. While baby boomers (born between 1946
and 1964) were the largest population cohort in the
US (there are 78 million of them), they have now
been outnumbered by the millennial generation, also
known as Gen Y (born after 1983), who are nearing
80 million strong. Additionally, according to 2007
estimates, 30 percent of the current labor force is
comprised of people of color, while women make up
almost half of the labor pool. While baby boomers
are reaching retirement age in record numbers, they
are also being rehired in large numbers. In 2005, one
in two jobs was filled by a person over 55. There is a
10-20 million worker shortage projected for the
United States over the next decade. The result is that
74 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
we have four different generations in the workplace
with very different perspectives, expectations, and
world views.
Globally, it is estimated that only three percent of
our future workforce will come from North America
and Europe, and about 75 percent will come from
Asia. About 3.3 million white collar jobs will be trans-
ferred to Asia. Simply put, if your organization is one
where only white, heterosexual, married, Christian,
middle-to-upper-class, able-bodied men in their
forties and fifties feel accepted, included, and valued,
then you’re missing out on a wealth of highly prized
talent that comes in a different package from your
traditional worker.
To attract and retain these new talented workers,
those charged with recruiting and leading will have
to have diversity competence, understanding how to
recognize cultural patterns which may seem different
or even inappropriate to them on first blush. The
most common example is the use of eye-contact.
While direct eye-contact is preferred in many western
cultures, it may be a sign of disrespect in Eastern cul-
tures. Baby-boom era recruiters may perceive millennial
applicants who have had four jobs in four years to be
disloyal and/or incompetent for not being able to hold
a job; whereas such candidates perceive that they have
valuable experiences to bring to the new assignment.
We have to develop competence among our leaders
so that they:
• understand the differences they will confront
and address as each situation as unique;
• be comfortable with difference which means first
understanding their own cultural lens and world
view and how it differs from others;
• welcome different approaches, styles, personalities
to facilitate creativity, innovation, and greater
engagement and productivity;
 “ Given the considerations outlined in this issue,
it is not difficult to see why
so many practitioners are losing sleep.
• perpetuate a more open culture that not only em-
braces workers with these new ideas and backgrounds
but enables them to want to stay and be engaged and
productive while there.
When there is a critical mass of leaders who are culturally
competent, retention, engagement, and productivity increase.
Establishing an Inclusive Culture
At SHRM, inclusion is defined as the state where all
individuals can contribute fully towards an organization’s
success, where they are treated fairly and respectfully and
have equal access to opportunities and resources. To get
there, we need a disciplined, systems approach to cultural
and behavioral change.
The following elements encompass such an approach.
Top down and bottom up at the same time: Diversity
management and inclusion both need leadership commit-
ment to succeed, but it also needs grass roots efforts such as
diversity councils, learning communities, mentoring, cross-
functional development assignments, job rotations, special
assignment, and other forms of empowerment at the very
entry levels. To reach that critical mass everyone must feel
that they are included, that their voice counts.
Accountability: Holding leaders accountable for
diversity outcomes is critical, because what gets measured
gets done. Some organizations tie leaders’ compensation
to diversity management outcomes and/or include diversity
questions on employee surveys that link back to the leaders’
performance. Remember, diversity management is every
leader’s responsibility. If the sole accountability diversity
management efforts rests on one person, those efforts may
not be sustained, valued, or even supported.
”
Integrating Diversity and Inclusion with the core
business strategies: Last time, I wrote about aligning with key
business objectives. We must then integrate and diversity
and inclusion into a seamless process where they are a part
of the fabric of the organization. Only diversity competent
leaders will be able to recognize these links and leverage
them for greater business success.
According to a 2005 study by Gallup, when an employee
perceives that a company and its leadership are committed
to a diverse and fair workplace, they are more likely to stay
with that company, more likely to recommend their company
to others, less likely to have experienced discrimination, less
likely to have missed days at work, and more engaged in
their work.
Given the considerations outlined in this issue, it is not
difficult to see why so many practitioners are losing sleep.
These are very complex and critical business issues that are
not only keeping HR and diversity professionals up at night,
but have seeped into the bedrooms of many CEOs who
worry about where they will source talent, how they will at-
tract, select, and retain that talent.
However, it’s better to be aware of the changing world in
which we live and work and to make strategic changes, than
to sleep peacefully in blissful ignorance, only to be shaken
awake by reality after it’s too late to adapt. These issues have
become the cornerstone of not only building competitive,
but sustainable, organizations. PDJ
Shirley A. Davis, PhD, is Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Initiatives for the Society for Human Resource Management in
Alexandria, Virginia. She can be reached at sadavis@shrm.org.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 75
 viewpoint
At a Crossroads: The Diversity
Practitioner Profession
By Melanie Harrington
D
President
American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc.
Diversity practitioners are
talking about the norms,
standards, and competencies
of the diversity manage-
ment professional. These
discussions seem to be
occurring with greater frequency. I raised these issues with
members of the American Institute for Managing Diversity,
Inc. (AIMD) Advisory Council to obtain their input.1
The prevailing view among council members is that the
diversity management profession is at a crossroads. A recent
Conference Board report, “Creating a Competency Model
for Diversity and Inclusion Practitioners” by Indra Lahiri,
proclaims that the diversity practitioner role is a “fledgling
discipline.” A joint study by AIMD and SHRM noted that
there was little unanimity around diversity language and
little consensus as to the future direction of the field.2
A discipline is generally born out of a conceptual frame-
work that represents a set of theoretical and philosophical
structures to which the practitioners of the discipline
subscribe. The achievement of common agreement around
the frameworks and structures increases the credibility of
the discipline. Without these commonly held views, there
are no standards against which to measure a practitioner’s
performance, effectiveness or consistency. Therefore, with-
out a common understanding of the concepts undergirding
diversity management practices, a fledgling discipline is
difficult to develop.
AIMD research has found that diversity practitioners
often espouse a need to develop new approaches but resort
to old tactics and practices instead. At AIMD, we believe
that an understanding of the concepts undergirding diversity
work will lead to advancements in the profession. This
does not mean that corporate diversity practitioners need
to become academic scholars, but it does mean that the
next generation of diversity practices is not the current set
of best practices. Practitioners will need to include in their
arsenal of KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) more than
benchmarking and best practices data.
76 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
Here are steps that diversity practitioners can take to
advance their work while also advancing the discipline:
1. Bridge the gap among diversity practitioners,
academic researchers, and theoreticians.
2. Learn about the conceptual models that undergird
diversity representation and compliance, cultural
competency, and intercultural communications,
organizational behavior, and organizational culture.
3. Define the scope of the field by the opportunities
available to leverage diversity in the workforce,
workplace, and marketplace.
4. Perfect teambuilding and collaboration skills.
5. Read more and look for associations and unlikely
pairings that spark innovative ideas and approaches.
6. Challenge long held beliefs.
7. Constantly develop business acumen skills.
The fact that academics, practitioners, professional
associations and others are engaged in global dialogues on
the future of the diversity practitioner profession is en-
couraging. It signals a desire for progress and an intent to
advance to the next phase along the diversity journey. PDJ
1I would like to thank those members of the AIMD Advisory Council
who contributed their thoughts and ideas to this article: David Casey, vice
president of talent management, WellPoint, Inc.; Dr. Deborah Plummer,
chief diversity officer and executive director, Cleveland Clinic; Bridgette
N. Driver, senior manager, HR diversity, FedEx Ground; Mark King, for-
mer director of diversity, Brinker International; Josie Thomas, senior vice
president of diversity, CBS Television; Muriel Watkins, director of human
resources, New York Times; and Ron Whitely, chief diversity officer,
Cushman & Wakefield.
2“2007 State of Workplace Diversity Management Report” by SHRM
conducted in collaboration with the American Institute for Managing
Diversity, Inc. (AIMD).
Melanie Harrington is president of the American Institute
for Managing Diversity, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public interest
organization dedicated to advancing diversity thought leader-
ship 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.
 PepsiCo Celebrates the Life of Edward F. Boyd
1914 – 2007

Edward F. Boyd helped place Pepsi in the hearts and hands of

many Americans. And in doing so, he became an innovative leader
and true pioneer in marketing.

It’s been 60 years since Ed was hired to form the very first team
of African-American marketers, opening up African-American
communities across the nation. He defined target marketing — the
way many businesses today meet consumer needs with products
and services.

Brave, distinguished and endearing, Ed Boyd helped move

America and business to greater racial equality. Today, his spirit
still inspires us.

To learn more about Ed Boyd and all his accomplishments,

read The Real Pepsi Challenge by Stephanie Capparell or visit
careerjournal.com, go to the left column under Article Search and
type in: Ed Boyd.
 special report
Rohm and Haas Shares Its
C
Culture Change Process
Culture change, engaging and motivating middle
management, leveraging employee networks, creating
accountability for senior leaders: these issues were the main
focus of a two-day meeting that recently took place at the
headquarters of the Rohm and Haas Company in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Fortune 500 companies, including
Corning, Inc., Hallmark Cards, Inc., Michelin
North America, and BlueCross BlueShield
of Florida,™ all members of the Diversity
Strategy Consortium (DSC),™ convened to
share challenges and barriers and process
improvements, practical tools, and solu-
tions for integrating diversity and advancing
corporate diversity initiatives.
“This meeting was helpful, because we got
to converse with colleagues and learn different
approaches to challenges we are all facing as we
lead and support diversity initiatives in our
respective organizations,” shared Linda Marks
of Corning, Inc. Her sentiment was repeated
throughout the course of the two-day event,
themed: Diversity: A Culture Change Process.
“Being able to host an event like this is
important to Rohm and Haas, as it provides an
opportunity to showcase our strategies in
the area of diversity and inclusion and to
get feedback from my peers,” said Stacey
Adams, director of the office of global diversity
at Rohm and Haas.
The DSC, consisting of professionals at top
companies from non-competitive businesses,
provides a confidential forum for its member companies
to share strategies and lessons learned in managing workforce
diversity. This open exchange, which is a critical success
factor for benchmarking, provides members with two
primary benefits.
First, it provides timely and practical support
for those in attendance. Second, it allows members to
explore key questions and future scenarios within
78 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
their companies that relate to their own diversity and
inclusion strategies. When asked about the benefits,
a representative from Hanesbrands, Inc., said, “I very much
value being in a group where we can do our own de-
velopment work around diversity as well as
get support for developing strategies for
our organizations.”
DSC topics discussed include diversity and
business integration, retention, diversity coun-
cils, talent management and succession plan-
ning, global initiatives, use of Six Sigma and
other assessment tools, leadership initiatives,
and much more. Venues for these discussions
include conference calls, one-on-one sessions,
surveys, and site-based diversity leadership ses-
sions that take place throughout the year.
Rohm and Haas hosted the 2008 Diversity
Leadership Session and provided two days of
dynamic discussion and opportunities for member
companies to network, share proven strategies,
and interact with Rohm and Haas executives.
During the two-day event, a Diversity
Roundtable took place that was webcast to all
participating company locations and engaged
employees across the globe in a live exchange
of questions and answers. Additionally, an
exchange of ideas and information about
Rohm and Haas’ organizational diversity
journey was shared, including an in-depth
discussion with Stacey Adams, global diver-
sity director; Dr. David Greenley, interim chief
technology officer; and Jim Ryan, Six Sigma Black
Belt; on the use of Six Sigma in the diversity process.
Unfortunately, as significant as the need is, diversity
practitioners seldom devote sufficient time to their own
emotional, mental and spiritual growth and development.
During this meeting, however, Rohm and Haas’ external
diversity consultant partners, Prime Directive, took DSC
members through self-renewing exercises to help them sus-
tain the momentum and drive necessary to continue moving
 their organizations forward in the midst of resistance “We are very proud of the progress we have made
and change. in the last several years, but we also know that the
“The opportunity to pause and reflect is not one work of diversity, inclusion, and culture change is a
that readily comes for me. These exercises reminded marathon, not a sprint, and that there is much left
me that I need to take care of myself and get refueled to do to,” said Stacey Adams. “The future still holds
in order to give my all to the organization and the challenges with organizations addressing the changing
work I do,” says Kristie King, diversity manager for generational workforce and globalization of jobs.”
Rohm and Haas. “We are planning for and executing the next
evolution in Rohm and Haas’
For the past five years, the Rohm and Haas Company has been going through a trans-
journey and are focusing
formation process. It began with identifying the needs of the company and internal diversity
on leading the creation of a
advocates. Next, the company positioned diversity as a culture-change process that was workplace culture that can em-
business-driven rather than HR-driven. This reinforced the connection between diversity and brace new faces, new ideas, and
business results and drove home the message that diversity is a business imperative. ways of working that will lead us
Guillermo Novo, vice president and business director at Rohm and Haas, said, “The forward,” she added. PDJ
success of my business is directly impacted by the diversity of my team and innovative ideas
that come from them. This is critical in an industry that relies on creativity and novel ideas to
move us ahead of our competitors.”
The company formed a Diversity Council, led by the Chairman and CEO Raj Gupta,
which included five other business leaders. The council was key to the success of diversity
efforts, because the accountability for the overall process belongs to this group. Rohm and Haas, celebrating
“Leading our diversity journey has and continues to be a rewarding path for me, its 100th year in 2009, is a global
because I know that all that we are, and will become, can be attributed to the creative and leader and pioneer in the creation
diverse minds, ideas, and perspectives of the employees of Rohm and Haas,” said Gupta. and development of innovative
technologies and solutions for
the specialty materials industry.
The office of diversity is currently focusing on The company’s technologies are found in a wide range of
recruitment, retention, development, education and industries, including building and construction, electron-
awareness. It is successfully building a diverse work- ics, household goods, packaging and paper, industrial
force within professional ranks and creating a work process and much more. Located in 27 countries across
environment where innovative ideas and new ways of the globe, Rohm and Haas is based in Philadelphia,
working abound. Pennsylvania and generated sales of approximately $8.9
All senior leaders at Rohm and Haas were taken billion in 2007.
through an intense diversity and leadership train- For more information on the Diversity Strategy
ing, which was followed by the implementation of Consortium, contact Chandra Irvin, executive direc-
formal diversity objectives directly linked to per- tor, by e-mail at Chandra@irvingoforth.com or call
formance and accountability. This level of account- (502) 742-7712.
ability reflected a shift from organizational aware- For more information on Rohm and Haas, visit the
ness to organizational impact that had far reaching company’s Web site at www.rohmhaas.com or contact
implications for all business and individual leaders. Stacey Adams at staceyadams@rohmhaas.com.

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 79

 I AM
Virda Rhem, SPHR
Director, Human Resources
Texas Property & Casualty
Insurance Guaranty Association

Member since
1992

“SHRM has consistently

delivered the resources and
professional development
opportunities I have needed
as I’ve progressed through
my career.”

Leading People. Leading Organizations.

www.shrm.org

08-0464
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keeping up with
Susan Chambers
Susan Chambers, executive vice president,

COMPANY Name:
global people division, of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., brings ‘em
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
to their feet with an enthusiasm not often seen in
Headquarters:
702 SW 8th St. corporate America.
Bentonville, AR 72716
Web site: www.walmartstores.com Throughout her career, Susan has taken on challenges and
Primary Business or Industry:
Retail turned them into opportunities, with both courage and
Annual RevenueS: Wal-Mart is drive. Now, she’s leading a host of programs and initiatives
the world’s largest retailer with
$374.5 billion in sales for the
fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2008
at the world’s largest retailer, and doing it with flair.
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GLOBAL / MARKET / INDUSTRY ISSUES
Please describe Wal-Mart’s global presence: numbers of employ-
ees, international businesses, branches, marketshare, potential, etc.
Describe the scope and scale of your company to a reader who
may not be familiar with it.
Over the course of 46 years, Wal-Mart has grown from a single
discount store in a small town in Arkansas to become the world’s
largest retailer with more than 4,000 discount stores, supercenters,
neighborhood markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United
States. We also operate more than 3,000 facilities in Argentina,
Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and the United
Kingdom. Wal-Mart employs a global workforce of more than 2
million associates, with 1.4 million in the United States.
With that growth comes a tremendous opportunity—and
responsibility—to make a difference in the lives of our customers
and communities. We believe we can and should be part of the
solution to some of the biggest challenges facing the world today,
like the environment, economic opportunity, and health care.
Please give us your definition of diversity and inclusion, as it
relates to the efforts within your organization.
At Wal-Mart we have a very clear purpose: we save people money
so they can live better. And that purpose begins in the heart of the
company—by creating real career opportunities for our associ-
ates so that they can live better lives. Wal-Mart’s success depends
on our ability to build a global workforce where everyone has
the opportunity to go as far as their hard work and talent will
take them.
Diversity and inclusion have always been a part of our culture
and our heritage. Respect for people…helping people grow with
us…is a part of who we are and what has made us the company we
are today. We believe that a commitment to diversity is what allows
us to better serve the millions of customers who shop with us each
week; it allows us to create an inclusive workplace for our associ-
ates; and it allows us to cast the broadest possible net when looking
for talent, suppliers, and partners. It helps us learn and grow, and
come up with the new thinking and innovative partnerships that
move our business and our world forward.
In today’s marketplace, does your company have any particular
cultural, socioeconomic, or demographic challenges to selling, pro-
ducing, or delivering services? What particular challenges do you
face in hiring and retaining good people?
Because of our global footprint, we recognize that our customers,
associates, and suppliers will want different things from us. There
can be no one-size-fits-all approach to how we operate. That’s why
we work very hard to make sure every one of our stores reflects the
needs and wants of the community surrounding it.
We call this the “Store of the Community” ap-
proach, and we have a dedicated team of associates
who help us make sure we’re building the right
kinds of stores with the right mix of products to best
serve a community.
Our Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), based
in our home office, make a big difference, too.
They help us reach out to multicultural markets and
stay relevant to our customers. For example, they’ve
assisted the store and club operations with dual
language signage in locations with a large multicul-
tural presence.

Susan speaking at a management meeting.

82 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 “ Wal-Mart’s success depends on our ability to build a
global workforce where everyone has the opportunity to
Wal-Mart is defined
by a set of fundamental
go as far as their hard work and talent will take them.
and enduring values going back to when Sam Walton founded the
company, but we also know that how we engage and nurture
people has to evolve with changes in the workforce. The ARGs
help us understand the concerns and needs of all of our associates
and how we can ensure that everyone shares in our company’s suc-
cess.
This same thinking also applies to our recruiting efforts. Like
corporations around the world, we want to attract and retain talent
wherever we do business. This is an especially important challenge
in an industry like retail, where turnover is very high.
At Wal-Mart, we place a special emphasis on recruiting college
students as summer interns, and working diligently to bring those
individuals back as permanent associates once they graduate. In
addition, throughout the year, our Campus Relations recruiting
team stays connected with colleges and universities across the
nation. Many of the institutions we have relationships with are
affiliated with organizations like the Hispanic Scholarship Fund,
United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund,
American Indian College Fund, and the Asian & Pacific Islander
Scholarship Fund.
We understand that, while attracting talent is a challenge,
retaining it is equally challenging. That’s why we create numerous
opportunities for our associates to advance within the organiza-
tion. The Wal-Mart Leadership University, for example, gives
home office and field associates access to the classes, certifications,
and institutional learning programs that contribute to both their
personal and professional development.
Do you have any examples of how tapping employee diversity
has yielded significant product or profit breakthroughs?
Inter-business synergies?
We know that our commitment to diversity makes us a better
company and a better place to work and shop. As I mentioned, the
Wal-Mart Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) help us stay close
to our customers. The Asian Pacific Islander Resource Group and
the Hispanic Latino Associate Resource Group, for example, have
raised awareness about the importance of their cultural heritage
—Susan Chambers ”
months and celebrated cultural holidays, so that stores and clubs
can ensure they are supplying customers with the right merchan-
dise at the right times throughout the year. The ARGs also partici-
pate in focus groups that elicit honest and candid feedback about
new products headed to stores and clubs.
CORPORATE LEADERSHIP
What resources (financial and manpower) are allocated on diver-
sity? How do these reflect Wal-Mart’s leadership commitment
to diversity?
Our Office of Diversity is one of the largest in the nation, and
we’ve built a team of top diversity professionals to staff it. Under
their leadership, we’ve created internal diversity initiatives to en-
gage our associates and help them see, understand and feel the
priority our company places on diversity. Managers are required
to have at least three mentees through the “Mentor Me” pro-
gram, and they are required to attend at least one diversity event
throughout the year. Additionally, company officers’ bonuses are
tied to diversity goals, and those who do not meet them can see
their bonuses reduced by up to 15 percent.
Externally, our commitment to reaching out to diverse markets
allows us to build national and local partnerships with profes-
sional, civic, and nonprofit organizations. Every year, the Diversity
Relations Department partners with more than 400 organizations
that support programs on health and wellness, financial indepen-
dence, economic empowerment, leadership development, educa-
tion, and sustainability.
Does Wal-Mart address diversity in its annual report?
Is it important to talk about diversity with shareholders?
Yes. Information about diversity is included in our annual report
and our annual sustainability report. In addition, we publish a
separate annual diversity report with a detailed perspective of our
diversity programs and progress. You’ll find detailed diversity in-
formation on our web site—www.walmartstores.com/diversity—
which includes EEO-1 data.
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Susan speaking at the

shareholder meeting.

Do you have any programs in place to increase the cross-cultural

competence of your senior management team? Can mid-level
managers acquire similar training?
Wal-Mart’s Leadership University offers a diversity and inclusion
seminar for all salaried associates. In addition, all associates can
attend and participate in the Wal-Mart Diversity Development
series. The series includes an interactive workshop covering various
topics, behaviors, and trends in diversity.
In 2007, Wal-Mart retained Dr. Price Cobbs, a respected
diversity consultant, to help enhance diversity programs with
our company officers and management associates. These small
workshops gave our associates the opportunity to share stories and
feedback about their experience with diversity at Wal-Mart.
In addition, Dr. Cobbs and other diversity industry leaders
hosted a diversity panel discussion and all home office associates
were encouraged to participate.
How are decisions about diversity made at Wal-Mart? Is there a
diversity council and who heads it up? Who participates?
Decisions on a corporate diversity strategy are primarily made
through a collaborative process with the Office of Diversity and
the Global People Division (Human Resources). The strategy is
then reviewed by the Wal-Mart executive committee for further
enhancements before company-wide implementation.
Wal-Mart also relies on the counsel of two external committees
to provide guidance on diversity and employment practices. The
Employment Practices Advisory Panel and the External Advisory
Council serve as essential resources for the company as we advance
our mission for diversity and inclusion.
EMPLOYEE INCLUSIVENESS
How does your company gauge inclusion of employees? What are
the tests, measurements and benchmarks (metrics) that indicate
where the company is on the inclusion graph?
The annual Associate Opinion Survey measures how our associ-
ates feel about diversity at Wal-Mart and other employment prac-
tices within our company.
Feedback from the survey
is discussed with each indi-
vidual department. During
the feedback discussions,
teams develop action plans
to address key issues, to improve the associate engagement level,
and to foster associate camaraderie.
Externally, we measure our success in diversity by bench-
marking with other Fortune 500 companies and participating in
national diversity surveys that use various diversity metrics systems.
We’re proud when we’re recognized with diversity awards, such as
being named a Top Company for Latinas or Asian Americans, to
mention two recent examples.
And we look to our associates, suppliers, and customers as
the barometers of our progress in creating diverse and inclusive
stores, a broad merchandise mix that is reflective of what our
customers want, and a network of diverse and multicultural busi-
ness partners.
Are employees more involved in the company than they were two
years ago? In what ways?
Since the establishment of the Office of Diversity in 2004, our
associates—at all levels and from all backgrounds—have access
to additional opportunities to be engaged within our company.
Outlets like the Diversity Development Series, the “Mentor Me”
program, diversity and inclusion training, as well as our Associate
Resource Groups all encourage our associates to contribute their
ideas and learnings. In turn, their feedback and involvement help
us create an even better Wal-Mart—today and in the future.

84 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 personal profile
Susan Chambers
Company
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Title
Executive Vice President, Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc., Global People Division
Years in current position
How are their opinions solicited and valued? Do you 2 years
have an employee ‘suggestion box’ or other system, Education
and who monitors and responds? Bachelor’s degree in systems and data processing from
Sam Walton always believed that some of the best William Jewell College, in Liberty, Missouri
ideas for the business came from our associates. And
First job
we’ve certainly seen that with our environmental
Administrative Assistant and tour guide at Hallmark
sustainability efforts, for example, where associates
have provided some amazingly innovative ideas to Family
help us become a more sustainable company. My husband Chip and I are celebrating our 30th wedding
Each month, we also host town hall meetings anniversary this year. We have three children: a daughter, 27,
for associates to learn more about what’s going on and two sons, 23 and 14.
with the business, as well as ask questions and give Interests
feedback. After each meeting, associates have the I love music. I studied vocal performance and classical piano
opportunity to submit additional feedback through for many years. I’m a mezzo soprano.
the Wal-Mart intranet site.
Something we are very proud of at Wal-Mart
is our open door policy. This means that any associate can share How did you get to your present position? What was your
feedback or concerns with any manager or any executive at any career path?
time. We take our associates’ input, involvement, and pushback It’s been a serendipitous—and often surprising—journey.
very seriously, because we know they will help us build a better And while I couldn’t have foreseen the career path I’ve taken, I also
company. We also know that our associates appreciate this policy couldn’t have asked for a better one. I started out as an adminis-
and use it. trative assistant and part-time tour guide at Hallmark. Over the
years I’ve worked in manufacturing and retail, on the technology
Can you name specific ways your company supports upward
side, and the people side. One constant has been that whenever I
development toward management positions?
had an opportunity to take on something that needed changing or
Our associates have a number of development opportunities with-
something that needed to be done, however unglamorous the task
in our company. Wal-Mart Leadership University is the corporate
may have been, I was willing to do it to the best of my abilities.
education arm that offers hundreds of classes and seminars each
I don’t think there’s any magic formula. Just hard work and an
year to meet our associates’ professional and personal develop-
openness to change.
ment. The program includes nationally recognized courses such
as Dale Carnegie, Advanced Leadership Development, Lead First, Who were/are your mentors? What about their business skill or
and Walton Institute. style influenced you? How did they help in your professional and
Additionally, we work very hard to develop business-critical personal life? Are you mentoring anyone today?
talent and to create the kinds of learning experiences within our I’ve always sought out multiple mentors—situational mentors as
company that contribute to professional development and longev- I like to think of them. If I was puzzled by something, culturally
ity with Wal-Mart. One clear measure of that is the fact that more or functionally, I would look to different people that I respected.
than 3/4 of our store managers started out as hourly associates. I’ve learned that whenever I sought the counsel of many people

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 85

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with many perspectives, I ended up with a better solution than I
could’ve come up with on my own.
At the same time, I try to impart to my mentees the impor-
tance of knowing who you are and what you stand for. You should
always seek out trusted advisors, but in the end leadership is about
making your own decisions based on your own inner compass.
There’s no substitute for that. I mentor seven people right now.
Mentoring is big part of our company. We want to widen the
leadership circle.
What are your specific responsibilities for advancing diversity
and inclusion at Wal-Mart? What are the strategies you employ to
move inclusion forward?
My job is to help Wal-Mart build a global and diverse workforce
that will allow us to succeed in the 21st century. And that starts
with creating opportunities so that all of our associates can live
better and grow with us.
My team and I ensure that our diversity and inclusion initia-
tives are woven into our business, through team building, engage-
ment, and creating a culture of peak performance throughout the
company. We want to create an atmosphere where associates are
empowered to redefine and extend the boundaries of excellence.
Right now we’re developing a global diversity and inclusion
strategy, focusing on four key areas: our people, external stake-
holder management and community involvement, supplier diver-
sity, and multicultural marketing. This five-year strategic plan is
our roadmap to integrate Diversity & Inclusion into every aspect
of our business.
Some of our ongoing diversity initiatives:
• The Diversity Development Series brings together our as-
sociates, business leaders, and community partners in a
classroom-facilitated discussion to break new ground and cre-
ate solutions to diversity challenges affecting our marketplace
and workforce. Nearly 300 Diversity Development Series
seminars were conducted for more than 15,000 associates
across the United States in 2007.
• The Employment Practices Advisory Panel helps us establish
benchmarks and strategies related to our workforce, diversity
leadership competencies, and workplace environment.
• The “Mentor Me” program is about, as Sam Walton put
it, ordinary people doing extraordinary things. But infor-
mal mentoring has always been part of our culture, part of
“striving for excellence.” Generation after generation, leaders

Susan chatting with

associates before
a management
meeting.

86 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

 Wal-Mart’s annual diversity report
contains a detailed perspective of its
diversity programs and progress.
and associates have helped each other become better people and
better workers, and to transform from “students to leaders.” The
“Mentor Me” program is designed to carry on this mentoring cul-
ture among all associates at all levels. Associates are encouraged to
be creative and purposeful in leveraging the power of mentoring,
including traditional, group, peer, and reverse mentorships, as well
as cross-functional and cross divisional mentorships.
How are you (as a manager) measured in terms of performance?
Is your compensation related to diversity performance?
We deployed a Diversity Tracker system to manage and report
the progress of diversity goals at all levels within the company. By
accessing the system, everyone knows, real time, what their expec-
tations are, how they’re doing, where their direct reports are, and
what the next step is. We launched the Diversity Goals program in
2004 to help us measure and drive our diversity performance.
Of the more than 50,000 members of management who
have a diversity goals requirement, we’re proud to report that
achievement of diversity goals in 2007 was over 99 percent. As
I mentioned earlier, our expectations are high—key senior field
managers and officers have 15 percent of their incentive bonus
tied to the completion of their diversity goals requirements.
And yes, my compensation, as well as our CEO’s, is tied to our
diversity performance.
Are there particular areas/employee sectors you feel still
need improvement?
In business, much as in life, diversity is a journey—a never-
ending process of learning and growth. There always will be areas
where we can improve and stretch ourselves. The beauty of the
journey is that as we reach milestones, we mature, we evolve and
we come to better understand how to achieve them and even set
new ones. That’s why we’re never done. We’re always becoming a
better company. PDJ
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 87
Diversity is only part of the story
We realize that a commitment to diversity and inclusion makes
us stronger, smarter and better able to help people save
money and live better.

This commitment causes us to look beyond our company walls

to support and pair with other organizations that share the
same vision.

To find out more about what drives our commitment to

diversity and inclusion, visit us at walmartstores.com/diversity.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 89
 1. BD 6. Burger King Corporation
2. Georgia Power 7. Sodexo
3. WellPoint, Inc. 8. New York Life
4. CVS Caremark 9. Credit Suisse
5. KPMG LLP 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.
90 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)
1
Network XYZ
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.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 91
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
Georgia Power
Retaliation Awareness and
2
Skill Building to Create a Better Workplace
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.
92 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
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 achieved
During 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.
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
WellPoint, Inc.
Corporate Cultural Change
3
—One Person at a Time
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.”
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 93
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
CVS Caremark
4 A Partnership for a Diverse Workforce
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
94 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
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.
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
KPMG LLP
Major League Baseball Is
5
Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities
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 Unique
Our 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—Success
According 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.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 95
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
Burger King Corporation
Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF)
6
Mentor Program
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.
96 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
• 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.
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
Sodexo
7
Ten Key Elements
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.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 97
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
New York Life
8
Finding Work Through The Web
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
98 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
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.
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards
Credit Suisse
9
Credit Suisse Family Network
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.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 99
Profiles in Diversity Journal 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards

Borders Group, Inc.

10
Age 50+ Job Seeker Workshops
Borders Group established a diversity Participant feedback, personal observations and subse-
initiative more than six years ago to sup- quent participant follow up confirms that the Age 50+ Job
port the business imperative of diversity in the workplace. Seeker Workshops had a significant and positive influence
Through the work of an internal Diversity Task Force and on the mindset and job searching capabilities of those
related subcommittees and advisory councils, the initiative attending. Borders is currently looking at conducting more
focuses on four strategic cornerstones of diversity: reflect- of these sessions in major markets around the country.
ing the communities Borders Group serves; anticipating
The personal reactions have been consistently favor-
and surpassing the expectations of diverse customers;
able and strongly confirm the value and effectiveness of the
formalizing a supplier diversity program; and building
workshop venue, material and presentation. Representative
internal and external awareness of Borders Group’s com-
written comments include:
mitment to diversity.
• “This was an excellent high-level presentation with
As an extension of our commitment to diversity—and
just so much detail.”
more specifically, our belief that older workers are a valu-
able part of America’s workforce—Borders Group teamed • “This is a very important issue at this time when
with RetirementJobs.com and AARP to launch a series of there are so many of us beyond 50. Thank you all for
free Age 50+ Job Seeker Workshops in four Boston-area this information.”
Borders stores. The 90-minute workshops were targeted
at job seekers, age 50-plus, and were intended to enable • “Excellent presentation – good mix of detail and
them to plan and complete a successful job search. A humor. I learned a lot.”
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.

100 Pro f i les i n Dive rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8

PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL 2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS

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-

Alegent Health tions that advocate and protect civil and human rights;
Five-level lead the fight against discrimination and prejudice;
Diversity Training foster positive communication; and promote relations
Award of among persons of different backgrounds or physical
Excellence As tHe second LArGest employer and mental abilities.
in Nebraska, Alegent Health, a healthcare
A Scholarship Banquet will be held in July of every
system in Iowa and Nebraska with over 8,700 employees,
year where both the Diversity Healthcare Scholarship and
felt the need to foster diversity by strengthening employ-
Diversity Awards will be given. Recipients are selected by
ee and community relationships. In october 2007, the
the Alegent Diversity Council.
Alegent diversity department launched a new, five-level
The purpose of all of our initiatives is to live out our
training program series that has been rolled out to over
mission: “Faithful to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ,
6000 employees. The new training modules are created
our mission to provide high quality care for the body
to increase diversity awareness among employees as they
mind and spirit of every person…To achieve this mission
provide care in a Healthcare environment.
we pledge to be creative, visionary leaders committed to
Monthly “Cultural Food Days” were implemented in
the most holistic healthcare in the region.”
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 Excellus BCBS
which would allow the children, grandchildren, or family Cornerstone Poster and
members of Alegent employees to learn about our many Newsletters Series
diverse cultures. Employees and their families made the Award of
decorations for the displays. Excellence “It GiVes Me GreAt PLeAsUre
to introduce the inaugural issue of
other training modules included the following:
‘Cornerstone.’ This monthly newsletter is designed
• A free semi-annual Health Care Career Camp was
to inform you about national monthly diversity
offered to 50 diverse high school students in an effort
themes, showcase the talents of our regional Diversity
to breech the gap between generational diversity.
Network groups and highlight [Excellus BlueCross
• Four Diversity Healthcare Scholarships were
BlueShield’s] community outreach programs and
created for graduating high school seniors or
partnerships. The office of Diversity is dedicated to
current college students who are pursuing healthcare
fostering an environment where the contributions of all
related fields. These scholarships give the non-typical,
employees are valued.”
non-traditional student the opportunity to pursue a
These were the words used by David klein,
post high school education.
president and CEo of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, to
• Four Community Diversity Awards were created to
introduce the office of Diversity Cornerstone newsletter
strengthen and recognize community relationships.
and posters.
102 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL 2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS

Excellus BCBS (continued)

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
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.
Freescale Semiconductor
Inclusion
Training
Award of
Excellence 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
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 103
PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL
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.
104 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS
Interpublic Group
Leadership for
Progress Initiative
Award of InterPUbLic GroUP (IPG) is a
Excellence 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
PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL 2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS

IPG (continued)
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 MGM MIRAGE
of IPG agencies and the leaders of new employee Business Women of Color
Resource Groups. Conference
Compensation is linked to progress with workforce Award of
diversity at all levels, including supplier diversity and the Excellence MGM MIRAGE is a presenting sponsor
of the women of Color Conference. Last
implementation of best practices within each organization.
year’s inaugural event was the first of its kind in Las Vegas.
The Leadership for Progress Initiative is establishing
Members of the corporate diversity department were
an enduring, institutionalized foundation to bring about
catalysts in creating the event along with the four ethnic
sustainable diversity and inclusion. The initiative address-
chambers of commerce—American Indian, Asian, Latin,
es long-term commitment, leadership involvement and
and Urban. This historic event attracted more than 500
governance, and accountability for measurable results.
minority women and men who gathered to participate in
Substantial resources are invested to ensure the effec-
workshops ranging from health and wellness to personal
tiveness of The IPG Leadership for Progress Initiative.
finance, beauty and self-esteem, career development, and
Funding has been made available, and the initiative is
leadership skills.
supported by the board and top management on a con-
The conference attracted local and national leaders
tinuing basis.
including Marilyn Johnson, vice president of market
Now in its second year, the IPG Leadership for Progress
development for IBM; Juana Bordas, author and president
Initiative has benefited our network at the corporate and
of Mestiza Leadership International; Terrie williams,
agency levels in many ways including the following:
entrepreneur and motivational speaker; Sachi koto, presi-
• Diversity and Inclusion are being worked into IPG’s
dent and CEo of Sachi koto Communications; Brenda
cultural and corporate DNA.
Perryman, author and performance poet; Nevada First
• CEOs and other C-Suite stakeholders are becoming
Lady Dawn Gibbons; and Nevada Attorney General
partners with human resources leaders, diversity
Catherine Cortez Masto.
managers and supplier diversity officers.
Debra Nelson, MGM MIRAGE vice president for
• The initiative is promoting more credibility with
corporate diversity, communications and communi-
employees and talent markets.
ty affairs, saw a need for dialogue among minority
• Workforce diversity, supplier diversity and inclusion
women in the Las Vegas community. She approached the
programs are beginning to take hold.
chambers of commerce with the idea, and they
• More agencies have begun to implement similar
overwhelmingly agreed. From there, a day-long event was
approaches, including many of our largest subsid-
created to bring women together from across Southern
iaries such as McCann-Erikson, Draftfcb, Initiative,
Nevada and beyond. The goal of the event was to
Deutsch, and Universal McCann, among others.
provide leadership, networking, and learning opportuni-
• In the U.S., the network’s representation of people of
ties through a variety of workshops.
color has doubled!
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.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 105
PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL
MGM MIRAGE (continued)
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.
New Jersey DEP
Beyond Diversity Training
Award of THe New Jersey Department of
Excellence 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
106 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS
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,
PrOFiLes in Diversity JOUrnAL 2008 iNTerNaTioNal iNNovaTioN iN DiverSiTy AwardS
New Jersey DEP (continued)
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 In 2003, the ottawa Police Service recog-
Excellence 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
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8 107
stories
microtrigger stories
editors notebook
Can you guess
what triggers
professional trainers?
I
I recently attended a conference where
training and development professionals from around
the world assembled to learn best practices. I held a
MicroTrigger workshop for a small group of trainers
and networked with hundreds more to discuss subtle
behaviors and their impact in the workplace. My, oh
my, did I hear an earful!
The workshop was predominantly composed of
females, and this was reflected both in the Triggers
that received the most votes for being particularly
annoying, and in how this audience interpreted the
implications behind those MicroTriggers. Keep in
mind that these are trainers—people who by their
choice of profession have developed tough skins,
exposing themselves to the masses on a regular basis.
So, can you guess what triggers the trainers?
The top MicroTrigger was #15: Asking someone
else the same question that you just answered for
the questioner.
“I work in an environment where we brainstorm
a lot. So I expect to hear different thoughts about
approaches and layouts because it is part of the job.
But when my director asks a question that is about a
fact, not an opinion, then it burns me up when I give
the answer and then he asks someone else to verify it.
You either trust my answer or you don’t. And if you
don’t trust me, then why waste my time and yours
having me go to get the answer in the first place?”
Which MicroTrigger came in as a close second
place? Interestingly enough it was #52: Shaking
your hand too softly, or much too hard! Your typical
trainer shakes more hands than a politician, often
greeting twenty-five participants at the door! So it’s
108 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
amusing that they have their own rating system for a
“good handshake” versus a bad one. Here’s what one
person said about this MicroTrigger:
“Shaking my hand too softly is bothersome,
because many men regard women as weak or delicate,
and are more cautious when greeting them. So when
I get the soft handshake and the bland smile, I feel like
there is a sexist undertone. He has sized me up as the
weaker sex.”
Interrupting the speaker and asking others about
their experiences or opinions were also high on the
list, along with referring to women as girls or gals.
You might be thinking, “Are people still doing that?”
Absolutely!
When sharing these stories in groups, it is
useful to encourage people to express why certain
MicroTriggers really impact them—the implications
and undertones behind certain actions or phrases.
These trainers had interesting perspectives that others
had never thought about and feelings that some had
never considered. Let me know what you think
about them. PDJ
Janet Crenshaw Smith is president of Ivy Planning
Group LLC, a consulting and
training firm that specializes
in diversity strategy and
leadership. Her book is titled,
MicroTriggers: 58 Little
Things That Have a BIG
Impact. Have a MicroTrigger
story to share? Send it to:
JSmith@ivygroupllc.com.
FINALLY
Training that moves beyond diversity...
...to INCLUSION
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MicroTrigger®

#42
Referring to Obama Barack as “So Articulate”
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MicroTrigger®? Your guide to the subtle behaviors, simple
words, seemingly small references, and even body language Read the book!
that have significant meaning to individuals or groups.

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Bausch and Lomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Lockheed Martin . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Sodexo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

www.bausch.com www.lockheedmartin.com www.sodexousa.com

The Boeing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Monster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 UnitedHealth Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

www.boeing.com www.monster.com www.unitedhealthgroup.com

Chevron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PepsiCo, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Wal-Mart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

www.chevron.com www.pepsico.com www.walmart.com

Eastman Kodak Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Pfizer, Inc . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Waste Management. . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back
www.kodak.com www.pfizer.com www.wm.com

FHL Bank San Francisco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Raytheon . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 WellPoint . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46

www.fhlbsf.com www.raytheon.com www.wellpoint.com
 Diversity &Inclusion
drives innovation and success
Kodak’s commitment to diversity and inclusion touches customers,
consumers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and more. While
our vision is global, we focus upon the distinctive cultures and
communities in which we live and work.
We champion diversity as a business imperative to help drive
innovation. Working together, we create technologies and services
that unleash the power of pictures and printing. Our innovations
enrich people’s lives, and bring us all closer together.

www.kodak.com/go/diversity

© Eastman Kodak Company, 2008

 last word
Innovation and Diversity:
The Corporate Link
By Marie Y. Philippe, PhD
T
There is no magic
formula for corporate in-
novation through diver-
sity. The idea that cre-
ativity with a purpose
emerges from collabor-
ative—yet, at times divergent—viewpoints is not new.
What is worth the spotlight today is a corporate environ-
ment that stimulates innovation by adopting diversity as a
first premise.
Most business leaders understand the business case for
diversity. They understand demographics and the need to
mirror customers. They understand economics and the
need for global market insights. They understand political
interactions and the need for broader stakeholder repre-
sentation. They understand that the difference between
surviving and thriving is due to in-
“
novation, whether from technology,
product, or service. The culture that is conducive
Competition in any given in-
to innovation nurtures
dustry crosses national boundaries.
The American way is competing
against the Japanese way, which is
competing against the Australian
way, which is competing against the
African way, which is competing against the German way
and so on. Imagine a single company that has the advan-
tage of these various “ways” in its own midst.
Many facets of an organization must exist in order to foster
these various ways. Most basic is the embrace of differences
—from visible differences to less obvious differences.
Within a culture of inclusion, the term “risk” must
always evoke “reward” regardless of actual success in the
traditional sense. Permitting employees to experience fail-
ure when seeking well-thought-out solutions is indeed a
reward, for the culture of innovation. The culture that is
conducive to innovation nurtures an attitude of acceptance.
Acceptance as a lived value extends to failure. There
is a practice of failure that breeds success. Burt Rutan,
renowned aircraft designer, says, “I’ve got to develop nine
prototypes that go nowhere to make one that goes to
112 Pro f i les i n Di v e rsit y Journal J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 0 8
production for big money. Only the place that tolerates
failure gives rise to the thinking that results in success.”
Only when combining the diverse approaches to a
common challenge does the probability of an optimum
solution increase.
Employees must feel that being curious and being
experimental is welcome. The reward system must
reflect such desired behavior. A number of studies have
proven that leaders who encourage team members to
discover solutions to their own operational or process
problems enjoy the highest rate of employee satisfaction
and highest productivity.
Many may have heard the following joke: When
faced with the dilemma of having a writing instrument
in the spacecraft under zero gravity, the homogenous
American team at NASA designed the prototype of a
”
an attitude of acceptance.
$50,000 pen. When a Soviet astronaut heard of the
dilemma, without a beat, he presented the solution his
point of reference (a smaller budget) and culture (no con-
trol overall) had to offer: “Why don’t you use a pencil?”
The lessons about the value and benefits of diversity
are virtually countless. As competition becomes tighter,
we will increasingly witness innovation from successful
companies that have embedded diversity in their daily
business practices. PDJ
Marie Y. Philippe, PhD, is corporate vice president, culture and
organizational effectiveness, at Lifetime Healthcare Companies.
Dr. Philippe 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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 Also Featuring…Front-Runner Susan Chambers—Wal-Mart • Corporate Philanthropy • 2008 International Innovation in Diversity Awards

Volume 10, Number 4

JULY / AUGUST 2008
$
12.95 U.S.

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

July / auGust 2008 • VOLUME 10 NUMBER 4
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Our company is global. Our passion is local.

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at ArvinMeritor,
Diversity at
investing in the communities where we live and work. We proudly support this cause,
along with many others that are close to our hearts. And close to our homes.

www.arvinmeritor.com Starts the toP