3 minute read
Making Milwaukee a Region of Choice for Diverse Talent
Reducing racial disparities in Milwaukee is a top priority for MMAC and its board of directors. The region cannot reach its potential without all its citizens participating in and benefiting from an inclusive community. A 2018 research project revealed that Milwaukee ranks last among 20 peer metros for 7 indicators of prosperity among metro Milwaukee’s Black and Brown populations. Today, more than 125 companies have committed to collectively increase Black and Brown employment by 15% and management by 25% over the 2018 baseline by 2024.
In addition to the work outlined above, MMAC is helping companies develop, recruit, retain and advance diverse talent by:
• Convening company representatives to share best practices and discuss common challenges.
• Conducting a semi-annual culture survey to measure experiences of inclusivity and belonging within companies and the greater Milwaukee community.
• Creating a dedicated DEI website: regionofchoicemke.org
• Sponsoring a half-day annual summit on local DEI successes.
• Holding CEO-only sessions to provide a peer group for discussion and commitment around DEI.
Region of Choice update
MMAC continuing to grow Milwaukee as a Region of Choice for Diverse Talent
For the past three years, MMAC has tracked the progress of companies and organizations committed to making Milwaukee a Region of Choice by increasing the percentages of Black and Brown employees (by 15% over five years) and managers (by 25% over five years) at those firms.
Companies reported their employment data for 2021 this past October, see page 28.
In total, 130 companies representing 125,000 metro Milwaukee employees are working toward this goal and working with each other to create a community of workplaces that are more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
While the data is trending in the right direction, MMAC Vice President of Community Affairs Corry Joe Biddle emphasized that there is much more work to do – both in our workplaces and in our communities – to create sustainable change for people of color in Milwaukee.
“Companies and talent acknowledge that hiring is only the beginning of an employee’s lifecycle,” she said. “Attention must be paid to retention, development and advancement in order for more Black and Brown individuals to rise to positions of leadership. Otherwise, we will always have the situation where a person of color is the ‘only’ in the room.”
MMAC convenes representatives from the ROC companies and the community to share and discuss strategies aimed at all of the above. “One company does not have all the answers, but among our 130 companies, there are a lot of great ideas, programs and playbooks,” added Biddle.
MMAC holds regular programs, both online and in person, for company leaders to learn from peers and subject matter experts. Additional resources can be found on www.regionofchoicemke.org
MMAC President Tim Sheehy said the 2021 data results from the ROC companies should be encouraging: “Everyone talks about the DEI process as a journey. As a business community and as a region, we need to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”