Diversity Journal - Nov/Dec 2013

® All Things Diversity & Inclusion

NOV/DEC 2013 $5.95

On Coming to America ∆ Kirkland & Ellis Women Lean In ∆ Minds, Not Melanin

Bringing unique talents together is what sets us apart.

At CVS Caremark, we are able to achieve market-leading business results every day because we understand and truly value the power of diversity.

Through genuine respect and by embracing everyone’s differences, abilities and complexities, we have created an all-inclusive work environment and a more innovative, creative and rewarding organization. Join us and add your unique voice, strength and character to our mission of improving lives daily.

At CVS Caremark, we are committed to building an environment of inclusion and acceptance that values diversity across all areas of our business.

Join our team and experience a fulfilling career at CVS Caremark. Visit us at jobs.cvscaremark.com/diversity CVS Caremark is an equal opportunity employer supporting a drug-free work environment.

| PUBLISHER’S COLUMN

Since 1999

®

All Things Diversity & Inclusion CEO/PUBLISHER

James R. Rector MANAGING EDITOR

Realizing Our Shared Humanity

Katherine Sandlin COPY EDITOR

Teresa Fausey VP OF OPERATIONS

James Gorman

We must make working life more human.

ART DIRECTOR

Paul Malanij

– Göran Persson, Prime Minister of Sweden, 1996–2006

As I look back at the previous year, I am struck by how far diversity in the workplace has come. And, as I look forward to the next year, I am enthused about the many opportunities we all have to take diversity much further—until, together, we have succeeded in making everyone’s “working life more human.”

Isn’t that, after all, the real goal of diversity—that every person is seen as a unique and valuable human being, accepted as they are, and worthy of respect, even kindness?

In the next year, Diversity Journal will continue to delve into a key issue Participants in Nov./Dec. Issue limiting the full realization of a diverse workplace—the “invisible” traits we respond to subconsciously. We may not realize that we tend to hire tall executives or promote employees with outgoing personalities, but it happens.

One of the last and most stubborn barriers to true diversity is our tendency to hire, manage, and promote based on subconscious personal preferences.

Recognizing and overcoming unconscious bias, along with understanding the value of thought diversity, will benefit not only millions of talented people, but also the organizations lucky enough to have them.

In our January/February issue, we will feature a group of people close to our hearts—our nation’s military veterans. We will talk about the challenges returning veterans may encounter as they reenter the civilian workforce, the special abilities they bring to the workplace, strategies you can use to recruit and retain vets, and ERGs and other initiatives that support these heroes. And we will share inspiring stories of individual successes.

I believe this will be the best year yet. PDJ

HUMAN RESOURCES

Vicky DePiore EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Elena Rector CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Grace Austin Brian Bensman Dr. Gijs van Bussel Noëlle Bernard Boyer Anna R.. Dadlez, PhD Jasmine De Clerck Tomas DeLuna Nes Diaz-Uda

Chris Duchesne Jon L. Erickson Mike Johnson Alanna Klapp Sharda Mohammed Myrna Molinari Cara Pace Kelvin Womack

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Profiles in Diversity Journal Gemini Towers #1 • 1991 Crocker Road, Suite 204 • Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: 440.892.0444 • Fax: 440.892.0737 profiles@diversityjournal.com SUBSCRIPTIONS

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profiles@diversityjournal.com EDITORIAL: edit@diversityjournal.com PHOTOS & ARTWORK: art@diversityjournal.com REPRINTS:

James R. Rector, CEO & Publisher profiles@diversityjournal.com November/December 2013

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| CONTENTS

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2013

FEATURES 26

26

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ON COMING TO AMERICA

COVER STORY

WHAT’S NEXT FOR DIVERSITY LEADERS This year’s Diversity Leader Award winners talk about what’s been working for them, what they have planned for the coming year, and what they envision long-term to help create a future in which everybody can flourish anywhere they choose to be.

FOLLOW US AT: twitter.com/diversityjrnl scribd.com/diversityjournal twitter.com/mentorings

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One of the greatest challenges faced by immigrants who come to the U.S. are the mistaken assumptions Americans often have with regard to immigrant experiences, attitudes, and goals.

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MINDS, NOT MELANIN Hiring people for how they think is as important to achieving diversity and longterm business success as hiring to ensure that particular groups are represented. The authors explain how using the principles of cognitive diversity in hiring, managing, and promoting people can lead to a more vibrant and successful workplace.

November/December 2013

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KIRKLAND & ELLIS WOMEN LEAN IN How partnering with Lean In (an organization started by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg to complement her book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead) has helped this global law firm strengthen and expand an already vibrant Women’s Leadership Initiative.

VOLUME 15 | NUMBER 6

Since 1999

®

DEPARTMENTS 16

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All Things Diversity & Inclusion

HIGHER EDUCATION 16 | Deaf and hard of hearing students

from diverse backgrounds thrive at Gallaudet University

20 | A new bill keeps interest rates

on student loans low for now. But will it last?

22 | As more students take the ACT, ACT is doing more to help them prepare WORKPLACE 62 | Has rewarding accountable

leadership, instead of short-term gains, taken hold in corporate America?

64 | How to recover from contract loss and come back stronger next time

66 | Want to recruit and retain top talent? Think benefits and culture

68 | In the wake of discontinued flex programs, can a case still be made for flex-time?

20 PUBLISHER’S COLUMN 01 | Founder and Publisher James R.

09 | Choosing—or creating—a culture for your multicultural team

Rector talks about what’s next for the magazine.

10 | How to become an inclusive

EDITOR’S NOTE 04 | Managing Editor Kathie Sandlin

11 | Finding your career path—the

ponders the business case for diversity today.

BULLETIN 06 | Who’s on the move, what’s on the

horizon, and more diversity news.

FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS 08 | The Affordable Care Act is here.

How will we serve the newly insured?

leader of people with disabilities

HOW I WORK 70 | Sharda Mohammed, Director

of Diversity at Michelin, tells how technology, time, and attitude fuel her success

DAY IN THE LIFE 72 | Follow Tomas DeLuna, creative

value of trying, failing, and knowing when it’s time to leave

force behind GE’s new Artistry™ Series, through his day

12 | How new federal initiatives make payroll status and employment verification more complex

CORPORATE INDEX 74 | Index of organizations appearing

NONPROFIT 14 | NIB provides training,

technologies, support, and jobs for people who are blind

in this issue of Diversity Journal

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 76 | Cara Pace of Housing Solutions

USA describes their unique approach to homelessness

November/December 2013

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| EDITOR’S NOTE

Diversity as differentiator A new wave of ads reminds us why there will always be a business case for diversity It’s been nearly 10 years since I’ve been at the helm of PDJ, and the workplace is just not the same as it was when I last wrote this column. We’ve gone through tremendous economic shifts that have reshaped our organizations.

Technologies have totally revolutionized the way we communicate. Add a new and dynamically diverse generation of talent to the workforce—with their own viewpoints and needs and life goals—and you have a completely different corporate landscape.

Coming in, I had to wonder: What is the conversation about today? And has the business case for diversity changed as a result?

That is when I

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happened to see the new ads for Discover Card. The same actor or actress plays both cardholder and service team member. The message? “We get you.

We’re people just like you. And we’ll take care of you as if you worked here yourself.”

When you watch the ads, you notice that the connection the two make is not based on physical likenesses—these connections are being made over the phone. It’s actually based on the ideas, experiences, and attitudes they share.

And isn’t that the real core of diversity?

I find it refreshing that—in a world in which forms rule, “apps” are the only way to get things done, and texts are more common

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

than actual phone calls—personal connection is still the most powerful tool in any marketer’s communication arsenal. Don’t buy it? Consider this: Kindle’s new “live assistant” feature offers to connect you to someone who can put technology in lay terms.

The creators of one of the best-selling technology products in the world have realized that there is no technological equivalent to the human touch. We crave interaction with real people we can relate to.

Self-identity is the key to brand differentiation.

And, in today’s competitive market, it’s just one of the

November/December 2013

ways fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce can be your most strategic advantage.

It’s also one of the real values of contributing to PDJ. Our profiles help diverse employees and candidates identify you as a great employer. Our content allows you to share your story, discover new resources, identify best practices, and inspire the innovative thinking that can take your initiatives to the next level.

I’m truly excited about the opportunities ahead, in 2014 and beyond, and look forward to working with each and every one of you to help you meet your business goals. PDJ

Katherine Sandlin ksandlin@diversityjournal.com

Thanks to you, for protecting what matters most.

On Veterans Day and throughout the year WellPoint recognizes the commitment and sacrifices that many of our associates – veterans, members of the Reserves and National Guard, and military families – have made for our country. And as one of the nation's leading health benefits companies we value their contributions to our organization.

WellPoint partners with organizations such as the 100,000 Jobs Mission™ and Hero.Health.Hire.™ in order to help veterans transition into civilian careers. In addition, the Veterans Organization of WellPoint (VOW), one of our nine associate resource groups, plays a key role in building an inclusive workplace culture where all, including veterans and military families, can thrive professionally and personally. Together, we are transforming health care with trusted and caring solutions.

Better health care, thanks to you.

For more information, visit: www.wellpoint.com/careers

® Registered Trademark, Diversity Inc Media LLC. ® Registered Trademark, WellPoint, Inc. © 2013 WellPoint, Inc. All Rights Reserved. EOE. M/F/D/V.

| BULLETIN Mayer Brown Names DeBerry Director of Diversity and Lightfoot Co-chair of Diversity Committee Mayer Brown has named Jeremiah A. DeBerry director of Diversity & Inclusion in the United States. He will be based in the firm’s New York of- DEBERRY fice. DeBerry comes to Mayer Brown from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he was director of diversity.

Previously, DeBerry served as president LIGHTFOOT of the National Attorney of Color Network and was an equity partner at Thelen LLP, where he chaired the Diversity Committee.

“For nearly a decade, I have been on the front lines of the effort to achieve greater diversity in the legal profession,” DeBerry said. “Mayer Brown’s commitment to diversity parallels my own, and I welcome the opportunity to help the firm more fully realize the benefits that diversity affords for our people, our clients, and the firm.”

The global law firm also named Litigation & Dispute Resolution Partner Lori E. Lightfoot as cochair of its firm-wide Committee on Diversity & Inclusion, joining Corporate & Securities Partner Brian May in that role.

Lightfoot is a trial attorney, investigator, and risk manager with experience in every facet of commercial litigation. She has handled many employment discrimination suits, particularly class actions involving senior executives, and regularly advises clients regarding the avoidance of and preparation for potential litigation. Before rejoining Mayer Brown, where she began her career as an associate, Lightfoot held several

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UN Human Rights Office Launches Unprecedented Global Campaign for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has launched Free & Equal, a global public education campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights promises a world in which everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights—no exceptions, no one left behind,” said High Commissioner Navi Pillay. “Yet it’s still a hollow promise for many millions of LGBT people forced to confront hatred, intolerance, violence, and discrimination on a daily basis.”

The goal of the Free & Equal campaign is to raise awareness regarding homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, and encourage greater respect for the rights of LGBT people. Over the coming year, the campaign will release creative materials similar to The Riddle, a video previously released by OHCHR, and The Story of a Mother from Brazil, one of a series of films in which families of LGBT people talk about their experiences.

The Free & Equal campaign follows an OHCHR report published in December 2011 which documented widespread human rights abuses. More than 76 countries still outlaw consensual same-sex relationships, and in many others, discrimination against LGBT people is widespread. Hate-motivated violence against LGBT people, including physical assault, sexual violence, and targeted killings, has been recorded in all regions of the world. This campaign will emphasize the need for both legal reforms and public education.

senior management positions with the City of Chicago and is a former federal prosecutor in the Northern District of Illinois.

Sustainability and Policy Expert to Lead Milano at The New School for Public Engagement The New School has named Michelle J. DePass dean of its Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and DEPASS Urban Policy. A nationally recognized expert on sustainability and environmental policy making, Ms. DePass will also be the Tishman professor of Environmental Policy and Management.

“I am thrilled to become part of this leading New York institution, and to cultivate the next generation of leaders in urban policy, global development, sustainability, and management,” said DePass. “The New School—and Milano in particular— share my lifelong commitment to realizing a sustainable, equitable future November/December 2013

for urban environments through inclusive participation in the development of innovative solutions.”

DePass comes to Milano from the Environmental Protection Agency, where she served as assistant administrator for International and Tribal Affairs since 2009. In this presidentially appointed, senate-confirmed position, DePass was responsible for all dimensions of environmental policy between the EPA and other nations, federally recognized tribal nations, and multilateral institutions and donors.

“Deep, challenging engagement with global urban and sustainability issues is central to both Milano and The New School as a whole,” said New School President David E. Van Zandt.

“Michelle’s career reflects this focus; she brings to Milano two decades of international and environmental leadership across all sectors. We are thrilled to welcome her as dean.”

Milano is part of The New School for Public Engagement, which prepares students for active citizenship through interdisciplinary, experiential learning. Learn more at www.newschool.edu. PDJ

| FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS

MAKING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WORK FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

By Karin W. Sarratt SPHR, Vice President of Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer, WellPoint, Inc.

Studies show that low-income Americans, ethnic minorities, and other underserved populations often have higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and less access to care.

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the potential to provide greater access to care, reduce health-care disparities, and make health more affordable.

As the nation prepares to expand access to health care, diversity professionals have an opportunity to influence the conversation about how cultural values, beliefs, and traditions affect the way people approach health-care services, benefits, and decisions. I believe success in eliminating health disparities will depend on our ability to understand our customers, and communicate and serve in a culturally sensitive way.

Culture is a powerful imprint we all carry around.

Different cultures view prevention, treatment, and the healing process very differently. Decisions about health care may be seen as very personal or they may involve the whole family; faith and nontraditional medicine may play important roles for some patients, while others rely almost exclusively on western medicine. An inclusive approach to health care requires not only an understanding of these cultural nuances, but also a willingness to treat them with respect and incorporate them into the solutions we offer patients and providers. Breaking down language barriers that may determine the kind of care people receive is also crucial.

To expand outreach, we need to leverage communication vehicles and venues that are vastly different from our traditional approaches. Resources and places seen as trusted sources for information become vital in reaching diverse and ethnic populations. For example, some groups are most comfortable accessing information at local parishes or community events hosted by local leaders. Finally, we need ensure that the health care industry workforce reflects the diverse backgrounds of the people who will be purchasing health benefits and accessing health care services.

Minorities are expected to make up the largest segment

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November/December 2013

of the population signing up for health benefits under the ACA. For many, it will be the first time they have had an opportunity to purchase health insurance. Listening to the personal stories of our own associates is helping WellPoint fine-tune its strategy for delivering products and services that meet the diverse needs of our consumers. For example, we asked our Hispanic associate resource group, SOMOS, for feedback regarding the best ways to communicate with Hispanics about the changes the ACA will bring and how WellPoint can improve the their overall enrollment experience.

As SOMOS members have related their personal and family experiences about accessing health care services, we have learned just what can happen when the health-care delivery system doesn’t address cultural and language barriers. Something as simple as not being able to answer a patient’s questions about his or her health in Spanish, or lacking in-language educational materials, can result in health-care disparities.

Armed with these stories, WellPoint has enhanced its services to better meet the needs of Hispanic consumers.

From grassroots efforts to partnering with trusted sources in the Hispanic community, our approach puts culturally sensitive solutions at the center of our efforts. The better we understand the diverse needs of our consumers, the better equipped we will be to offer trusted and caring solutions that will transform health care. PDJ Karin W. Sarratt leads all aspects of end-to-end talent management for the enterprise, including succession planning; management and leadership development; performance management; learning; training; organizational development; recruiting and retaining high potential talent; and diversity & inclusion. She is skilled in recognizing and developing top talent to enable successful, strategic succession planning.

| FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS

YOUR CULTURE OR MINE? INSIDE THE MULTICULTURAL TEAM

By Craig Storti Director, Communicating Across Cultures

Multicultural teams sometimes have a problem deciding whose culture and way of executing their work should prevail.

It might be, for example, that different team members have different approaches to how to conduct a meeting. Americans on the team expect a frank and honest exchange of views, open disagreement (albeit polite), and a great deal of back and forth by all those present. Asian team members may prefer to discuss contentious issues before the meeting in one-on-one conversations, to avoid open argument in front of others, and junior members in these cultures may not speak unless invited to. Each side is going to be frustrated by the cultural norms of the other side. So how does a team like this decide whose style is going to be the team norm?

If all members of the team are located in the same country, then it usually makes sense to follow the cultural norms of that culture, since most members living and working in that country will be familiar with its norms—

even if the norms differ from their own. But for a virtual multicultural team, with members located in a number of different countries, there may not be a logical “dominant” culture with which most members are familiar and to which they would be comfortable adjusting. In this case, no single country or culture has a claim to how meetings should be conducted.

One common solution is to adopt the approach of the country of origin of the corporation. For example, at a German company, employees will already be familiar with “the German way of thinking,” whether or not they come from Germany.

The norms will be embedded in the company culture, so conforming to them will probably involve the least compromise for the greatest number of people.

Another solution would be to adopt the majorityrule approach: You can-

MULTICULTURAL TEAMS SOMETIMES HAVE A PROBLEM DECIDING WHOSE CULTURE AND WAY OF EXECUTING THEIR WORK SHOULD PREVAIL. vass team members to see if there is a particular meeting style that is most familiar or appealing.

That style then becomes the team’s norm. If there is no such majority, then the best approach is for the team to discuss and agree on a series of norms that require the least number of cultural adjustments for the greatest number of team members.

The resulting team culture would not correspond exactly to any one team member’s culture; everyone would have to make some compromises, but the discomfort would be spread around more or less equally.

The process of discussing and agreeing on something like meeting style, one of many issues the team may have to create norms around, tends to bring the team together and make it stronger.

Studies indicate, in fact, that while multicultural teams experience more severe growing pains and take longer to coalesce and be productive than monocultural teams, once they do manage to come together, they are more productive than monocultural teams. PDJ

Craig Storti, a consultant and trainer in the f ield of intercultural communications, is the author of seven books. His latest, Speaking of India, describes the common cultural flashpoints when Indians work together with native Americans. He can be contacted at: craig@craigstorti.com.

November/December 2013

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| FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

By Nadine Vogel President, Springboard Consulting LLC

Anyone in an organization can and should strive to be an inclusive leader.

No matter what position an employee holds or at what level he or she functions, promoting inclusivity is critical for a company to earn and maintain a competitive advantage. It’s also the right thing to do. This is especially true when considering the employment of people with disabilities, because they can bring a great deal to the workplace, including the following: • Reliability: Compared to other workers, people with disabilities are absent less often and are quite loyal, which means high retention • Productivity: People with disabilities perform as well as, if not better than, other employees when working at a best-suited job • Innovation: These individuals often have unique and effective approaches when solving common problems But hiring people with disabilities (visible and invisible) is not enough. We need to integrate them into every aspect of the organization, which requires adopting an open attitude and being self-aware. First recognizing our own unconscious bias is vital if we are to facilitate awareness in others, so that everyone in the organization understands and practices disability etiquette, the comprehensive delivery of information, and inclusivity. This is not only a basic requirement of inclusive leadership, it’s a basic requirement to mitigate risk and maximize opportunity.

So what does it take to become an inclusive leader of people with disabilities?

• Check your assumptions. Cultivate a nonjudgmental attitude toward individuals with all types of disabilities—visible and invisible. Ask yourself: Are your assumptions based on fact?

• Assume positive intent. Participate in meetings and discussions about the outreach, recruitment, and retention of people with disabilities with a positive attitude.

• Slow down your responses. Think and listen before you talk. Develop listening skills, especially when

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communicating with someone who is speaking with a speech disability, hearing loss, or deafness.

• Scan social interactions for exclusion behaviors.

Do team members with disabilities tend to be more passive and quiet, allowing other team members to be more dominant? Work to engage these passive participants.

• Treat everyone as your number one. Give everyone a voice. For example, someone who is receiving a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job should be treated with the same respect and included in the same way as any other colleague.

• Deepen your own and others’ awareness. Recognize how your own behaviors impact team members’ behaviors, and work toward becoming more inclusive.

• Engage and motivate others in learning about disability and proper etiquette. Speak with peers and direct reports about the importance of the journey to disability etiquette and awareness.

• Provide individual feedback and coaching to transform exclusion behavior. Be forthcoming and let people know when their nonverbal or verbal behaviors are exclusionary or perhaps even discriminatory toward someone with a disability.

• Model appropriate and inclusive behaviors in your sphere of influence. Leaders influence by example. PDJ

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

November/December 2013

| FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS

WHEN IS IT TIME TO LEAVE?

By Howard Pines CEO, chairman, and founder of BeamPines

In today’s economic environment, even talented newcomers are worried about losing or changing jobs.

I still receive many requests from people asking that I talk to a son or daughter about their career. The most difficult conversations are with people who feel trapped because they are doing a job they don’t like, but are afraid they won’t be able to find something as good.

My experience is that while losing a job is never a pleasant experience, managers and executives who stumble, learn their lesson, and then move on, many times achieve the greatest success. CEOs I have interviewed are more comfortable with an executive who has rebounded from a defeat than an executive who has only had successes.

As a good friend of mine says, “If you wake up each morning excited about going to work, you should continue doing it. If not, you should think about doing something else.” In other words, what is it you need to do better or different? Do you just need to adjust your management or leadership style, or are you in the wrong business or profession?

One young man I was coach-

MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT WHILE LOSING A JOB IS NEVER A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES WHO STUMBLE, LEARN THEIR LESSON, AND THEN MOVE ON, MANY TIMES ACHIEVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS. ing had begun to hate the retail business because of the time commitments and the loss of control over his life.

His decision to purchase a small business did not reduce his time commitment, but becoming a business owner did give him more control over his life, which made the time commitment okay.

If you follow sports, you know that very few great players become great coaches

or general managers, like Michael Jordan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Why? Because playing and coaching or managing require different skills.

The same is true in business.

Being a top salesman doesn’t make you a successful sales manager and being a strong operations manager doesn’t make you a great leader.

Conversely, many good sales managers are not the best sales people.

So the question is: What are your skills and desires, and how can they best be leveraged and used. Remember that while thinking this through you must be patient and plan for the longer term.

As another friend advised me when I entered the consulting business, “The world of employers isn’t waiting for you to come, so you need to build a rationale for them to hire you over others.” PDJ

Howard Pines has more than 30 years of experience as CEO, chairman, and founder of BeamPines, an executive coaching f irm. He also cofounded the BeamPines/Middlesex University Master’s Program in Executive Coaching.

Previously, he served as Senior VP of Human Resources for a Fortune 100 corporation.

November/December 2013

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| FROM THE DIVERSITY EXPERTS

NEW INITIATIVES CREATE PAYROLL AND EMPLOYMENT COMPLEXITIES

By Nelsy C. Gómez Labor & Employment and Immigration Practice Groups, Cozen O’Connor

Wage theft is defined as an employer’s illegal withholding or denial of wages owed to an employee.

Most wage-theft claims, such as misclassification and failure to pay overtime, are litigated as violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Department of Labor is currently updating the FLSA’s recordkeeping regulations through a proposed “Right to Know Under the Fair Labor Standards Act” rule, which would require employers to tell workers whether they are classified as independent contractors or employees, and if employees, whether they are exempt or nonexempt and how their pay is computed.

Wage theft claims become more complex when they MOST WAGE-THEFT involve undocumented imCLAIMS, SUCH AS migrant workers. Employers MISCLASSIFICATION must verify employment eligibility using I-9 verificaAND FAILURE TO tion forms, which requires PAY OVERTIME, them to examine an emARE LITIGATED AS ployee’s evidence of identity and employment eligibility.

VIOLATIONS OF THE Employers may not demand FAIR LABOR STANDARDS a specific document; instead, ACT (FLSA). worker may choose from a list of acceptable documents on the Form I-9. Employers must accept such documentation at face value and may not investigate further, unless the document appears to be fraudulent. Requesting additional documents or information can result in claims of discrimination, And even improperly documented employees can initiate actions claiming wage theft.

Two recent federal initiatives will make the employment verification process, and the requirement to document that proper wages have been paid, even more complex for employers: • The Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel

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(OSC) and the National Labor Relations Board have reached a Memorandum of Understanding to share information, refer matters to each other, and coordinate investigations as appropriate. The OSC manages the Immigration Nationality Act (INA), which prevents discrimination based on national origin or citizenship status when an employee is hired or fired. The NLRB manages enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects employees’ rights to unionize or de-unionize in order to increase wages and improve working conditions.

• The U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) will now inform employees about Tentative Non-Confirmations (TNCs), which result from discrepancies between the data employees provide during the I-9 employment verification process and Social Security records. The current system only allows the employers to receive notices of mismatches.

Direct notification can be a powerful way for employees to confirm whether their payroll status and wage payments are correct.

Add to these initiatives the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s new Strategic Enforcement Plan, which emphasizes proactive identification of and enforcement action against hiring discrimination and FLSA violations, among other claims. The new message for employers is clear: Accurate, nondiscriminatory documentation of employment and payroll status are more essential than ever. PDJ Nelsy C. Gómez is a member of the Labor & Employment and Immigration practice groups at Cozen O’Connor’s Houston office. She has extensive experience advising employers and foreign nationals on employment verification and concerns related to immigration law.

November/December 2013

You’re unique.

We’re unique.

Let’s work together.

We believe that diversity encourages collaboration and innovation. We respect and appreciate our employees’ varied backgrounds and skills.

And what this variety does for our culture.

Schwab looks for talented people who share our inclusive values. If you’d like a career with a unique company where you can learn and grow with your colleagues, Schwab could be the place for you.

BUILD YOUR CAREER AT SCHWAB. http://www.aboutschwab.com/careers

©2013 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. CS18682-03 (0413-2612) ADP72661-00 (04/13)

Visit aboutschwab.com/careers.

| NONPROFIT

ENHANCING INDEPENDENCE FOR People Who Are Blind

Q&A with Mike Johnson, National Industries for the Blind How many people who are blind or visually impaired are employed throughout the country by NIB? For 75 years, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on its mission to enhance opportunities for personal and economic independence for people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining, and improving employment.

NIB, and its nationwide network of 91 nonprofit agencies, employs nearly 6,000 people who deliver a wide range of products and services to government and commercial customers, making it the nation’s largest employer of people who are blind.

Why are so many people who are blind unemployed?

Despite continued gains in employment, people who are blind remain one of the nation’s greatest untapped resources, with 70% of working-age Americans who are blind unemployed. Employers lack awareness of their capabilities or have other misconceptions regarding the value this group could bring.

In fact, a recently published NIB survey revealed that the majority of hiring managers believe there are few jobs in their organization a person who is blind could do.

Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, have leveled the playing field for employees who are blind. Thanks to these technological advances, people who are blind

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are as capable of performing almost any job as a sighted person. Additionally, some employers wrongly assume they will have to invest a lot of money to set up a work environment that accommodates people who are blind.

In reality, the cost is often nominal. In many cases, it is simply a matter of activating accessibility features that are already included in common business software.

For example, screen reading and “voice over” technology is built into mobile phones, and popular operating systems come with screen magnification or narration capabilities—or both.

Sandra Werner, Industries for the Blind, Inc., West Allis, WI

Margaret Ruffin, Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind, Little Rock, AR

What are the benefits of purchasing SKILCRAFT® and AbilityOne® goods and products?

People who are blind produce more than 3,500 SKILCRAFT® products for federal government customers, from office and cleaning supplies, to computer accessories and hardware. They also provide knowledge-based services, such as contract closeout, supply-chain management, contact center operations, Section 508 assurance, and other administrative support. When federal customers purchase these quality products and services through the AbilityOne® Program, they are helpNovember/December 2013

ing thousands of people who are blind participate in the workforce as tax-paying citizens, advance their careers, and lead independent lives.

Every purchase creates jobs. PDJ

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) enhances opportunities for economic and personal independence for persons who are blind, by providing resources, training, and jobs. The organization also partners with 91 nonprofit agencies across the U.S. that offer education, counseling, and employment services across 35 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

A job shouldn’t define you.

It should reflect you.

Shanterra G. Yoga Instructor Recruiter

For such a diverse group of people, it’s amazing how alike we are.

Diversity and Inclusion at UnitedHealth Group. To the uninitiated, we may appear quite different. We represent a widely diverse group of cultural backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives and lifestyles. But inside each of us beats the heart of a relentlessly driven, crazy talented, mission focused professional. Our modest goals: Improve the lives of others. Change the landscape of health care forever. Leave the world a better place than we found it. So if you ever ask yourself, “Do people like me work here?” The answer is yes. We invite you to join us.

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Whatever makes you special will inspire your life’s best work.

Online at: yourlifesbestwork.com Or scan this QR code with your smartphone...

UnitedHealth Group is proud to be recognized as a 2014 Diversity Leader. facebook.com/uhgcareers

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Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V.UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace.

Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment. © 2013 UnitedHealth Group. All rights reserved.

| HIGHER EDUCATION

STEWARDS OF A COMMUNITY LEGACY:

Gallaudet University

By Grace Austin

Gallaudet University is the one of the premier institutions for deaf learning in the United States. Federally chartered in 1864, it is the only liberal arts university in the world designed specifically for the deaf and the hard of hearing. In fact, the university enjoys an international reputation for its outstanding programs and for the quality of the research it conducts on the history, language, culture and other topics related to deaf people.

G

allaudet offers 39 majors for undergraduate students, as well as graduate and doctorate programs, and a growing continuing education program. A small number of admitted students—up to five percent of an entering class—are hearing. Teaching in English and American Sign Language, Gallaudet strives to provide an accessible bilingual educational environment for teaching and learning through direct communication.

While the school is small (fewer than 2,000 students), it offers campus activities that rival other universities.

There are more than 30 student organizations, including eight Greek fraternities and sororities. Students can cheer on the Bison athletic teams, which include football, basketball, swimming, and volleyball, or participate in intramural sports.

The school prides itself on making technology and accessibility a priority. Gallaudet uses videophones and video relay services (VRS) extensively, as well as skilled

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interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing. Tuition is currently a little over $15,000, one of the most affordable rates in the country. This makes attending the school even more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing.

ADVANCING INNOVATION

The Gallaudet Research Institute (GRI) has helped make the university one of the leading international resources for research, innovation, and outreach related to deaf and hard of hearing people. GRI researchers conduct studies of language and learning processes in American Sign Language and English among deaf people from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds.

It has long been known as the preeminent source of demographic and educational data about deaf youth throughout the United States.

Two labs, funded by the National Science Foundation, can be found on campus: The Visual Language and Visual Learning Center and the Brain and Language Lab.

Photos courtesy of Gallaudet University

• The Visual Language and Visual Learning Center (VL2) is a collaborative effort with more than fifteen labs nationwide, all interested in the visual learning process. VL2 researchers aim to understand more about how learning through visual processes, visual language, and visually based social experience contributes to the development of language, reading, and literacy in ways that provide cognitive and linguistic advantages to deaf and hard of hearing children.

• The Brain and Language Lab (BL2) researchers study the acquisition and neural processing of ASL, the optimal conditions for bilingual language development, and the effects of early bilingual language exposure on the developing brain and its functions.

Additionally, Gallaudet’s Archives house collections and items important to the deaf community, including genealogy sources and noted paintings and documents.

According to Dr. Jane Norman, director and curator of the Gallaudet University Museum, the 150-year-old

Located in Washington, D.C., Gallaudet University was established in 1864 by an Act of Congress; its charter was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

collection inspires examination of what it means to be part of the deaf community—at the local level, as well as nationally and internationally—by chronicling “our shared lives.”

“Deaf people throughout the world share different stories and no matter what sign language we use, what race or gender we are, or beliefs we practice, we are all connected by being deaf and people of the eye. We have a shared history which is part of the history of the world and we have the responsibility to enlighten the world as to who we are.”

COMMUNITY AND DIVERSITY

The community Gallaudet represents is a small and unique one. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, there are about nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the U.S. Exposure to its

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| HIGHER EDUCATION

“

Socializing is at the core of student life. At Gallaudet, social opportunities also help students build confidence and identify, and bond with other members of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

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“

culture is an essential aspect of the college experience at Gallaudet. Being in a bilingual environment where students, faculty, and staff all use sign language is a great benefit for many deaf students. As a Gallaudet sophomore, majoring in English, said in a post on CollegeProwler, “I wouldn't have to feel I am in my own world every time I am around hearing people in the classrooms, as well as school, since they do not [use] sign language.”

In addition, the alumni network, which was voted “very strong” in a CollegeProwler survey, keeps students constantly connected to the deaf and hard of hearing community. This also helps with recruiting and job placement post-graduation.

The community is a highly diverse one, as well.

Gallaudet currently has sizable African American (10%) and Hispanic (7%) populations, and students from 52 nations are represented at the school. A 2007–2008 annual survey by Gallaudet Research Institute showed that more than 50 percent of deaf and hard of hearing children aged 0-18 were minorities. As a cornerstone of the deaf community and a potential place of higher education for these students, Gallaudet is continually working to meet the needs of its community’s evolving demographics.

In 2011, Gallaudet appointed Dr. Angela McCaskill the university’s chief diversity officer. McCaskill is deaf, and has a background in deaf and hard of hearing education. She previously worked as a research administrator and director of the diversity initiative for the university’s Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning. She has also worked for the U.S. Department of Education and taught at the high school and collegiate levels. McCaskill is a graduate of Gallaudet too, receiving her doctorate in special education

BETWEEN 100,000 AND 500,000 PEOPLE USE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL).

A visual gestural language with its own grammar and syntax, ASL is a complete language that differs from sign systems used to clarify English.

ASL/English bilingual education includes “signacy” (developing proficiency in ASL), “literacy” (developing proficiency in English print), and “oracy” (developing English through both oral communication and fingerspelling of English words). ASL/English bilingual education stresses the importance of keeping each language separate to promote growth and development in each language.

administration, the first black deaf woman to receive a PhD at the university.

“To be selected to lead the university’s diversity program, both as an African American and an alumnus, is an honor indeed. As the first black deaf woman to receive a doctorate from Gallaudet, I believe that it is imperative that our students look at the administration and see people that resemble them,” said McCaskill. “We

still have a long way to go but the commitment to move forward is there.”

McCaskill says she is looking to incorporate diversity university-wide and at all levels. She says she hopes to see the graduation rate increase for students of color, and deaf and minority faculty hiring improve.

McCaskill’s connections to Gallaudet are strengthened through family. McCaskill and her two sisters, Carolyn and Sharell (who is not deaf ), all attended Gallaudet and now work at the school. Carolyn was the first black Miss Gallaudet in 1976. She is now a professor of deaf studies, specializing in the differences between American Sign Language and Black ASL.

CONTROVERSIES AND INCLUSION

McCaskill’s tenure, though, has not been without controversy. She was placed on paid administrative leave in mid-October 2012 after signing a petition circulated by those campaigning against gay marriage rights in Maryland. The petition called for Maryland’s same sex marriage law to be put to a vote. At a press conference, McCaskill later said that she felt bullied and would seek legal action.

Critics questioned her alliance with a group that does not support inclusion of a marginalized group, while her position as chief diversity officer is intended to promote and welcome all kinds of diversity.

While this was the latest controversy at the school, it was not the first. In the past there have been disputes about deaf leadership at the university, particularly the president. Student strikes in 1988 began after another in a series of hearing presidents, Elisabeth Zinser, was hired. She was later replaced by I. King Jordan, the first deaf president. He led the school until 2006.

After Jordan’s retirement, Jane Fernandes was named his successor. This appointment, too, was mired in controversy, as critics said she was “not deaf enough,” according to Jordan. He publicly fought against these allegations, saying they were evidence of “identity politics.” Fernandes’ appointment was later withdrawn by the Board of Trustees.

Issues of inclusion are palpable within the deaf community. In a community that has degrees of deafness and hearing, how are issues of disparity and sameness resolved? This concern has faced most minority groups that are bonded by ethnicity, religion, or any other singular characteristic.

Today, Gallaudet University attracts students from 52 nations and has nearly 21,500 alumni around the world.

“Deaf and hard of hearing people, and those with other disabilities, are found in every race, ethnicity, religion, and country around the world. And despite the diversity in cultural backgrounds and languages, we are all united by a shared life experience,” said President T. Alan Hurwitz. “Gallaudet attracts students from all over the U.S. and the world because we offer a fully accessible, barrier-free learning environment and a strong community built on mutual respect and appreciation.”

Being inclusive while maintaining the identity of what it means to be deaf is an issue that is still being grappled with by the university and the communityat-large. What Gallaudet remains, though, is a unique place of higher learning—one that acts as a steward for the community’s proud and rich heritage, as well as its beacon for the future. PDJ

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| HIGHER EDUCATION

STUDENT INTEREST LOAN RATES Is market alignment the solution?

By Noëlle Bernard Boyer

President Barack Obama signed the new student loan interest rate bill into law on August 9, ending the latest debate on the affordability of higher education.

T

he decision came on the heels of the expiration of last year’s law that kept federal subsidized Stafford loans, or direct subsidized loans, at 3.4 percent until July 1, 2013.

Congress failed to reach an agreement and interest rates doubled.

By July 31, Congress compromised on the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013. For the 2013 school year, undergraduate

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students can take out Stafford loans at 3.86 percent, while graduates and parent PLUS loan borrowers have a 5.41 percent and 6.41 percent rate respectively.

“Every year that loan will have a new rate based on what the market is doing, but that rate will then be fixed for the life of the loan,” said Megan McClean, Director of Policy and Federal Relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

November/December 2013

The new law retroactively lowers interest rates for students. However, experts say the rates could rise as the U.S. economy improves.

“It’s a long-term solution that puts rates back in line with the market,” McClean said.

Marc Egan, the associate director of government relations for the National Education Association, disagreed, stating more must be done to prevent rates from exceeding 6.8 percent.

“In the near term, the rates are going to be lower,” Egan said. “There is time for Congress to take a look at this in a way that they get it done correctly and that benefits students and families who just want to be able to go to college without having to be saddled with unmanageable debt when they get out of college.”

The law contains caps that guarantee undergraduate subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans will not exceed 8.25 percent, graduate loans are limited at 9.5 percent, and parent PLUS loans are capped at 10.5 percent.

PUTTING A FACE TO THE POLICY

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the number of students applying for financial aid increased by 62 percent in the past five years.

Moreover, the amount of financial aid distributed rose by 140 percent over the last 10 years, from $72.3 billion to $173.8 billion.

Justin Reash, a graduate student at DePaul University studying for a Master of Arts in journalism, entered in August 2012 REASH knowing he could not attend without federal loans.

“I was concerned with how I was going to finance it, but I realized that I’d rather have the degree, and the experience and the skills that come with the degree, and pay back the loan later on,” Reash said.

To attend DePaul, Reash borrows $4,500 each quarter in subsidized federal loans, which costs him a total of roughly $36,000 excluding the

interest he will incur.

“Repayment of loans seems like a very scary thing, but if you have a sound financial sense and you know how to make a rudimentary budget, you can pay them off,” Reash said.

He suggests universities enroll undergraduates in a mandatory finance course to explain budgeting, debt, and financial terms so students are not bombarded when it is time to face loans after graduation “It would be a step in the right direction. The future of America are these 18-year-olds,” Reash said. “We need to invest in them as much as they are investing in themselves.”

Lillian Bales starts law school in the fall and will graduate in 2016. She decided to attend American University’s BALES Washington College of Law supplemented through federal loans despite the debt she accrued at an undergraduate university.

“I chose my undergraduate school for its reputation of supporting graduates. While it was much more expensive ($43,000 yearly tuition /$72,000 yearly total cost), it provided better opportunities for outgoing students with regard to job offers and internships,” she said.

Robert Weinerman, Senior Director of College Finance for College Coach, said the federal government should invest in postgraduate programs.

“When students graduate, there’s not a lot of information about how to deal with their debt,” he said.

“Some kind of post-graduation

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financial aid programs on loan repayment would go a long way to fixing some of the problems that they run into.”

PLANNING WITH THE END IN MIND

For those considering borrowing to pay for college, experts urge students and families to sit down and create a budget to see what they can afford without borrowing.

“Most people go into college thinking we’ll make it happen,” Weinerman said. “I encourage them to do their homework.”

If students are confused about deciding between borrowing private or federal funds, McClean recommends starting by looking beyond interest rates, since both options now have rates aligned with the market. “It’s really easy upfront for students and parents to look at the interest rate as the main feature of the loan,” she said.

According to McClean, federal loans often offer better repayment benefits, such as a six-month grace period for graduates, income-based repayment options, and discharge provisions. “All those things are not inherent in private loans,” she said.

The status of college affordability is ultimately in the hands of citizens and if they want to see the cost of college decrease, lawmakers must be called upon, experts said.

“So many jobs today and in the future require a college education,” Egan said. “If students contact their Congress members and tell their stories, it can have a huge impact when lawmakers sit down and actually debate the issue. They can put a face and a name to the policy.” PDJ

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| HIGHER EDUCATION

PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS: The ACT view

By Jon L. Erickson

The diversity of the 1.8 million high school graduates who took the ACT® college readiness assessment reached an all-time high in 2013.

Their number and nature reflect our evolving nation and represent a multiyear trend for the ACT.

O

ver the past four years, the number of African American and Asian students taking the ACT® has increased by 20 percent, and the number of Hispanic students taking the ACT has nearly doubled. This is consistent with projections from the National Center for Educational Statistics, which from 2009 to 2020 expects white college and university enrollment to increase by 1 percent, African American and Asian enrollments to expand by 25 percent each, and Hispanic enrollment to surge by 46 percent.

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That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news is that according to ACT’s 2013 Condition of College and Career Readiness report, only about onefourth of ACT-tested high school graduates met all four of the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. A benchmark is an English, Mathematics, Reading, or Science score representing the achievement necessary for students to have a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B or higher, or about a 75 percent chance of receiving a C or higher, in a corresponding creditbearing first-year college course.

Slightly more than 40 percent of Asian students

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met all four benchmarks compared to 13 percent of Hispanic students and 5 percent of African American students. Fewer than half of students from all backgrounds met all four benchmarks. For students of any race or ethnicity who lack the fi-

November/December 2013

nancial or family resources to overcome educational obstacles, the challenges can be particularly fierce.

For example, when students require remedial education, it often takes more time to graduate, which means more money for tuition (and books,

fees, transportation, room and board, and student loans). More time means more opportunities for “life” to interfere with degree completion. More time to learn also means less time to earn, and even when students do graduate, less time to benefit from the higher salaries college degrees often command.

WHAT TO DO

Across all ethnic groups, the most important strategy for increasing college and career readiness is to increase the number of students completing a rigorous high school core curriculum, defined

by ACT as four years of English and three years each of mathematics, social studies, and science.

The positive effects of completing or exceeding the ACT-defined core curriculum are apparent.

According to ACT data, on the: • ACT English Test, 67 percent of students who took four or more years of English courses met the English benchmark. Only 36 percent of “less-thancore” students did.

• ACT Reading Test, 46 percent of students who completed three or more years of social studies courses met the benchmark, compared to 32 percent of “less-than-core”

students.

• ACT Mathematics Test, 46 percent of students taking three or more years of mathematics achieved the benchmark, compared to only 7 percent of “less-than-core” students.

• ACT Science Test, 40 percent of students taking three science courses in high school met the benchmark, but only 17 percent of the “less-thancore” students.

Just as important, when students completed the recommended core (or more) coursework for a subject, they achieved higher scores for that subject, indicating higher levels of mastery. Even a single point on the 1 to 36 ACT scale is meaningful. As depicted in Figure 1, on average students who completed: • Four or more years of English scored 4.7 points higher on the ACT

English Test than students who took fewer than four years.

• Three or more years of social science scored 2.4 points higher on the ACT Reading Test than students who took fewer than three years.

• Three or more years of mathematics scored 6.2 points higher on the ACT Mathematics Test than students who took fewer than three years.

• Three or more years of natural science scored 3.3 points higher on the ACT Science Test than students who took fewer than three years.

DEMOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

For ACT Composite test scores (the average of a student’s English, mathematics, reading, and science scores), African American students who completed the core scored about two points higher

November/December 2013

than those who did not; American Indian, Asian, and Hispanic students scored more than two points higher; and Pacific Islander and White students scored three points higher.

That said, what is inconsistent across groups is the proportion of students completing the core. Groups with higher core completion rates also tended to have more students who met all four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, as shown in Figure 2.

ASPIRATIONS AND ATTAINMENT

For some students, perceptions of what is possible may affect their academic decisions.

If students believe selective colleges are unaffordable because of their high “sticker prices,” they may not apply to them, unaware that these schools’ financial aid resources may reduce students’ net costs to amounts lower than at less selective schools. As a result, students who think they’re destined for less selective schools may avoid the most rigorous high school courses that would best prepare them for postsecondary success.

No matter their reasons, differences in aspira-

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tions across demographic groups are apparent, as shown in Figure 3.

Broadly speaking, ethnic groups with higher academic aspirations tended to be those who completed the ACT-recommended core curriculum—a shortterm accomplishment that also makes long-term goals more likely to be achieved.

POLICY AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

To encourage all students to match their aspirations with their achievements, policymakers and educators should: • Implement standards consistent with college and career readiness, such as the Common Core State Standards.

• Ensure access to rigorous courses. Quality courses are even more important than quantity; they help students succeed after high school without remediation.

• Monitor early and intervene immediately. The earlier issues are identified and addressed, the more quickly students can be brought back on track for success.

• Create a culture of postsecondary success.

Motivation matters. A compelling vision for life after high school affects

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decisions made during high school—even decisions made many years before.

DIVERSITY—AND CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE

Diversity is one of our nation’s unique assets, but our vitality also depends on how well we prepare all students for tomorrow’s opportunities. Uneven academic achievement must

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be replaced by consistent educational excellence.

In support of this outcome, ACT has introduced ACT Engage®,

which assesses student motivation, social engagement, and selfregulation—all behaviors that affect academic success. In 2014, ACT will begin rolling out ACT Aspire™, which will help students, parents, and teachers chart student progress as they prepare for high school, college, and career. ACT has also recently unveiled ACT Profile, a free social media site where students can take the ACT Interest Inventory and receive reliable college and career guidance based on their abilities, interests, and values.

From kindergarten through career, ACT is committed to its nonprofit mission: “Helping people achieve education and workplace success.”

In the same spirit, students from all backgrounds deserve to be educated in an environment in which their aspirations for excellence are supported, nurtured, expected— and achieved. PDJ

Jon L. Erickson is president of the Education & Career division of ACT. The nonprofit organization responsible for the ACT test—the college admissions and placement test taken by more than 1.6 million high school graduates every year—ACT provides more than a hundred other assessment, research, information, and program management services for education and workforce development.

November/December 2013

ERICKSON

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#

Take time to recognize the good around you.

At New York Life, we recognize that employees’ unique qualities often lead to innovation, positive change, and a more productive and dynamic workplace.

For more information about New York Life visit us at www.newyorklife.com/diversity Š 2012 New York Life Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

Life Insurance. Retirement. Investments.

KEEP

›››

The 6th Annual Diversity Leader Award Recognizing organizations that put their commitment to diversity and inclusion into action in every aspect of their business and every relationship with employees, customers, partners, and the community.

Each year, we at Profiles in Diversity Journal recognize organizations that promote and support the values of diversity and inclusion by naming them Diversity Leaders and highlighting their efforts and achievements in the November/December issue of our magazine.

We asked this year’s Diversity Leaders to share

for their organizations.

3M › Accenture › Ameren › American Express Company › Bank of the West BASF Corporation › Booz Allen Hamilton › Caesars Entertainment Corporation Capital One Financial Corp. › Charles Schwab & Co › Chevron › Citigroup Inc Coca-Cola Enterprisees › CVS Caremark › Deloitte › DLA Piper › Ernst & Young LLP FordHarrison LLP › Gibbons P.C. › Greenberg Traurig, LLP › Halliburton Haynes and Boone, LLP › Ingersoll Rand › JBK Associates KPMG LLP › Linkage › Lockheed Martin Corporation › MeadWestvaco Corporation MGM Resorts International › Moore & Van Allen PLLC › National Grid › New York Life Newell Rubbermaid › Novartis AG › OfficeMax Inc. › Pepco Holdings, Inc PNC Financial Services Group › Proskauer Rose LLP › Raytheon › RBC Reed Smith LLP › Rockwell Collins › SAP › Shell › Sodexo, Inc. › Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Teach For America › The Hartford › U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service › Union Bank UnitedHealth Group › Vanguard › Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. › Walgreen Co. WellPoint, Inc. › William Osler Health System

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WHAT’S NEXT

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Innovation for a Changing World In a bold effort to drive global initiatives fundamental to the advancement of 3M’s culture of diversity and inclusion, and integral to the company’s growth and competitiveness, Rhonda Graves, Chief Diversity Officer, and Kim Price, Vice President, 3Mgives, have formed a new collaboration.

In her newly expanded role, Ms. Price will direct and lead several employee resource networks intended to help every member of the 3M team understand and work with the diverse customers and markets the company serves.

The networks also offer professional development and leadership opportunities for employees, and provide support for 3M’s recruiting and community outreach activities. Her positive reputation across all 3M communities will lend strong focus and support to the organization’s goals, and help continue to build a positive image and reputation.

Global Women’s Leadership Forum Launched Recently, 3M established the first global Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF) and created a new position to develop the strategies, structures and priorities for this new organization. The advancement of women leaders has been a business imperative for 3M in the U.S. and around the world for some time. Increasing the number of women in leadership roles is a global opportunity that involves the interaction of complex social, business, and cultural factors that are important to consider in reflecting the customers and markets 3M serves. The Global Leader and Strategist for the Women’s Leadership Forum will concentrate the company’s efforts to improve the pipeline of female candidates for leadership roles around the world, both by developing talent within 3M and through intentional recruiting strategies meant to advance a culture of diversity and inclusion, which is vital to continued growth and competitiveness.

New Philanthropic Strategy, 3Mgives A new philanthropy and community engagement strategy recently launched by 3M, called 3Mgives, will enhance the company’s ability to improve the lives of even more people around the world and in local communities. The new strategy will help 3M increase its geographic reach, while continuing to support local communities, increase opportunities for brand building, and create shared value for 3M businesses and community partners. As the 3Mgives strategy rolls out, the company will focus its efforts on education, community, and the environment.

(3Mgives replaces the company’s previous philanthropic program, 3M Community Giving.) PDJ

Inclusion and Diversity on a Global Scale: An Ongoing Commitment At Accenture—a global organization with 275,000 employees in 54 countries—workplace culture is directly influenced by six core values, especially Respect for the Individual, Stewardship, and Integrity. There is also a strong focus on inclusion and diversity.

Teaching and Learning about Diversity As Accenture grows globally, creating new ways to equip employees with the resources and information they need to work effectively across cultures is increasingly important and training is central to these efforts. Of the more than $850 million Accenture spends each year on employee training, a substantial amount is used to educate its workforce in the areas of inclusion and diversity.

For example, the company offers a series that examines how unconscious bias may affect promotions, assignments, and succession planning, as well as a series on disability inclusion.

Understanding the Millennial Generation In organizations around the world, workforces are changing as more members of the millennial generation come on board. To better understand Gen Y expectations, Accenture conducts research that will help the organization better understand what these new employees need and want in order to build successful careers and lives.

In particular, Accenture uses annual International Women’s Day research to gain insight into this important segment of the workforce. Gathering and analyzing data from more than 30 countries, the company discovers differences not only among Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y, but also between women and men in these generations.

This information highlights changing expectations, as well as generational similarities. For example, research shows that people from all three generations increasingly want to define success for themselves, instead of simply climbing the traditional “corporate ladder.”

Using these insights, Accenture created a global women’s platform called Defining Success. Your Way. The platform shows how women define success in their professional and personal lives and features Accenture women from around the world who serve as role models for other employees. Their stories provide valuable opportunities to learn how smart choices can lead to achievement and career success.

As Accenture moves forward, the company will continue to focus on helping employees work across borders and team with colleagues who may have disabilities or varied working styles. PDJ

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WHAT’S NEXT

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For Diversity Success, Communication is Key During the coming year, Ameren will look for opportunities to engage the company’s Diversity Ambassadors, as well as Employee Resource Group (ERG) leadership. These efforts will include a major summit that features educational speakers and training. Ameren’s Diversity Council will meet with Ameren’s Executive Leadership Team for a joint strategic planning session. A full gap analysis will be performed and best practices reviewed at its annual Diversity Council Retreat.

New Techniques, New Programs, New Partnerships The company has implemented several industryleading ideas for engaging and including its workforce in diversity and inclusion education, conversations, and outreach efforts. By employing new techniques, developing new programs, and partnering with new people to raise awareness and provide tools that effectively engage its workforce in inclusion efforts, Ameren will maximize performance and productivity.

Sending the Diversity Message Communication is crucial to the success of any diversity program. Ameren’s 2014 communication initiatives will include the following: • Further development of Employee Resource Groups (ERG), including support for outlying locations • Support for local Diversity Steering Committees working in concert with the Ameren Corporate Diversity Council • Ameren Diversity Media Clips (DMC) quarterly training designed to build a more inclusive work culture • New Employee Orientation • Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Workshop to increase employee understanding of interactions with diverse colleagues and customers • Annual recognition banquet to honor employees who make an outstanding effort in the areas of diversity and inclusion • Specific diversity and inclusion classes around micro- messages and generational differences in the workplace • Bimonthly diversity newsletter • Forum where employees can ask questions, express concerns, and receive feedback regarding Ameren’s diversity and inclusion efforts • Bimonthly Ameren Corporate Diversity Council meetings that include at least one CEO • Tracking and reporting of quarterly hiring, promotion, termination, and retention data for all types of employees in every business line • Scholarships and educational programs to better prepare minority and female candidates for potential employment at Ameren • Partnerships with and support of organizations that help foster more diverse and inclusive communities PDJ

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PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

November/December 2013

American Express: Diverse as the Customers and Communities We Serve After nearly three decades, American Express’s commitment to diversity remains strong as the organization continues to strive to create an employee base as diverse as the customers and communities it serves. Leveraging employees’ unique insights and experiences helps American Express foster an environment where innovative and intelligent people want to build careers.

To capitalize on the diversity of talent within the company, American Express has focused on operating programs that advance female and multicultural talent, teach managers how to lead across generations, and raise the profile of employee-formed diversity networks.

As American Express creates a larger global footprint in the digital and mobile economy, the company is developing diversity and inclusion practices to ensure it can quickly and authentically rally to meet evolving consumer needs in innovative ways.

Global Diversity Many organizations struggle with how to address diversity in parts of the world where the dimensions of diversity are not as readily visible and are therefore difficult to identify and measure. In 2014, American Express will be analyzing the demographic trends, unique diversity and inclusion challenges, and emerging legislation around the world in order to develop the tailored strategies needed to recruit, develop, and engage a workforce that truly represents the global communities in which the company operates.

Inclusive Leadership The concept of inclusive leadership is one that American Express has embraced. Inclusive leaders create a workplace culture where differences are valued and expressed freely, and employees have the support they need to take risks, learn, and collaborate to find the best solutions, which ultimately improves the bottom line.

Next year, the company is taking diversity and inclusion to the next level by incorporating inclusive leadership into its talent processes and programs. This will help both managers and employees understand what it means to be a successful leader at American Express.

Looking to the future, American Express is engaging in research focused on demonstrating a strong link between diversity and innovation in order to tap into the power of a diverse employee base and drive business results. PDJ

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At BASF, Diversity Is Front and Center

At BASF Corporation, named one of DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity in 2013, the focus is on attracting and retaining the best people from all backgrounds, and on building an inclusive environment in which differences are valued. The company’s regional diversity council guides the development and implementation of its diversity and inclusion strategy.

New Focus, New Partners Recruitment efforts have recently been expanded to include a strategic focus on historically black colleges and universities, as well as externship opportunities with new partners at key schools and universities. BASF’s diversity sourcing professional works closely with the recruitment team to

match diverse talent to existing job opportunities and maintain a pipeline for future opportunities.

BASF partners with various organizations, including the American Chemical Society through the ACS/ BASF Scholars Program, to offer scholarships intended to expand the participation of under-represented groups in the sciences and with the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering to achieve the same goals in key Gulf Coast markets. BASF is also working to improve the representation of women and minority groups in science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM disciplines) and looking to deepen the impact of diverse teams on driving innovation.

In addition, the company will soon introduce a formal mentoring program dedicated to specific job skill development and knowledge transfer, which will help employees build successful careers. BASF is also in the

Ready for What’s Next A recognized leader in diversity and inclusion (D&I) for many years, Booz Allen embraces the idea that inclusion drives innovation, engagement, and improved business results.

The D&I Summit To maintain its status as a diverse employer of choice, the company recently took steps to reshape its diversity and Inclusion strategy for 2013 and beyond. C-suite, senior market executives, D&I professionals, and a cadre of industry experts convened a “D&I Summit” to chart a course forward.

The participants noted where progress had been made, identified areas where progress had stalled, and recommitted the firm to D&I priorities for the future. The summit fully positioned D&I as integral part of the C-suite agenda, renewed Booz Allen’s focus and allowed the organization to develop a fresh vision and roadmap for the next three years that would engage leaders and staff across the firm.

Taking Three Key Steps Next, the group took the following three steps to ensure that the summit was the start, not the finish, of Booz Allen’s D&I strategic efforts: 1. The group focused on and engaged key diversity con-

process of establishing an employee resource group especially for military veterans. Taking these efforts to the next level is at the heart of “what’s next” for BASF. Tracking Progress Along with adopting an increased focus on diversity recruiting, as well as leadership accountability for recruiting and retaining diverse talent, BASF has created an innovative Talent/D+I dashboard that can track the impact of leader behaviors on building a truly diverse and inclusive organization.

These efforts will help BASF move beyond “counting heads” and toward making sure people truly count.

Through strategic workforce planning, BASF continues to prepare for demographic shifts in the workforce.

Such efforts include the company’s Transitions@Work program, which focuses on knowledge transfer and strategic succession planning to ensure the continued success of the business. PDJ

stituencies, and reestablished comprehensive governing bodies (Diversity Agendas) made up of top-level executives and D&I leaders; aligned employee forum groups (EFGs) with their respective agendas for increased guidance, support and engagement; agenda and forum activities were then aligned to the new D&I strategic roadmap to optimize efforts and drive desired D&I results 2. The group met with market leaders to review the roadmap, collect feedback and gain buy-in, to ensure more deliberate messaging and involvement of the most senior leaders 3. The group shared the roadmap and D&I messages in communications with our staff to ensure a clear approach to building a D&I tradition and adherence to the company’s core value of inclusion Immediate results included an increase in forum participation, cross-forum activities, participation of senior most leaders as keynote/panel speakers at national diversity conferences, and a video from Booz Allen’s CEO in support of National Coming Out Day. So, what’s next for Booz Allen? The organization is achieving a higher level of excellence in D&I with a fully aligned group of D&I professionals, leadership, and staff committed to creating a workplace where people of all backgrounds can thrive and feel supported in an inclusive environment, and where all employees can bring their authentic selves to work every day. For Booz Allen, this is much more than a vision statement. This is the Booz Allen way. PDJ

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Diversity & Inclusion Driven Opportunity As Caesars Entertainment Corporation grows and expands into new markets, the organization continues to integrate its cognitive diversity model into all internal learning and development efforts across the enterprise, and to enhance and promote its corporate culture as one of inclusion-driven opportunity. In new and potential business locations (including Cleveland, Ohio, Baltimore, Maryland, and Boston, Massachusetts), Caesars strategically engages and encourages local communities to take an active part in capitalizing on new opportunities for economic inclusion in areas such as purchasing, employment, design, and construction services, as well as community reinvestment.

Opportunities and Challenges in 2014 Subscribing to the cognitive diversity approach, Caesars seeks to take maximum advantage of opportunities for improvements and leverage challenges to drive best out-

comes through diversity and inclusion. Expanding into new geographic areas has opened doors of exploration into new and enhanced community engagement models.

Objectives, such as helping to grow local women, minority, disadvantaged, veteran, disabled, and LGBT business enterprises through formal mentor-protégé programs, will both help Caesars and spur local small business growth as the company enters these new centers for commerce.

Next year’s most complex opportunity will involve finetuning the organization’s programs and processes with scorecard enhancements and even more innovative management reporting paths.

Topics and Trends The gaming entertainment industry is on the cusp of major change as Internet gaming continues to work its way toward legalization in various United States jurisdictions. Caesars Entertainment Corporation recognizes this huge opportunity and continues to take an industry leadership role in both the rollout and prudent regulation of this business. This, coupled with an enhanced focus on using diversity and inclusion to drive better business outcomes through big data, will be a key consideration as the company moves forward. PDJ

Capital One has been committed to diversity since the company’s founding in 1994. Seen from the start as a significant competitive advantage, the company has always worked to put individual and cultural differences to work to add value to the business.

An essential part of Capital One’s approach is to bring together associates with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that reflect the customers and communities the organization serves.

The CapAbilities Network Capital One is home to seven associate networks that support the company’s inclusive culture, as well as its increasingly diverse employee population. The most recent addition to the group is the CapAbilities

Network, launched in 2012 with a vision to remove any and all barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.

All associates are welcome to join any network. For example, the CapAbilities Network is not only open to those with disabilities, but also to those who care for people with disabilities and allies who support the inclusion of those with disabilities.

New Diversity Frontiers Recent acquisitions at Capital One have provided the company with an opportunity to expand its associate networks to encompass more than 43,000 new associates across the globe. One of the diversity team’s current objectives is to visit each location in order to explain the benefits of each network and promote associated programs, including seminars, mentoring programs, workshops, and heritage celebrations.

New laws and regulations are continuously being factored into Capital

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One’s diversity strategy, and the diversity team is always innovating to ensure associates feel truly valued and that they can bring their whole selves to work. Moving forward, the organization is committed to making even greater efforts to attract talented people with disabilities and to expand our focus on recruiting military veterans and spouses.

Cultural and social shifts continue to create new challenges and exciting opportunities for Capital One. More than ever, generational differences are having a significant impact on the way the organization recruits and retains top talent. The company’s human resources team currently serves four generational groups, with a fifth entering the workforce shortly.

This creates a wealth of opportunity to leverage the broad experiences, skills, and working styles these diverse professionals bring to the workforce. PDJ

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Leveraging Differences to Drive Rapid Innovation

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Diversity…Moving Forward There are many business reasons why companies recognize the need to build a diverse workforce and sustain it with a robust strategy. However, for the strategy to be effective, it must be rooted in the company’s vision, brand, and business goals. Schwab has been a leader in financial services for four decades, working to make investing more affordable, accessible, and understandable to diverse investors. Driven by a desire to champion every client’s goals with passion and integrity, Schwab is committed to providing an environment that respects and values the diversity of its employees, its clients, and the communities it serves.

Leadership in Action Looking forward, the company believes it is imperative to continue to focus on talent and growth, while continuing to develop best practices. Schwab’s immediate goal is to expand an internal network of senior leaders and business partners committed to coaching and mentoring Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders. This network will also serve to broaden ERG leadership-in-action experiences related to innovation in regional talent brand strategies, investor education, and employee development.

Developing a Strategic Plan In addition to developing leadership skills and helping to build a strong talent pipeline, Schwab ERGs develop strategic plans that align with overall business growth goals.

A prime example of this planning is the success that the Women’s Interactive Network at Schwab (WINS) has had with Financial Life Planning for Women Month, an initiative that enables Schwab to deepen relationships with, and better serve, women investors. WINS strives to heighten awareness among women investors, and help women plan for life events and increase their investment and savings knowledge. The next iteration of ERGs will have a stronger business alignment and increased participation from senior leaders as mentors, coaches, and talent developers.

Schwab expects this will turn its ERG model into an even more powerful development platform.

Schwab is also cultivating its diversity talent outreach approach in the communities it serves. This year the company launched BRIDGE (Building Relationships and Inclusion for Diverse Growth and Education). This initiative features in-person forums that offer insights about the firm’s client-service culture and career paths, as well as networking opportunities with Schwab leaders and employees. The company’s goal is to expand this offering in 2014 and continue to develop innovative ways to build relationships with diversity talent and client pools. PDJ

At Coca Cola, Diversity Is Everybody’s Business Over the past several years, Coca Cola Enterprises has honed its focus on diversity and built a foundation for inclusion companywide. This has resulted in the organization introducing engaging and innovative programs, obtaining the enthusiastic support of senior leadership, and generally gaining momentum.

Aligning Diversity Plans with Business Priorities Although Coca Cola Enterprises is proud of the progress already made, the organization is now challenged with maintaining momentum, better aligning diversity and inclusion plans with the priorities of business, and focusing on some specific dimensions of diversity and inclusion. For example, in order to embed diversity and inclusion more into management rou-

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tines, Coca Cola Enterprises recently launched a “Diversity Is Everybody’s Business” awareness-raising program that required all managers to run a diversity and inclusion workshop during a team meeting. The company is currently considering turning this into a yearly requirement for all managers to help nurture a culture of constructive dialogue around diversity and inclusion.

To better align diversity and inclusion plans with business priorities, Coca Cola Enterprises also created the Diversity in Action program, which encourages sites and business functions to create and track the progress of diversity and inclusion action plans based on assessments and regular meetings with senior management.

The company will continue this program, which has helped target most of its workplace and community initiatives. The next step is to begin exploring diversity and inclusion in relation

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to the marketplace and suppliers.

Good News for Gender Diversity Gender diversity has been a priority for Coca Cola Enterprises for many years. Thanks to consistent efforts in this area, the company is seeing positive results. Woman currently account for 33 percent of its board of directors and 29 percent of its executive leadership team—two and a half times the European average for boards of directors and nearly three times the European average for executives. Female participation at all leadership and management levels is also on the rise.

Europe’s increasingly multicultural and aging workforce is making a significant impact on the marketplace, as well as the workplace. These sociodemographic trends will require Coca Cola Enterprises to focus even more closely on ethnic, generational, and disability issues in the future. PDJ

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Educate. Equip. Empower.

CVS Caremark takes great pride in its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The company’s unique approach to diversity management sets it apart as a global leader, providing tools and resources that enable CVS colleagues to manage diversity and fully integrate it into all aspects of their daily lives. This vision of strategic diversity management requires the company to consider diversity in all aspects of the enterprise, including workforce representation, colleague engagement, talent systems, and the marketplace.

Colleague Resource Groups Expand Opportunities CVS Caremark’s Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs) are valuable resources to both colleagues and external partners. CRGs focusing on disability issues, as well as the needs of veterans, help the company collaborate with local, state, and federal governments, community-based organizations, and other companies to educate, equip, and empower CVS Caremark colleagues and community members to reach their full potential. The company will continue to leverage CRGs by hosting training sessions and participating in recruiting events such as Hiring Our Heroes. Initiatives for 2014 will include the integration of newly revised federal regulations regarding equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The Workforce Initiatives Team CVS Caremark also benefits from the efforts of its Workforce Initiatives (WI) team, which have yielded hundreds of community-based, faith-based, local, state, and federal partnerships, as well as tens of thousands of employment opportunities for people who may not have otherwise found jobs. The WI team provides training, support, and a welcoming environment that leads to permanent employment opportunities with the company. The team is also spearheading ongoing efforts to increase the number of veterans, guard members, and military spouses CVS Caremark hires nationwide. In turn, the company benefits from increased colleague engagement, better retention rates, and higher productivity—a win-win situation that will continue in 2014.

Enjoying longstanding relationships with partner organizations, CVS Caremark’s CRGs and its WI team demonstrate the company’s commitment to identifying diverse talent pools and opportunities for employment that benefit the company, the CBOs, and members of the broader community. The company’s strategic approach to diversity management will continue to result in a workforce that reflects the communities in which CVS Caremark professionals live, work and do business. PDJ

Inclusion at Deloitte— Leading from the Front

At Deloitte, inclusion benefits from the progress of foundational initiatives, notably WIN (an Initiative for the Retention and Advancement of Women) now celebrating its 20th anniversary, as well as the recent expansion of formal programs that better support workplace generations, well-being, and flexibility.

Over the last year, Deloitte has strengthened its commitment to inclusion by taking two key actions. First, the company appointed four high-level inclusion leaders who would report to Chief Inclusion Officer Deb DeHaas and oversee these four initiatives respectively: WIN; Diversity; Work-Life Fit; and the Deloitte University Leadership Center for Inclusion (LCI). Second, the LCI was launched in March 2013 as a platform that enables Deloitte associates, clients, and thought leaders to engage in dialogue and innovation to advance the inclusion conversation.

Inclusion Opportunities Ahead The company’s next big opportunity is to strengthen and refine inclusion, which is integral to Deloitte’s talent strategy, and leverage the insights of its Leadership Center for Inclusion, which reflect a culture supportive of everyone bringing his or her authentic self to work.

There are two areas of particular focus: work-life fit/ flexibility, which looks at the type of work people want to do, as well as when, how, and where they want to do it; and the integration of four generations in the workplace, so that the company may benefit from their collective contribution.

Un-covering Everybody’s Best Self A key area we are exploring is “covering” and its consequences in the workplace. Covering occurs when people downplay their differences in order to better fit with mainstream perceptions. It’s a practice that can hurt individual productivity and sense of self at work.

The recent Deloitte University Leadership Center for Inclusion (LCI) report, “Uncovering Talent: A New Model for Inclusion,” co-authored by Christie Smith, Managing Principal, LCI, Deloitte LLP and Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU, examines how individuals cover in four ways: appearance, affiliation, advocacy, and association. The study results support the view that inclusion issues, like covering, don’t just apply to historically underrepresented groups, but rather have an impact on everyone.

The full report is available online at: www.deloitte.com/ us/uncovering. PDJ

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Building the Next Generation of Inclusive Leaders Recent Ernst & Young external research indicates that the managerial ranks are rapidly changing, with 90 percent of Gen Y managers having taken on their management roles in the last five years. And while Gen Y managers are significantly more likely to rank career advancement as a top workplace perk than their Boomer and Gen X colleagues, research reveals a disconnect between their ambition and perceptions of them as trusted managers. Ernst & Young is focused on providing the skills and experiences Gen Y managers need to continue to advance their careers. Moving into 2014, the company remains committed to creating and providing millennials with access to the right mentors, sponsors, experiences, and training.

Building Tomorrow’s Inclusive Leaders When it comes to the ability to lead inclusively, Ernst & Young research found that Gen Y managers were cited as the best inclusive leaders, meaning that they have the skills to build “culturally competent” teams that don’t discriminate based on factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or physical ability. Since millennials make up over 60 percent of the company’s workforce, they provide a strong foundation on which to build a more inclusive culture. Ernst & Young are building on this foundation by teaching inclusive-leadership skills earlier in people’s careers through programs like Leadership Matters. At the same time, the company is focused on helping Gen Y managers find sponsors who are equipped to develop relationships with a more diverse employee population.

The Flexible Workplace Ernst & Young research also shows that flexibility is the most important nonmonetary workplace perk for Gen X and Gen Y employees, so the company has made it a top priority. Flexible schedules and at-home work arrangements play a part, but now an effort is underway to create a much more flexible physical office—a “Workplace of the Future.” This pilot program reinvents the traditional office. More café than cube farm, assigned desks are done away with. In their place are open-seating workstations, quiet solo and group rooms, and couches– plus WiFi throughout. The aim is to enable an increasingly mobile workforce to work in a way best suited to them.

The plan is to have more than 100 such Ernst & Young locations across the globe by 2020. PDJ

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Taking Cultural Understanding Global As 2014 approaches, FordHarrison continues and expands a key initiative begun in 2011 to address the needs of its lawyers and clients around the world by focusing on cross-cultural competence. In 2013, the firm partnered with Ius Laboris to become the only U.S. member of this international human resources network.

Cross-cultural competence is important to understanding not only how the U.S. culture impacts interactions, but also how knowledge of another’s culture can be used to influence business outcomes, such as negotiations, depositions, and trials.

Cross-Cultural Competence American diversity programs deal with cultural differences, but the focus is on diversity within the context of the American culture. Cross-cultural competence is the ability to function in settings where American values and norms do not prevail. FordHarrison’s focus on cross-cultural competence will enable the firm’s lawyers to navigate in environments where they are cultural outsiders. FordHarrison debuted its two-year focus on cross-cultural competence (FH-C3) during its November 2013 partner meeting, where a panel, including client advisory board members, Ius Laboris representatives, and the firm’s own attorneys, shared the challenges and opportunities they face in dealing with lawyers from other cultures and practicing law in other countries.

Appreciating Differences and Similarities Diversity in the workplace adds a special richness, but identifying similarities can facilitate communication. Over the years, FordHarrison has honored the diverse backgrounds, special talents, and skills and contributions of its people, while also recognizing and appreciating their similarities. Identifying similarities is important because it can help build a bridge for improved communication and, ultimately, a better understanding of diversity in the workplace. The innovative FH-C3 initiative will ensure that the firm continues to focus efforts in this critical area.

Understanding Gender-Identity Issues In the wake of high-profile transgender discrimination claim decisions and the move toward federal protection in the LGBTQ area, the firm is helping its lawyers and clients recognize and understand the issues involved and teaching them how to prepare for and protect against potential claims. FordHarrison is currently conducting audits of clients’ existing workplace policies (restroom, locker room, dress code, etc.), procedures, internal forms, and insurance policies. The firm is also developing employee training programs that address sensitivity to gender identity and LGBTQ expression in the workplace. PDJ

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Thought Leadership in Workplace Diversity

Making an Impact: Diversity and Inclusion at Halliburton

In 2014, Gibbons plans to continue its significant 2013 efforts to advance the issues of workplace diversity and inclusion through bold and creative thought leadership. Having focused diversity efforts well beyond the firm over the past year, the firm will continue to position itself as a center of thought leadership on the topic of corporate diversity programs by disseminating research and insight, while also serving as a forum for the preeminent experts in the field to advance their messages and further impact workplace and workforce diversity.

Creating a Diversity Strategy As a result of the Gibbons effort, Chief Diversity Officer Luis J. Diaz was named Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for the New Jersey State Bar Association’s (NJSBA) Diversity Committee. He is charged with authoring the strategic plan for diversity that will guide the entire state bar and its member attorneys and firms, overseeing the plan’s practical implementation, and serving as a resource for NJSBA members. Diaz conducted extensive research to design this plan, determine best practices, and identify programs appropriate for adoption or replication by the NJSBA. The resulting strategic plan, which is nearing implementation, will focus on the higher attrition rates diverse attorneys experience in corporate law firms compared to their non-diverse peers, suggests possible reasons for this “revolving door” phenomenon, discusses the negative business implications of decreased diversity, details several steps organizations can take to manage key business processes in a way that can help eliminate retention disparities, and recommends ways in which the bar could serve as a resource for implementing these tools at local law firms.

A Force for Diversity and Inclusion Internal efforts to strengthen the NJSBA will focus on institutionalizing efforts to increase access and inclusion (for example, through the designation of a Chief Diversity Officer); increased participation and leadership on diversity issues by diverse members; and member education and communication regarding issues and goals. External initiatives to assist NJSBA member firms and attorneys will include the creation of guidelines and tools for critical business processes in law firms, including work assignments, associate evaluations, and quality reviews; uniform diversity metrics; uniform standards for corporate legal departments in the use of RFPs, which increasingly impact the business of law; and pipeline and mentoring programs for outreach to future attorneys. PDJ

The most pressing objective with regard to diversity and inclusion at Halliburton is to see consistent, meaningful progress toward a fully diverse global workforce.

To date, the company has built terrific momentum in its diversity and inclusion efforts, in terms of both internal awareness and external recognition.

In 2013, Halliburton has been recognized for several individual and corporate achievements. Myrtle L. Jones, Senior Vice President, Tax, was named by Profiles in Diversity Journal as one of its Women Worth Watching for 2013. Professional Woman’s Magazine and Hispanic Network Magazine named Halliburton among the Top Energy, Gas and Oil Companies for women and minority employees, and Woman Engineer magazine ranked Halliburton number 40 on its 22nd annual list of “Top 50 Employers.” The Company was also a finalist for the 2013 NACE Innovation Excellence Award for Diversity.

Going Global with Diversity Champions In the coming year, Halliburton plans to reinforce the progress already made in North America and expand it globally by growing its Diversity Champions programs.

With these boots on the ground, the company will be able to provide onsite support for events specific to each region’s needs.

Recognition and New Tools for Women and Veterans The June 2012 launch of Women Sharing Excellence (WSE) created an excellent recruiting and retention tool for the company’s female employee base. WSE is a diversity resource network for Halliburton professionals, dedicated to promoting employee development—especially the acquisition of leadership competencies—and improving female employee retention. Although the network was started by and for women, it is open to all Halliburton professionals.

Also during 2012, the company launched the Halliburton Veterans Leadership Forum, which provides tools and opportunities for professional development to maximize veterans’ contributions in achieving Halliburton’s goals for growth, profitability, and leadership.

One of the most persistent ongoing challenges—shared industry wide—is to encourage more women to enter not just the oil and gas industry, but the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions in general. Halliburton is working with universities in the U.S. and around the world to familiarize both schools and students with the breadth of opportunity offered by the industry.

Through continued partnership and collaboration, Halliburton is doing its part to create an increasingly diverse workforce for the oil and gas industry while fostering an inclusive work environment for its employees. PDJ

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Looking Ahead: 2014 Vision for Diversity

At Haynes and Boone, diversity and inclusion are integral components of the culture. They are values that foster appreciation, recognition, and respect—and a competitive advantage that supports growth and progress. The driving force behind the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts is the Attorney Diversity Committee (ADC) made up of partners, associates, and key members of management. The ADC focuses on developing and maintaining policies and programs that will lead to success in recruitment, retention, promotion, and the professional development of the firm’s diverse lawyers, as well as the next generation of diverse lawyers.

Introducing Students to the Legal Profession As Haynes and Boone continues to witness significant shifts in population demographics, the legal industry as a whole must view diversity in broader terms. With this in mind, Haynes and Boone has partnered with a Dallasarea high school to participate in its Law Practicum program. As part of the firm’s participation, we host students twice a week in order to introduce them to the legal profession.

Innovative recruiting initiatives are also being implemented. Haynes and Boone partners with law schools, through their diversity organizations, to provide minority students with opportunities to advance their interest in the legal profession.

A Pipeline to Leadership The firm is also focusing on the development of a robust “pipeline to leadership” for women and minority attorneys. In October 2013, Haynes and Boone hosted the inaugural Women Partners’ Summit, which charted multiple pathways for women attorneys to reach their leadership potential within the firm. The biennial Minority Attorney Retreat, scheduled for mid-2014, will provide a forum for minority attorneys to craft strategies for greater retention and career development. The Women’s Leadership Academy and Minority Associate Connections programs provide additional opportunities to develop the leadership pipeline by connecting women and minority associates with firm leaders for mentoring and coaching.

Haynes and Boone is also forging new strategic partnerships and strengthening existing relationships focused on diversity-related initiatives in the workplace and the community. One such partnership is with Catalyst, Inc., a leading nonprofit organization whose mission is to expand opportunities for women in business. The firm recently hosted a Catalyst discussion on its research series, Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives and Men Advocating Real Change. PDJ

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Accountability, Sponsorship, Advancing the Pipeline

KPMG LLP fosters an inclusive culture and remains focused on identifying, retaining, and advancing a strong pipeline of high-performing future leaders.

Instilling Accountability Because KPMG views diversity and inclusion as a business imperative, as well as a key leadership competency, instilling accountability for the development of diverse professionals at every level of the firm also remains a priority. KPMG insists that each professional be responsible for supporting and strengthening inclusion, so much so that level-specific goals around diversity engagement are an important component of the firm’s performance development process. Another area of focus is sharing best practices with our clients and the broader marketplace, and helping them strengthen their own approach to diversity and inclusion.

In the coming year, KPMG will continue to leverage opportunities to recruit and develop highly skilled talent, further enhance the diversity of its workforce, and make meaningful investments in the strategic relationships formed as part of the education continuum the firm has established to help drive a pipeline of future talent.

Holistic Development and Sponsorship While KPMG sees 2014 as a year of tremendous opportunity, the firm will also be addressing the challenge that most organizations face—shifting the focus from a single dimension of an individual’s profile (for example, gender, ethnicity, caregiver) to drawing on the talents of the “whole person.” The goal is to recognize the many facets that make up a person, and develop and support each professional in a holistic way, so that every member of the KPMG team can succeed at every stage of his or her career.

As for the industry trends KPMG will be addressing in the coming year, the firm will be very focused on sponsorship—encouraging those relationships at every level of the organization. Building on the success of programs that were originally developed for high-performing partners, KPMG intends to increase awareness of how having a sponsor can support personal and professional growth, why having a sponsor is different from having a mentor, each professional’s responsibilities as a protégé seeking a sponsor, and the ways sponsorship can drive success throughout one’s career. PDJ

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Staying at the Leading Edge of Diversity

Its Institute for Leading Diversity & Inclusion™ enables Linkage to loom large in the diversity and inclusion landscape. And in 2014, diversity and inclusion will continue to play an integral role in driving competitive advantage and increasing business success. The company’s vision is to equip its diversity practitioners and line leaders with the knowledge, tools, and resources to effectively leverage diversity and inclusion as a powerful business partner and strategic resource.

Connecting Diversity to Business Goals Linkage’s program will focus on equipping line leaders with behaviors that drive inclusion, as well as skills to link diversity to top-line goals (product and service innovation, marketing intelligence, and brand building) and bottom-line drivers (access to talent, employee engagement, and process improvement). The company is also in the process of developing a 360-degree assessment for line leaders that will assess behaviors, focusing on the ability to lead inclusively and leverage diversity and inclusion to drive business results.

By providing strategies that leverage the Office of Diversity & Inclusion to create new business opportunities, Linkage will continue to strengthen the top-line business case for diversity and inclusion. The company will also take a deeper look at unconscious bias and the role bias plays in one’s ability to increase cultural competency and create inclusive work environments.

Exploring Values on a Global Scale Linkage will examine company values and corporate integrity to see how they play out in a global environment where value systems can be starkly different.

Exploring how corporate values impact decisions to expand globally will help ensure that global expansion and footprint are aligned with corporate integrity and values.

In 2014, Linkage will also bring some innovative business tools to the diversity and inclusion discussion. For example, the company will leverage forecasting tools to help practitioners understand future trends and the role diversity and inclusion will play in recognizing opportunities and mitigating risk. PDJ

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Making Diversity a Hit With Employees

At MGM Resorts International, a diversity and inclusion initiative is a powerful lever for boosting a peoplecentric culture, which is crucial to engaging employees to live the company’s core values of integrity, teamwork, and excellence. From this bedrock foundation, MGM pursues its mission of providing superior guest service and commitment to social responsibility.

A Command Performance In 2012, MGM met one of its biggest challenges—effectively delivering the company’s mission, vision, core values, and social responsibility platform to 62,000 employees. MGM employees developed, produced, and performed a 90-minute Broadway-style musical titled “Inspiring Our World” which was viewed live by 41,000 employees. The production did more than showcase the talents of our richly diverse workforce. It also educated MGM employees regarding individual and collective responsibility for inclusion, community support, and environmental sustainability. In 2013, the show was performed for more than 10,000 additional employees, as well as select external audiences, and created legions of diversity champions across the enterprise.

Looking Ahead: Creating More Diversity Champions As the company looks ahead to 2014, MGM will complete the initial run of “Inspiring Our World.” Segments of the musical have been incorporated into new-hire orientation. Through a Diversity Champion Workshop for managers and reinforced outreach to frontline employees, MGM fosters a dynamic culture of continuous excellence. Likewise, by expanding the reach of “Inspiring Our World” and responsibility programs to more venues, the company will be able to extend its positive impact on the work environment and host communities.

Equally important to the company’s goals is the continued development of our diversity and community councils, which function as engines for MGM’s culture of inclusion, encouraging volunteerism and providing leadership development. They, along with the company’s Green Teams, will consolidate into Corporate Social Responsibility councils at MGM properties and the corporate office. The company will also emphasize development of identity- and interestbased Employee Network Groups as broader tools of inclusion, employee growth, and talent management.

Also key to the 2014 agenda are MGM’s successful Supplier and Construction Diversity programs. The goal here is to attract new, qualified diverse vendors, including businesses owned by veterans, persons with disabilities, and LGBT individuals, and to enhance Tier II reporting by primary suppliers. PDJ

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Impact and Future of MVA’s Diversity Strategic Plan In 2011, Moore & Van Allen’s (MVA) Diversity Committee enacted a Diversity Strategic Plan that continues to serve as the driving force behind its daily and longer term initiatives. The plan has these six overarching goals: 1) Maintain commitment of firm leadership; 2) Develop a pipeline of diverse candidates; 3 Develop, retain, and promote talent; 4) Nurture an inclusive workplace; 5) Establish accountability; and 6) Increase internal and external communications regarding efforts.

MVA Diversity Committees Power Diversity The firm’s Management and Diversity Committees have instituted firm-wide diversity and diversity-supplier statements. An MVA diversity scorecard is published quarterly for management and practice group leaders, providing demographics and benchmark comparisons from surveys. The Diversity Committee meets with practice group leaders to discuss diversity and inclusion efforts for their respective teams, celebrate team successes, and identify opportunities for improvement. MVA is also working to identify and cultivate relationships with minority- and women-owned vendors.

In 2014, the Diversity Committee will continue to develop and refine existing initiatives like the Women of Moore & Van Allen (WoMVA) and Lawyers of Color (LOC) affinity groups. WoMVA unites MVA’s female lawyers for mentoring, networking, and career development. During the past year, the group held its biennial retreat, joined Grant Thornton women to co-host a “Leveraging Your Management Strengths” program, and hosted a cookoff client social featuring female chefs. LOC operates to increase cohesiveness, networking, and community outreach opportunities. Their 2013 endeavors included several social and professional development functions.

Improving Retention Numbers A key focus for the firm during the next year will be the retention of diverse attorneys. The large law firm model can be harsh, and one of the most effective balms against burn out is interacting with likeminded colleagues from similar backgrounds. So, as MVA expands diversity recruitment efforts such as forging partnerships with National Black Law Students Association chapters and LGBT student affinity groups, retention numbers are expected to continue to rise.

The technology industry is an important economic driver, so the need to attract attorneys who are both diverse and qualified to serve technology-based firms will continue to increase. Moore & Van Allen will meet diversity and client-service goals by forecasting clients’ legal needs and hiring attorneys who are equipped to meet them. PDJ

Planning for Success As National Grid looks forward to 2013, the company will focus on three important challenges related to diversity and inclusion: Preparing women for nontraditional roles; Ensuring that all employees have opportunities to grow and develop; and Maximizing the internal and external reach of the organization’s Employee Resource Groups.

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Ensuring a Smooth Transition Like many utilities, National Grid is faced with the challenge of an aging workforce, which will require bringing in new talent to replace those who will retire soon and preparing current employees for more senior positions.

Additionally, we are working to better plan for the utility’s short- and medium-term workforce needs.

A Holistic Approach to Recruitment and Retention The most important trend in the recruitment and retention of diverse talent is that human resources professionals are taking a holistic approach—looking to hire and develop complex, multidimensional people, rather than simply filling positions with a particular skill set. PDJ

Shaping Our Perceptions New York Life Insurance Company knows a diverse and inclusive workplace is not only good for the company, but also a competitive strength in the marketplace. Simply put, diversity and inclusion produce the best results for everybody—employees, business partners and the larger community.

In 2014, New York Life plans to focus even more on engagement and awareness in relation to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. To achieve its goal, the company will expand education across the enterprise regarding potential barriers that may impact one’s ability to optimize his or her work environment.

Understanding Unconscious Bias The company will spend much of the coming year focused on helping its management team develop a deeper understanding of “unconscious bias”—the filters that shape perceptions and expectations of others—and how those filters can negatively impact the quality and effectiveness of business and talent-management decisions.

Building an Inclusive Meritocracy New York Life will also make it a priority to develop employees at all levels and remain dedicated to creating an inclusive meritocracy, where everyone can succeed. The company will leverage its relationships with professional and nonprofit organizations that can help it attract the best and the brightest talent. Finally, the organization will cultivate a diversity of thought that will help employees recognize opportunities, adapt business strategies, and successfully enter new markets across the U.S. PDJ

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Diversity and Inclusion at OfficeMax

Evolving Diversity, Inclusion, and Accountability at PHI

Since 2006, when OfficeMax began its diversity and inclusion journey, the company has completed a fiveyear strategic plan that focused on creating a culture of inclusion. This process has helped the organization understand the value of embracing a diverse workforce and the impact that workforce can have on the equally diverse communities where we do business. The company’s commitment to the diversity and inclusion initiative is a part of an overall corporate strategic focus.

At Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI), diversity is a core corporate value and initiatives surrounding both diversity and inclusion are constantly evolving. Looking forward, PHI will advance its flagship diversity training program, Diversity University, and continue to raise employee awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion principles. Discussions will focus on understanding how workplace stereotypes and biases can hinder creativity and engagement and harm morale, and how leveraging differences among employees can create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

Pre-Training Centers for People with Disabilities In 2009 OfficeMax expanded its diversity focus to include hiring people with disabilities and worked with business leaders to identify job opportunities across the supply chain and retail organization. After receiving a grant from the Kessler Foundation, Office Max is in the process of opening four new pre-training centers across the country that will offer learning opportunities for people with disabilities, so that, as positions become available, they will be ready to work. This initiative has enjoyed great early success and is expected to achieve even greater success in the future.

Keeping Score to Measure Progress OfficeMax uses a Diversity Scorecard, as well as Diversity and Inclusion Business reviews, to measure the company’s progress. Looking ahead, the company will be increasingly focused on offering services to small-business customers. This shift in focus presents a great opportunity for the diversity and inclusion team to serve this very diverse demographic. Success will require a diverse workforce that mirrors the company’s customer base, an inclusive workplace that fosters innovation, and product and service offerings that appeal to all customers.

Understanding how each OfficeMax business unit supports the company strategy is vital. Valuable information is gathered by a Diversity Council made up of leaders from across the company who keep the diversity and inclusion team informed about current initiatives within each business unit, and help the units integrate diversity and inclusion into everyday business. PDJ

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What’s Next from Diversity University Future discussions will be hosted on micro-inequity— what it is and how it impacts employee morale, performance, and teamwork, as well as what the triggers are and how to turn a micro-inequity into a micro-advantage. The importance of Affinity/Business Resource Groups and how they can support and lead the achievement of business goals and objectives will also be discussed. Additionally, PHI plans to replicate its Engineer Development Program in other business areas. These programs will let employees rotate among positions within their general area of expertise in order to gain a better understanding of different aspects of the business.

Making the Most of Technology In 2014, PHI will examine new opportunities to use social media and video tools to communicate internally.

Challenges the company will face include enhancing the strength and trajectory of its diversity and inclusion efforts, identifying barriers to inclusion and accountability, and coupling cultural transformation initiatives with diversity efforts. Incorporating small changes as opposed to large ones will allow PHI to move smoothly and steadily toward enhanced inclusion and accountability.

Technology plays an increasingly significant role in the utility industry and within the workplace in general, by allowing business to be conducted essentially anywhere and at any time. PHI will continue to address issues like telecommuting and flexible work schedules. The company will also address the challenges presented by an aging workforce through workforce planning, succession management, and leadership development programs.

As 2014 brings new trends, challenges, and opportunities, Pepco Holding, Inc. will create a competitive advantage that increases value for our shareholders, employees, and suppliers, and continue to drive diversity into decision-making and the development of key business strategies. PDJ

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Diversity & Inclusion: Striding Forward at RBC As 2014 approaches, becoming aware of, understanding, and managing unconscious bias will be a key part of RBC’s diversity and inclusion work. In partnership with Ernst and Young in Canada, the Royal Bank of Canada has championed research on hidden bias, which reveals that unconscious preferences are common and that they create barriers by limiting our exposure to people different from us. By learning to recognize and manage unconscious bias, employees can work toward mitigating its impact, maximizing individual potential, and enhancing organizational performance.

Understanding Unconscious Bias We all have unconscious biases that may cause us to react to obvious physical characteristics like race, gender, ethnicity, or age, as well as more subtle ones like personality and life experience. Bias can also exist in a positive sense. We may favor our family, community, and people

with whom we share characteristics or experiences. While there is no obvious intent to exclude or include particular individuals or groups, we all have hidden preferences that can impact the workplace. Understanding and managing these preferences will increase diversity of thought among RBC employees, which will open the way to greater inclusion.

Eliminating Bias and Barriers As a global employer, RBC has an opportunity to create a deeper awareness of unconscious bias. While many companies have made great strides in advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, progress has lagged in some areas, including the advancement of women and minorities in boardrooms and in leadership positions. Unconscious bias should be considered as a possible underlying reason for this.

Throughout 2013, RBC will continue working with its managers to develop inclusive leadership skills,

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Reed Smith’s Five-Year Diversity Plan Reed Smith is focused on enhancing its already robust efforts to ensure inclusion and diversity across an expansive global platform, including the creation of a new strategic plan that will guide its work for the next five years. The objectives of this plan include maximizing and extending the significant diversity we have already achieved on three continents, as well as ensuring that the firm’s diverse talent is uniformly afforded every opportunity for professional and business development. Improving and expanding Reed Smith’s diversity and inclusion initiatives—such as the Women’s Initiative Network (WINRS) and Diverse Scholars Program, as well as the firm’s strong support of minority and other specially focused bar associations and programs critical to the development of minorities, women, LGBT, and disabled lawyers—will continue to be a top priority.

Diversity on a Worldwide Platform The coming year offers an exciting opportunity to leverage Reed Smith’s existing diversity initiatives to achieve a

which will result in behavioral changes and accountabilities related to hiring and retaining more diverse employees. The company will leverage its diversity network of Employee Resource Groups, councils, and champions in more innovative ways so that they serve as formidable platforms for creativity and engagement.

Because of the varied geographic locations of its employees, RBC will make greater use of online tools to help educate, reinforce, and communicate best practices related to diversity and inclusion, including information regarding unconscious bias. The company’s goal will be to have an enterprise-wide understanding of unconscious bias to help ensure that organizational structures fully and measurably reflect diversity and inclusion. PDJ

firm-wide, culturally competent work environment across a legal practice platform that spans the rich and divergent cultures of the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm’s next challenge is to continue developing current personnel and recruiting new talent that will provide excellent client service while enhancing workplace diversity. Reed Smith is committed to translating its goals of adding value, achieving excellence, and promoting the professional development of the firm’s people into existing diversity and inclusion programs, as well as developing new programs and initiatives around the world to meet the needs of its diverse clients.

Addressing the Need to Advance Diverse Talent In an extremely competitive talent market, Reed Smith actively seeks out diverse talent and provides business development and mentoring supports to ensure that valuable talent remains with the firm. Simultaneously, the firm is committed to addressing the industry-wide need to advance more diverse individuals to equity partnership, an outcome that is particularly challenging in today’s very competitive legal-talent market. Despite those challenges, Reed Smith is focused on ensuring a clear pathway to leadership for everyone by developing, nurturing, sustaining, and advancing diverse talent in every office worldwide. PDJ

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Enhancing Diversity & Inclusion

Sodexo is currently focused on building its talent pipeline, embedding diversity and inclusion practices and programs deeper into the organization, leveraging diversity and inclusion as a strategy for business development, and expanding the company’s global diversity and inclusion reach.

Recruiting from a Global Talent Pool Implementing diversity and inclusion globally is a challenge and a huge opportunity. As rapid and massive demographic shifts occur, the

global workforce is constantly changing, with more women, more older and younger employees, and more non-white talent. Although Sodexo faces the challenge presented by its large, decentralized, geographically dispersed operating environment, the company has the advantage of recruiting from a diverse, global candidate pool.

Recruiting People with Disabilities Research shows an estimated one in four individuals has a disability.

Of the 1.6 million veterans that have returned home from recent wars, an estimated 45 percent of them seek disability benefits due to their

injuries. In 2011, the World Health Organization reported that more than one billion people worldwide—over 15 percent of the population—have some kind of disability. Sodexo is strongly focused on recruiting veterans and people with disabilities.

Because employees are at various levels in their understanding of the LGBT community and its challenges, Sodexo continues to provide the tools, information, and resources required to have meaningful conversations with others, bridge communication gaps, support LGBT individuals and allies, and continue to build an inclusive culture. PDJ

What’s Next for Diversity & Inclusion at S&C

The values of diversity and inclusion have long been firmly embedded in the culture at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (S&C) and the commitment of management and leadership has been instrumental to the firm’s success in this area. Always striving to be at the cutting edge of the industry in terms of the policies instituted and diversity programming offered, S&C provides associates with an environment that fosters their development, recognizes and values them for who they are, and offers them opportunities to advance and excel. The programs described below, and the new initiatives implemented each year, will continue to yield steady progress. The firm’s primary goals for 2014 focus on client outreach.

The S&C Diversity Annual Report In 2012, S&C’s Diversity Management Department created a comprehensive diversity brochure, which provides a broad view of the firm’s diversity initiatives, programming, recruiting efforts, and lawyer achievements.

In 2013, the firm unveiled the inaugural edition of its Diversity Annual Report, which highlights many of S&C’s initiatives and programming. PDJ

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Joint Collaboration S&C’s clients share the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and offer a variety of opportunities for joint collaboration. S&C provides detailed information about

ongoing efforts to recruit and retain women and diverse lawyers, the role and function of its diversity committee and affinity groups, the value placed on mentoring programs, and how the firm promotes and supports diversity within the profession and across the larger legal community. In addition, S&C hosts a number of joint client events, including the S&C Celebrates Diversity speaker series, which features prominent speakers in the legal, corporate, and nonprofit industries.

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MAKE AN IMPACT WITH A CAREER AT SHELL. LET’S BUILD A BETTER ENERGY FUTURE. At Shell we believe that every individual has something valuable to offer. We understand that the more diverse the workforce, the wider the variety of ideas we bring to the table. If you’re ready to tackle the energy challenge and make a real impact on the world, join a company that values diversity and emphasizes the quality of life for its employees and their families. At Shell, we offer: n

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Training and Development

WHAT’S NEXT

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Partnering within Communities Teach For America works to expand educational opportunities for children in high-need communities in 48 regions across the United States by recruiting and training promising and diverse leaders who are willing to commit to a lifetime of focus on education and begin by teaching for at least two years.

Nearly 40 percent of the Teach For America teaching force identify as people of color, almost matching the percentage of students of color in our country. The 2013 class of about 6,000 new teachers is the most racially diverse ever. Twentyfive percent of them identify as Black or Latino—considerably higher than the 14 percent of active classroom teachers in these two categories, though not quite as high as the 40 percent of Black and Latino public school students nationwide.

Opportunities and Challenges Ahead Starting in 2014, Teach For America will enact a new model meant to expand regional decision-making. This change will support the organization’s efforts to better understand the unique needs of specific regions and their local partners, and work collaboratively with communities to best meet those needs.

Teach For America is expanding efforts to partner with communities. For example, its Diversity Series provides staff members structured opportunities to reflect on their individual identities so they can operate more effectively in a diverse context.

The organization has also formed partnerships with groups that serve underrepresented communities, including the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Council of La Raza, Out and

Equal, and the United Negro College Fund; and engaged in dialogue with communities using tools like social media and a nationwide listening tour hosted by the organization’s co-CEOs. Fostering Community Finally, Teach For American will further promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in recruitment and admissions, and continue to actively recruit from underrepresented populations. The organization is working to foster community and build leadership in populations of shared identities, including Native, Latino, African American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander corps members, staff members and alumni; and piloting systems that track and encourage support of minority-owned businesses. PDJ

Putting Inclusion Front and Center Being Accountable for Diversity and Inclusion The Hartford is working to integrate accountability for diversity and inclusion throughout the organization. While diversity and inclusion is already an important corporate value and part of the culture, the company has an opportunity to embed diversity and inclusion into every role and job function across the enterprise. There is a great deal of collaboration and positive support for this initiative.

Although diversity and inclusion are both central to The Hartford’s strategies as a business partner and an employer, the focus for the coming year will be on inclusion.

As new leadership behaviors are introduced across the organization, it is imperative that employees develop and demonstrate the kind of inclusive behaviors that will help drive a high-performance culture and help The Hartford to be the exceptional company it strives to be.

Employee Resource Groups Employee resource groups are a critical component of The Hartford’s diversity and inclusion strategy, and a key to the plan’s success. So ensuring the groups are as strong and capable as they can be is a top priority. As the company looks to the future, it will be relying on them even more heavily to help drive an engaging employment value proposition and make The Hartford stand out as an employer of choice for top talent. PDJ

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The Future of Diversity and Inclusion at Union Bank

At Union Bank, diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of the organization. The bank will continue to maintain a solid commitment to these values as it embraces its global potential. In order to stay competitive and focus on the evolving needs of customers, diversity and inclusion must be viewed from a global perspective. After determining what is relevant in this wider context, as well as what is germane to its business strategy, Union Bank will decide what diversity and inclusion mean in various regions of the U.S. and abroad, recognizing that diversity extends far beyond gender, race, ethnicity, or physical abilities. The result will be a global diversity and inclusion strategy that is relevant to the bank’s expanding customer and geographical footprint.

Gaining a Global Perspective For Union Bank, new diversity and inclusion opportunities will focus on intentionally shaping its culture as the organization grows and expands. The bank will adopt a unifying message that resonates with its distributed workforce. In order to become a top-ten banking group in the United States, Union Bank recently updated its values and core competencies to reflect a broader, global perspective. Enhancing leadership and cultural competency related to business norms and etiquette will help increase bank leaders’ ability to build bridges and interact with diverse cultures.

Attracting and Developing Talent In the banking industry, reputation management, along with a willingness to develop talent, matters more than ever. Many millennials are less than enthusiastic about pursuing careers in finance and banking, which makes it increasingly challenging to recruit, retain, and develop diverse banking talent. When a bank is ranked number one for reputation among its customers, as Union Bank was by American Banker Magazine and the Reputation Institute, the bank becomes known as a responsible financial institution that cares about the needs of its customers, which helps attract both new and experienced talent. And once new hires come aboard, Union Bank’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) provide critical support for their professional development. PDJ

Diversity and Inclusion in a Changing World

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In 2014, UnitedHealth Group will continue to focus on delivering results that provide the greatest possible value to employees, customers, business partners, and communities. The company will develop and expand its diversity and inclusion strategy with regard to military and veteran populations—a community that not only provides a hugely talented candidate pool, but is also a key customer base, an important part of UnitedHealth Group’s supplier diversity programs, and an area of focus for volunteerism and giving.

Based on past success, UnitedHealth Group will continue to offer diversity and inclusion learning opportunities enterprise wide, including a webinar “radio show” format, aligned with the organization’s four diversity and inclusion focus areas—customers, employees, suppliers, and community. And the company will continue to enhance the ways in which it provides innovative, culturally relevant programs and services to help serve the health needs of diverse populations.

The Changing Health Care Environment The biggest challenge—and opportunity— UnitedHealth Group faces as a business will be adjusting to the changing health care environment. The company’s core capabilities—beyond providing healthcare benefits and services—include clinical care resources, information, and technology, which uniquely enable the organization to meet the evolving needs of millions more Americans who are entering a structured system of health benefits. UnitedHealth Group will continue to help build a stronger, higher quality health system that is sustainable for the long term.

Learning to Serve Clients Around the Globe UnitedHealth Group serves more than 85 million people worldwide. Significant growth outside the United States makes it critical for the company to gain a deeper understanding of both industry-specific and cross-cultural differences. A variety of resources are made available to employees to help them learn how to conduct business effectively with people from more than 65 countries where UnitedHealth Group does business. This includes information on topics related to business skills, culture, customs, and travel. PDJ

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Engaging Nontraditional Stakeholders The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently authorized the development of a “Nontraditional Stakeholders Engagement Platform” (NSEP) to help the bureau go beyond the agency’s diversity hiring and recruitment model, and engage diverse and underserved communities as partners in civic, as well as science-based, initiatives associated with wildlife conservation. NSEP will help diverse and underrepresented communities in the U.S. pursue federal funding for wildlife conservation programs and develop strategic partnerships with wildlife conservation NGOs and industry leaders.

Goals for 2014 The agency’s first goal is to provide technical assistance and training to help stakeholders learn about, prepare for, and compete in the federal grant application and funding process.

The second goal is to work with nontraditional stakeholders to increase awareness of and interest in conservation issues.

The third goal is to increase nontraditional stakeholders’ awareness of and engagement with stakeholder groups and science-based entities, such as the National Wildlife Refuge System and migratory bird joint venture programs.

Achieving these goals will require breaking down barriers to engagement, including a lack of information or misinformation about wildlife conservation issues and the association of wildlife conservation with wildlife extremism.

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Taking Conservation to Heart Ensuring that wildlife conservation is close to the hearts and minds of rapidly changing domestic and global populations will help guarantee healthy habitats, as well as safe food and water resources, for future generations. To achieve this, the Service seeks out partners in the fishing and boating industries, and encourages outreach to diverse and underrepresented groups.

The Service also helps nontraditional stakeholders become part of the global conservation community by spurring ecotourism and jobs at home and abroad. In 2012, the Service awarded over $16 million in grants to partner countries and local communities interested in leveraging conservation as a means of sustaining local economies and creating jobs. The ultimate goal is to ensure that U.S.-based diverse and underrepresented communities become part of a sustained ecotourism effort and produce a new generation of diverse conservationists. PDJ

Building a Comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Strategy In 2012, Walgreens joined with human resources business partners to develop a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy for each of its business units/functions. Each strategy is based on both quantitative and qualitative data, and designed to support specific business objectives and opportunities, as well as align with the corporate diversity and inclusion strategy of culture, partnerships, and accountability.

During the measurement and assessment part of the process, the company’s first-ever diversity benchmarks were developed using U.S. Census data. In this way, business leaders were able to get an accurate picture of workforce availability and focus on opportunities for hiring, development, and retention. Employee engagement survey results were also evaluated. The result was an integrated, enterprise-wide approach to diversity and inclusion. The Walgreens team has already reached several milestones, including the launch of the company’s first ever diversity and inclusion awareness training, realignment of business resource groups, and the creation of regional diversity councils aligned with Walgreens four main operating regions.

New for 2014 Walgreens will build on lessons learned in 2013 and deploy the newly formed regional diversity councils, which are business-owned and chaired by Market Vice Presidents based in the each of the four operating regions. The councils will develop plans targeting the business needs of their respective regions, which will encourage greater synergies in community relations, marketing and communication, supplier diversity, and workforce/ workplace opportunities. The company will also begin the multi-year rollout of an inclusive leadership program for all 25,000 people managers. Additionally, rebranding Walgreens Community Corner program in collaboration with its localization team will allow the company to provide a more relevant shopping experience for diverse customers and communities.

A Final Note In March 2014, significant changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) will take effect. As a federal government contractor and a national retailer, Walgreens is committed to providing opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities. These changes will further enhance the disability inclusion programs already in effect at Walgreens distribution centers and retail outlets. PDJ

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To read more, please visit diversityjournal.com PDJ

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Strengthening Osler’s Journey towards Equity and Inclusion

Not satisfied to rest on its past achievements and awards in diversity, the William Osler Health System is taking steps to move toward greater health equity and inclusion.

New Challenges and Opportunities In 2014, Osler will conduct an analysis to identify best practices, strengths, and opportunities in order to better serve vulnerable and diverse populations. This work will reflect Osler’s vision to strengthen clinical and community partnerships, and identify new ones in order to ensure more positive health outcomes across the region.

The system will also continue to analyze patient data and community demographics to identify potential inequities.

Internally, Osler will work with staff, physicians, and volunteers to ensure that the system’s environment is inclusive, respectful, and welcoming to everyone. This includes ensuring that staff, physicians, and volunteers accurately reflect the Osler community through equitable

recruitment and retention practices. Additionally, the system will continue to build internal capacity to support the provision of culturally competent care for patients and their families.

Measuring for Success The coming year will provide an opportunity to achieve significant results, but success will require a solid framework and appropriate resources. Metrics and evaluation will need to be clear and concise. Cross-referencing and analysis to identify and reduce potential inequities will be challenging and time consuming. Some opportunities may require sensitive positioning and a clear rationale, and there will be competing priorities to contend with. Osler’s diversity/equity strategy will require innovative approaches for successful implementation, given the size of the system and the growing diversity of the population.

The William Osler Health System will also explore innovative research opportunities involving diverse populations to further improve health outcomes. This will mean finding appropriate data, community demographics, and health indicators to collect and analyze, identifying the purpose, and using data and health indicators in the most effective way possible. Osler will continue to identify partnerships that may have positive impacts on patient care and staff satisfaction across hospitals and regions. PDJ

Simply having diversity is interesting.

Doing something with it is powerful. tm

We embrace the power of a diverse workforce to unleash the talents of all employees.

Diversity creates better value, delivers superior client experiences and develops innovative solutions for the markets and communities we serve.

Visit rbc.com/diversity ® / TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada.

| S P E C I A L

F E AT U R E

On coming to

America The challenge facing America’s immigrants and their families

By Anna R. Dadlez, PhD

I

n his speech on immigration in June 2013, President Obama talked about diversity in the United States. According to Obama and many of his fellow Americans, this country is uniquely situated to take advantage of the multiplicity of people coming here from all parts of the world, people who can contribute their talents and labor to better their new home. Most Americans believe that newcomers and residents can benefit equally, and certainly most believe that the newcomers are better off. The United States gains a willing and loyal labor force, while newcomers obtain decent wages and security.

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The Annie Moore Memorial, a statue of Annie Moore and her two Brothers in Cobh, Ireland (Annie was the first immigrant to the United States to pass through the Ellis Island facility in New York Harbor).

Are We Living in Dreamland?

These oversimplified and mistaken assumptions about immigrants, regardless of who they may be, are fueled by the assurances of unbounded gratitude and admiration for everything American that are expressed by some immi-

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grants and repeatedly reported in the popular press.

Indeed, it is a wonder that the average American is not even more completely convinced of his or her superiority to immigrants and their cultures after being subjected to an unremitting and steady diet of those obsequious assurances.

Immigrants’ unknown problems

It is surprising that in this country of immigrants, so little notice is taken of the reactions and feelings of the newcomer upon his or her arrival in unfamiliar

“

Taking into consideration the geographical distance between the United States and many developed foreign nations, the general lack of curiosity on the part of the U.S. public, and American monolingualism, there is little chance of U.S. “natives” knowing much about foreign cultures, unless the press or schools take special notice of them for one reason or another.

The attitudes of immigrant enthusiasm described above are too naive to persist in the face of the Internet and prevalence of international media. The policies of most countries are known to the world, and no state is considered above reproach, including the United States.

Even when the immigrant comes from a third world country and is grateful for menial work, his euphoria and his hopes on entering the U.S. would not be equal to those of previous newcomers, given the many social and political changes in the world that have occurred in recent decades and that are known to the world public. Today’s immigrant is simply on the other side of history. He is better informed and less naive, although not less needy.

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THERE MAY COME A MOMENT WHEN THE

CHILD OF IMMIGRANTS STARTS TO COMPARE HIS PARENTS WITH THOSE OF HIS FRIENDS, AND FINDS HIS FAMILY DIFFERENT, IN A MILIEU WHERE DIFFERENCE IS NOT APPRECIATED.

surroundings. In most cases immigrants have severed their ties with their native land and disassociated themselves from relatives and friends with whom they had much in common. They now must sink or swim on their own in an alien society.

The average immigrant would be worried about his prospects, unsure of the language (most Americans would be unaware of the difficulty of switching from one language to another), constantly concerned with how he appears to the “natives,” and aware that any positive reputation he might have earned back home is totally unknown in the new milieu.

Any unconformity in his speech or behavior may be held against him by the American-born, whose way of thinking, behavior and mannerisms are alien to the newcomer.

Georges Simenon wrote, “He did not ask the people to recognize him as one of themselves. He felt that that was impossible. He behaved with the discretion of a guest and it was as a guest that he saw himself.”

Edward Said put it even more forcefully: “It is the

unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home; its essential sadness can never be surmounted.”

Family

Unknown to the American-born, there is a crossroads, a crucial point at which the immigrant must make a decision.

Should he reject his life before the emigration, forget his ethnic culture, become a proud member of the ‘melting pot’? Should he, as one Polish immigrant advised his son, try to “think American, speak American, be American”? It often becomes clear to newcomers that, unless their ancestry is Anglo-Saxon (or unless they are members of one of several other less important but still widely recognized ethnic groups), their native culture will have no meaning for the majority of Americans. There will be a pronounced lack of curiosity about the immigrant’s country and its history in the United States.

With the arrival of children, however, such problems take on a new significance. Ought immigrant parents to share family stoNovember/December 2013

ries, ethnic customs, and remembered cultural festivals with their children? Ought they to inform their children about social or military upheavals in the old country? Should an awareness of the important developments in their country of origin, but which are of no interest here, constitute a part of their children’s upbringing? This imposition of an ethnic heritage could be thought burdensome or counterproductive, a net disadvantage to the children of immigrants. It is certainly not recommended by schools, which have been known to insist that English, even bad English, should reign in immigrant households rather than their native tongue.

Immigrant parents must decide. They could pretend that nothing of significance occurred in their lives before their arrival in the United States and suppress memories close to their hearts. They could, on the other hand, struggle against prevailing norms and try to convey to their children the valuable elements in their ethnic ancestry, and to convey further the notion that inspirational examples of courage, stamina and honor do not belong to American culture exclusively. There will in any case remain the question whether one’s children will be grateful for this new mass of often disturbing information, which is not shared by their friends

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and may even appear alien and superfluous to them.

There may come a moment when the child of immigrants starts to compare his parents with those of his friends, and finds his family different, in a milieu where difference is not appreciated.

Jeremy Rifkin observes the ease with which the children of immigrants discard their ethnicity: “embarrassed by their parents’ ways, [such] children did everything they could to shed their past.” So what can those parents who believe in the value of their ethnic culture do? “If we contrast the conditions at home with those the immigrants generally meet in America, we see that the loss of control over the child is inevitable if the parents do not develop new means (of influence) as substitutes for the old ones. But it requires a higher degree of individual culture, intellectual and moral, than most of the immigrants can manage.”

Grandparents

The relationship between immigrant children and their grandparents deserves special attention. Most cultures realize that there exists a special affectionate bond between the two generations, that grandparents,

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especially grandmothers, have a unique place in the hearts of their grandchildren. World literature is full of stories about the close bond between grandparent and grandchild, and about the role the former plays in the lives of the latter. This relationship can become strained in the adopted land, because of the seniors’ greater attachment to their home country, their more critical attitude toward the new environment, and their generally weak command of English.

As John Bukowczyk says, “They (the immigrant women) were more vulnerable than their departed spouses. Most have never ventured far into American society, and therefore perhaps, never learned English. They clung to their independence and continued to live by themselves.” He concludes that many “lived lonely lives.”

Thus, grandparents, instead of providing extra affection and security for the child, become strangers and sometimes even liabilities, totally different from the American grandparents of the child’s school friends.

In the mind of a youngster who wants to be like everybody else, foreign grandparents are even more of an embarrassment than foreign parents, given an even greater lack of assimilation.

The unique opportunity of knowing more of the world through his family heritage is thus wasted, something

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that can be demonstrated by reviewing the statistics focusing on the knowledge of foreign cultures in the United States.

The Elderly

The older an immigrant, the more difficult it becomes for him to adjust to his new life in a foreign country. Often, it is only with advancing age that the past comes closer to one’s consciousness and that the years of one’s youth, no matter how difficult, take on a compelling immediacy and significance. But who, in the new country, has the time or the inclination to listen to the elderly immigrant? In a culture that venerates youth and disparages age, respect for the elderly is in any case at a premium. Elderly immigrants are at an even greater disadvantage. Their imperfect English makes communication difficult and frustrating, too much trouble to undertake. Their old-fashioned or foreign ways are alien and potentially embarrassing, as is their helplessness.

“Why doesn’t Grandma go out to enjoy herself?

Why doesn’t she have American friends?” The answer to these questions is quite simple, but isn’t always readily grasped. The elderly, be they immigrants or natives, often suffer from loneliness and boredom.

The problems that beset young newcomers increase tenfold for the aged. With

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advancing years, people slowly lose their independence. In case of immigrants, their independence is already badly compromised, not only due to possible physical debilities, but also their linguistic difficulties and nostalgia for their former home, something that tends to increase in old age. Conscious of their “strangeness,” the elderly are reluctant to face a foreign public or to join community and church organizations.

They are forced to rely on their busy relatives or on indifferent institutional help. To form friendships in new and strange surroundings is equally difficult for them. Friends, for the most part, are those who share one’s past, or who share at least one’s beliefs and preferences. Common experiences will influence people’s psychological make-up, their beliefs, and their behavior.

It is difficult for the elderly immigrant to make friends among people whose youth passed in totally different circumstances, and for whom the immigrants’ past has no meaning.

Heritage as liability

It is perhaps to be expected that some immigrants resort to flattery and exaggerated praise of their adopted country, with a view to furthering their own acceptance and establishing themselves as worthy of being American.

There are those who, upon entering a foreign county,

give up all the habits and customs acquired at home, and rapidly assimilate their own opinions and desires, even their mode of dress, to those they believe are favored by the majority (or their work associates).

Such newcomers believe that total subjugation to prevailing convention is the path to success. What follows is a dedicated and strenuous avoidance of any criticism of American policies, domestic and foreign.

This is usually accompanied by a fear of appearing less American, something equated by many newcomers with failure.

Some immigrants, driven by the anxiety to be accepted, even turn to belittling their ethnic cultures.

Those cultures appear alien or peculiar in their new surroundings. They are basically unknown and not understood, giving rise at best to disinterest and at worst to xenophobic reactions from natives. In either case, one’s heritage is a liability. So the next step is often a rejection of one’s life experience prior to emigration, coupled with a refusal to appreciate any non-American culture, in order to demonstrate loyalty to one’s new country. Such attitudes are also shared by some non-immigrants, who believe that the appreciation of one country should exclude appreciation of others—that patriotism demands belonging to only one culture, using only one

language, and adhering to only one tradition while rejecting all others.

These attitudes breed uncertainty. Some immigrants attempt to convince themselves and the people around them that, by leaving their previous home, so inferior to the present one, they have made the correct and courageous decision.

People wish to see themselves as winners rather than losers, and comparisons between former and present experiences can affirm that a correct choice was made, if the present is always judged superior to the past. Driven by innate insecurity, people who reason in this way can turn to belittling their ethnicity and everything that surrounded them before they reached American shores.

Many such persons who reject their heritage live in a world of anxiety. They deprive their children of the possibility of knowing more of the world, and thereby of being more useful to their adopted country than they have imagined possible.

“Successful immigrants,” writes Norman Davies, “tended to cultivate the culture, language and values of their adopted country with enthusiasm, while keeping no more than mythological memory about their countries of origin.” In fact, “some turned their backs with distaste” on the traditions and values of lesserknown countries.

Host Country Perspectives

Looking at immigration from the point of view of natives and residents, one can but wonder about the usefulness of immigrants to a democratic country.

Surely, the well-being of any society depends on an informed and stable electorate. Permanently insecure new citizens, distrustful of the principles on which their adopted country was based, would not appeal to many hosts, despite fervent assurances of loyalty. Such characteristics might well instill the suspicion that, given an opportunity, the new citizens might just as readily reject American ties as they did their own ethnic affiliations.

For some non-immigrant observers, American di-

versity is simply a myth.

It has been suggested, for instance, that schools contribute to a general lack of appreciation of foreign cultures in the United States.

According to Norman Davies, “only several West European countries deserve some mention in American schools,” others, including the East European element, are “totally lacking” as they “are struck off from the American syllabus.” He notes that the people who might have been offended because of such neglect “were too committed to the demands of assimilation to notice.” One may add, perhaps, that at least some immigrants feared that their criticism of established institutions would make them less welcome in their new home.

Different Types of

Immigrants

T

he varieties of problems facing an immigrant present an interesting object for psychological and sociological studies. Of course, their difficulties vary according to the reasons for emigration, and according to the abilities and attitudes of the individuals in question. A great deal depends on the conditions that are left behind.

Economic Immigrants

Most Americans believe, correctly, that the providers of shelter and sustenance will win the gratitude of victims of famine and want. The preservation of life itself depends on nourishment. As Marx’s friend Friedrich Engels

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declared, “food comes before art,” where “art” may be equated with any matter not directly connected with basic survival. An immigrant who is no longer threatened by hunger, homelessness and other dangers that plague the poor, will of course be grateful, but not necessarily satisfied. After establishing himself economically, he may next turn to those “other” matters and find something lacking. Such a person would be grateful, but probably not happy.

To realize the basic loneliness of the average immigrant, one should imagine being placed as he is placed. There are no friends or relatives, no familiar set of customs, no community. Instead, there is constant anxiety, a concerted effort to conceal discomfort or irritation with alien customs, for fear that one may hear “America, love it or leave it.”

The difficulties with the language are especially hard to overcome for the undereducated, and may become an ever-present difficulty. How many Americans understand the fear most immigrants have of misunderstanding important messages, or their concern about the inability to fully convey what it is they wish to communicate? Linguistic competence is a crucial adjunct to survival and immigrants are well aware that they may be evaluated based on the way they speak. Only Americans who travel abroad and try to employ a foreign language they have learned at home understand the frustration and humiliation that come from not being understood, or from not understanding what is being said. It can be devastating for those who, aware of their linguistic shortcomings, find it impossible to make a good impression. Learning proper English is beyond the ability of many with no educational background in the study of language or grammar. Whenever one must convey something more complex or sophisticated to a native speaker, panic sets in, since a mistranslation may cause serious problems in the work place, with police, or in medical emergencies. Worry and humiliation are the constant companions of immigrants who have dared to leave their ethnic home without having learned English and lack the skill or the time to acquire linguistic proficiency.

The Immigrant as Dissident

A special group of immigrants belong to the so-called émigrés, whose transplant to a foreign country has little to do with their own self betterment, but is undertaken for ideological reasons, in the hope of finding understanding and perhaps assistance in their pursuit of a vision.

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German immigrant family in the United States, 1930

The Polish immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the late 1940s and early 1950s fall into this category (and are the case in point). There have been and are many dissidents from different ethnic groups, who have objected to the ideas and policies of the authorities in their homeland.

Most have shared with Poles a trust in the United States’ claim to freedom and opportunity, and in the American tendency to offer aid to political refugees. They hoped to find support for their respective causes. However, dissidents seldom find what they are looking for in the United States, unless the American government and power groups agree with them and their aims. For many, disappointment and frustration follow their arrival in the U.S. In the case of Poles, the futility of their efforts became apparent soon after the end of the second World War and the Treaty of Yalta, which was disastrous for Poland.

Indeed, it is difficult to understand how mature men and women could be so naive as to believe that a treaty signed by three superpowers, the U.S., U.K. and Soviet Union, could be successfully challenged by the remnants of a once-valued ally whose country had been consigned to the gentle care of Stalin. But the desperate grasp at straws, and there should be sympathy for that kind of naïveté on the part of Poles and others. The naïve were on a desperate search for support from a powerful ally with a reputation for objectivity and compassion. “When, on my arrival in the U.S., I saw the Statue of Liberty,” reminisced my friend Janusz, “ I cried, and I was immensely grateful that my fate allowed me to come to such a country. I planned to make Poland’s tragedy known. But the longer I stayed, the less hopeful I became.” What did he find? A

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WORRY AND HUMILIATION ARE THE

CONSTANT COMPANIONS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE DARED TO LEAVE THEIR ETHNIC HOME WITHOUT HAVING LEARNED ENGLISH AND LACK THE SKILL OR THE TIME TO ACQUIRE LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY.

The Immigrant as Scholar

Dissidents usually belong to the educated classes and, for both political and educational reasons, life abroad may be more difficult for them than for the less educated.

Although devotion to their native land may exist among all immigrants, those who know more about the cultural achievements of their previous home will be more aware of any ignorance of their culture and heritage on the part of their hosts, an awareness less likely to afflict the uneducated. Financial problems may prevent those who want to pursue higher education in the U.S., and any hope of finding a like-minded friend may be barred by the very “strangeness” of an immigrant’s background.

Still, there are benefits that even an economically afflicted foreign scholar may well find in the new land. The most important is freedom from censorship. Although not perfect, in comparison to states with totalitarian regimes, American freedom of speech is impressive. A joke circulating in Poland (during the communist regime, 1945–1989) illustrates the aforementioned distinction. Two men, an American and a Pole, discuss constitutional matters: “In the U.S.,” explains the American, “we can say and write whatever we like. Our constitution guarantees the freedom of speech.”

“So does ours,” exclaims the Pole. Seeing the doubtful

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relatively friendly people with no curiosity regarding Word War II in Europe, let alone in Poland. He found openings only for bluecollar jobs. He discovered the low social mobility of Polish Americans and their concomitant lack of influence. He discovered a general satisfaction with the world as it was.

I believe that most Americans would be surprised by Janusz’s disappointment. “What on earth did he expect?” they might ask. “Isn’t it enough that he found a job and security here? Isn’t that what counts in life?” True enough, for many, perhaps for most. But immigrants, especially dissidents, are not most people, and it would benefit both sides if the many were to extend understanding and assistance to the few future citizens in their midst. “In the United States,” indicates Edward Said, “academic, intellectual, and aesthetic thought is what it is today because of refugees from fascism, communism, and other regimes given to the oppression and expulsion of dissidents.”

expression on his friend’s face, the Pole elucidates: “It is true, basically. Our constitution also guarantees freedom of speech.

The only thing it does not guarantee is freedom after speech. A small difference.”

Lack of fluency in a language plagues even those who can only speak one language, their own.

For an ambitious immigrant, used to a high level of eloquence in his surroundings at home, language may become a serious impediment to self-fulfillment. Unless she uses predominantly technical jargon as a matter of course, she will sooner or later miss engaging in interesting discussions with ease and gusto and wit. Hindering such interchanges in English are concerns about pronunciation, syntax, and mistranslation or cultural differences that may skew meanings in unexpected ways.

The problems encountered by people who long to communicate with their fellow scholars in the new country, but are excluded from it by the real or imagined linguistic imperfections, can be frequent and frustrating. “How unfair it is,” muses an immigrant, “that I have to slave for years to acquire proficiency in this language, whereas the ‘natives’ have no idea of the difficulties people like me are facing, and have all the time in the world to focus on the subject of their choice in their own language, which they have learned from infancy.”

The Immigrant as Terrorist

In recent decades, there has emerged another type of immigrant, or an American born into an immigrant family, for whom the adopted country is not only unworthy of loyalty, but instead becomes an object of anger and resentment. In such cases, American foreign policy, the popular media, or perhaps his own experience, are the principal causes of estrangement. Many factors are potentially implicated: The feeling of being alone in a foreign culture; awareness that one’s ethnic ties may be represented negatively in the media; academic disparagement of such ties as having no value; and ridicule of one’s heritage.

All may issue in resentment and alienation, particularly in the consciousness of first generation Americans coming from lesser known ethnic groups.

A certain sequence of events has become more and more common. A young person of the marginalized ethnicity visits the country of his ancestors, and becomes, November/December 2013

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as he would consider it, “enlightened.” He may find wonders in the land abandoned by his parents completely unknown in the U.S., and hear stories of oppression and heroism never heard before. He may experience a genuine sense of community for the first time, a complete absence of the alienation that was so constant as to become unremarkable. Such a visit, and perhaps a prescribed course of study, may become a powerful engine for the vindication of his resentment. In such circumstances, there may also be individuals eager to convince him of the deleterious effects of U.S. policy on his ancestral country and people, reminding him of the blood bond he shares with the victims of the aforesaid policy.

Home grown terrorists, who in latter decades have acquired a permanent place in the media, are people who are often believed to be seeking personal aggrandizement, wishing to achieve the requisite fifteen minutes of fame by attracting attention in any available way. This description may apply to a few, but need not apply to all. Many individuals so described are fanatically devoted to ideals of justice or redress. They identify with ethnicities or religions that have, in their estimation, been victimized or vilified. Humiliation, anger, and a desire for revenge may awaken in a young person convinced of the martyrdom of his or her ethnic brothers and sisters. In such a case the ideas behind what is called the American Dream seem trivial and superficial in comparison to the struggle for justice and honor.

History is full of extraordinary behavior prompted by compassion for the real or perceived victims of oppression, by intelligent, eager, passionate young people of sometimes insufficient maturity. The question arises whether potential terrorists could be turned away from violence to a more productive way of satisfying their concerns—whether they could be convinced that many of their values are also shared (or at least respected) by their adopted country. This may become quite a challenge for schools and politicians.

Does the United States government know how to deal with this relatively new phenomenon? In his essay entitled “The Great Super-terrorism Scare,” Ehud Sprinzak notes that “enhanced conventional terrorism and the limited risk of escalation to super-terrorism call for a reexamination of the existing US deterrence doctrine.” He also recommends “better intelligence,” complaining that “the most neglected means of countering...terrorism is psychopolitical research.

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The young Anna with her parents (Anna and Roman Gasowski) and aunt Kazia (far left).

The War Refugee as Immigrant

This class of people who find themselves abroad due to war, whose presence in the host country is due to circumstances connected with war, could be called involuntary exiles (although dire poverty at home would not, unlike war, be a factor in emigration). War refugees include all kinds of people. There may be members of the previous political elite, people deported by the new regime due to their real or perceived hostility, and also people who fled the horrors brought by the war itself. All of them have been separated from their early home, all of them will experience nostalgia, and all of them must get adjusted to new conditions.

“Once abroad,” writes Norman Davies, “political exiles, economic migrants and refugees of all kinds tend to coalesce into a distinct community...whose very existence, irrespective of their origins, exerts a powerful influence on the parent nation back home,” as well, we might add, as influence on their adopted country. As President Obama indicated, immigrants have a lot to offer. Perhaps we could exploit their usefulness more effectively. PDJ

Anna R. Dadlez, PhD, is a professor of history and political science at Saginaw Valley State University. She is author of In Time of War. Growing up During the Nazi Occupation and its Aftermath, as well as other books chronicling the European experience post World War II. An immigrant from Poland, Dr. Dadlez uses her personal experiences as inspiration for her work highlighting the challenges faced by those immigrating to America today.

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DADLEZ

Talent has no boundaries There is a place where ambitions are limitless. Where every professional can leverage their unique skills to realize their goals. It’s KPMG LLP. Where success can be achieved by all. kpmgcareers.com

© 2013 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. NDPPS 211465

| FEATURE

Lean In sparks success connections at Kirkland & Ellis

K

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The women Partners of Kirkland & Ellis.

irkland & Ellis, a global law firm with 1,600 attorneys, represents clients in such matters as litigation, restructuring, and intellectual property. With offices scattered throughout North America, Asia, and Europe, Kirkland is committed to fostering diversity and supporting its women professionals at all career stages.

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This commitment was further demonstrated in July 2013 when Kirkland signed on as an official partner with Lean In, the organization started by Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg to complement the publication of her book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. Lean In has created a dialogue in several countries about the challenges women come across at work and encouraged them to achieve their professional goals.

Kirkland’s participation with Lean In is an extension of the Women’s Leadership Initiative, a mentoring and professional development program for women attorneys.

“The beautiful thing about the WLI is we interface with women around the firm that we may not otherwise have an opportunity to through our practices,” says Chicago partner Linda K. Myers, a member of Kirkland’s Global Management Team and one of the WLI founders. What began as a small group has grown to about 80 local office programs which hold a variety of events for networking, training, and mentoring.

Creating a way to connect for junior associates

The genesis for the WLI occurred in October 2003 at the annual all-partners meeting when Myers, who at the time was a relatively new equity partner, spoke on a diversity panel with some colleagues. At the time, the diversity committee had been formed but wasn’t developed and Myers struggled to prepare for the presentation. “I remember making jokes and putting the senior partners in dresses to be funny and it was not so great,” Myers says. When she got off the stage, however, a group of women praised the presentation and expressed their desire for similar programs. They wanted to find a way to connect women in the company. This put the idea into Myers’ head to have a women’s initiative across Kirkland. “There was enough interest that rolled from that attempt to do an interesting presentation

with not a lot of material, I knew we had something in the making,” Myers says.

The first WLI event was held in January 2004 and the group now has separate funding, recognition for management, and bonus credits for women involved in the initiatives. The associates now do more of the event planning for the program than the senior partners do.

“I think because it’s done at the local level with a lot of input from the junior lawyers as to what they wish the program to be, and it’s shaped and molded in that way, it’s very dynamic,” London partner Rajinder Bassi says. “It’s a great pathway for junior attorneys to ask questions about their careers and get guidance.” Past events featured a United Kingdom comedian performing on the topic of assertiveness in London, Chicago, and New York. Events are unique to each local office but also shared throughout the firm.

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IT’S A GREAT PATHWAY FOR JUNIOR ATTORNEYS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR CAREERS AND GET GUIDANCE.

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By Alanna Klapp

—Rajinder Bassi Partner, London

Creating a way to empower

From Kirkland’s diversity committee and the WLI grew the Gender Subcommittee, cochaired by Bassi and New York partner Jennifer Morgan.

The subcommittee publicizes diversity initiatives, coordinates charitable dollars in the diversity space, trains, and mentors. “We’re all over every affinity group interest trying to make things happen here at Kirkland and in the legal industry generally, and so I think Lean In is just another facet of what we’re doing particularly in the gender space,” Myers says.

THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE WLI IS WE Jennifer Morgan agrees and says

INTERFACE WITH WOMEN AROUND THE FIRM the push to join Lean In came from Kirkland’s junior associates.

THAT WE MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE AN “I feel like that’s typical Kirkland OPPORTUNITY TO THROUGH OUR PRACTICES. to be responsive, not just from the top down but also from the bot—Linda K. Myers, P.C. Partner, Chicago tom up,” she says. “I think that official empowerment may lead

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Prominent general counsel were among those weighing in on diversity, leadership and work-life balance at the inaugural event for The Center for WorkLife Law and The New Girls’ Network, an organization that aims to turn social science into real-life strategies for women looking to climb the corporate ladder. The event was sponsored by the Kirkland & Ellis Women’s Leadership Initiative.

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OFFICIAL EMPOWERMENT MAY LEAD TO OTHER BEST PRACTICES THAT WE LEARN ABOUT FROM OUR ASSOCIATES.

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—Jennifer Morgan Partner, New York

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to other best practices that we learn about from our associates.”

Sharing success strategies

The WLI looks forward to including the Lean In aspects of social networking, online learning, and small group mentoring with its existing programs for both male and female employees. The women attorneys at Kirkland want to form Lean In Circles, small groups who meet on a regular basis to learn and share experiences. The circles will be operated by the attorneys with the option to include associates from other law firms or professional contacts. Lean In book club events are also in the works.

Myers thinks Lean In extends Kirkland’s award-winning diversity programs and highlights a conversation about workplace functionality.

Sandberg writes about the different working styles of women and uses her own style as the example.

Professional women juggle soccer games and pediatrician appointments with jobs that sometimes require them to be available at all hours. “It’s recognizing and giving an acceptance to the fact that lots of professional women do that,” Myers

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says. The book discusses technology choices such as Blackberries to allow employees to eat dinner with their families and have the ability to work from home after dinner. The intended result is more productive and balanced employees of both genders.

Capitalizing on star power

Myers says the appeal of Lean In is Sheryl Sandberg’s star power, which put a face to women’s workplace concerns. “I think it’s been a nice way to use that fact around here to put more women in leadership roles, to ask more women to chair committees and take on different initiatives,” Myers says. The movement is more accepted because of the current conversation Sandberg sparked.

“This book helps to make it more comfortable for the firms to embrace the importance of it,” Myers says. “As more women get into positions of power, the economic case is there for the firm to do it because we need to be able to present talented women to women clients.”

Kirkland’s participation with Lean In enhances its diversity initiatives. Mentoring, training, and small group meetings open an honest and productive dialogue about how to overcome modern workplace challenges to empower professionals to achieve objectives. PDJ The book Lean In, by Facebook Chief Operating Office Sheryl Sandberg, encouraged women to pursue their ambitions and changed the conversation from what they can’t do to what they can do. LeanIn.Org is the next chapter, offering women ongoing inspiration, education, and community to support their efforts to achieve their goals.

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for seeing people as our most valuable asset.

At PNC Bank, we recognize that having a diverse workforce — to meet the needs of an ever changing and diverse marketplace — makes good business sense. That’s why we’re so focused on diversity and inclusion — in our hiring practices, our employee programs, and the communities in which we serve. We’re proud of the culture we’ve created where our employees can achieve great things. Learn more at pnc.com/diversity.

PNC is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer – M/F/D/V/SO. ©2013 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC

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minds , not melanin | FEATURE

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By Nes Diaz-Uda and Kelvin Womack

n late August, more than 20,000 people marched through the streets of Washington D.C. in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech. In this iconic address, King pined for an America in which his children would be “judged not by the color of their skin, but rather by the content of their character.” But five decades of progress has yet to evolve our understanding of race and culture in the workplace very far beyond the same external features that King told us matter least.

Organizations across the country are searching for diverse employees, but what does a diverse workforce really look like? Is it an appropriate mix of races, genders and ages? Since diversity has been couched within the context of physical attributes for so many years, HR and Talent representatives wouldn’t be remiss in thinking about diversity solely in these dimensions.

Yet, as long as diversity is about visible difference, this narrow definition will limit the collective potential of any workforce. Diversity is about what makes each of us unique, namely our backgrounds, cultures, and ideas. In its broadest sense, diversity should mean diversity of thought—brought about by our different experiences, perspectives, and approaches—and be the focus of functional diversity rather than allowing visible attributes to serve as a proxy.

Minds, not melanin, solve problems.

Diversity of thought refers to a

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concept that all of us know intuitively and experience throughout our lives. It goes beyond the affirmation of equality—simply recognizing differences and responding to them.

Instead, the focus is on realizing the full potential of people, and in turn the organization, by acknowledging and appreciating the promise inherent in each person’s unique perspective and approach.

Diversity of Thought and the Future of the Workforce

With impending demographic shifts in the U.S. labor market, increased levels of diversity in the future workplace are inevitable. Moving forward, organizations that fail to align their demographic data with that of the nation will find that their organizations may lack a 360 degree frame of reference. This means that demographics can become a “check in” metric, serving as a lead indicator as to whether organizations are drawing from the full brain trust and working towards meritocracy.

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So how can an organization strengthen diversity of thought?

Hiring Differently

The job description and interview process should contain competencies and questions designed to help identify and select a cognitively diverse organization. Organizations also need to recruit top talent—even if it means shaking up the status quo with opinionated employees.

A German software firm is taking this idea of recruiting for thought diversity a step further by actively recruiting for a particular strand of cognitive ability that has historically been branded as a disability. SAP AG recently announced its plans to recruit people with autism to make use of this population’s ability to process information. People diagnosed with Autism have difficulties communicating and suffer from emotional detachment, yet those with mild autism diagnoses often can perform complex tasks that require high levels of concentra-

The demographic transformation of the U.S. labor market makes diversity a permanent fixture in the workplace. But what does a diverse workforce really look like?

tion—typically much better than the general population. Beyond their advanced mathematical skills, autistic people also frequently exhibit a particularly potent ability to find patterns and make connections. SAP AG’s willingness to seek out unique cognitive skill sets where other organizations may see prohibitive deficits injects new complexity into their talent management, but can be well worth the effort.

Managing Differently

Instead of seeking consensus as an end goal, managers should encourage task-focused conflict that can push their teams to new levels of creativity and productivity. The aim is to foster an environment where all feel comfortable sharing their views and their authentic selves.

Research demonstrates that thought diversity can help organizations make better decisions because it triggers more creative information processing, which is often absent in homogenous groups. Moreover, while homogenous groups are typically more confident in their performance, diverse groups are often times more successful in completing tasks. This is because diverse team members don’t just introduce new

viewpoints; they also trigger more careful information processing that is typically absent in homogenous groups. Some of the most groundbreaking research in this area is being conducted by the government, specifically the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). IARPA and its Aggregative Contingent Estimation (ACE) Program are actively seeking answers to whether or not there are optimal levels of diverse thinking and what environmental conditions spur key decision-making moments.

Promoting Differently

One way organizations can retain and advance cognitively diverse talent is to enact sponsorship programs directed at individuals who represent different thinking styles.

A sponsor trained in the tenets

of thought diversity will be able to translate and promote the otherwise hidden attributes of individuals new to an organization. For example, military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have skills, certifications, and cognitive styles that organizations can use, including the ability to think quickly, manage well under pressure, and improvise. And yet their careers can be rocky when they are asked to adjust to a culture different from the military life they’re used to. Sponsors that can facilitate these types of transitions are important to an organization’s ability to incorporate cognitive diversity.

This comes from the top and requires leadership commitment.

Critically, it is leaders who initiate and shape changes about the advancement of their employees.

Fifty years ago, a leader did just that. Dr. King asked us to imagine an American people bound to one another, proud of our diversity. We have an opportunity now to not just imagine, but to create a workplace in which who you are, and what you can do, matters more than anything else. Organizations that learn to hire, manage, and promote their workforce using the principles of cognitive diversity will finally fully tap into America’s greatest natural resource—its people. PDJ Adapted from “Diversity’s New Frontier: Thought Diversity and the Future of the Workforce.” Full article and attributes can be found on Deloitte University Press at http://bit.ly/melanin.

Anesa “Nes” Diaz-Uda is a former GovLab fellow and Senior Consultant in the Federal Strategy and Operations practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP. She currently leads the delivery of AntiHuman Trafficking field solutions to clients in the Federal marketplace. Kelvin Womack is Managing Principal of Diversity and Federal practice Inclusion Leader for Deloitte’s U.S. firms.

In addition to these roles, he also serves as federal health sector principal and practice leader, where his responsible for engagements focused on critical federal health issues.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION: Rewarding Accountable Leadership Never before have our executive leadership teams been so closely scrutinized. Their behavior, performance, and compensation are monitored and analyzed not only by company stakeholders, but also by media and policymakers.

By Dr. Gijs van Bussel and Jasmine De Clerck

I

n the wake of the financial crisis, we’ve reached an inflection point: Companies are expected to prioritize the management of People, Planet, and Profit. But are actions supporting this expectation? Are corporate leaders being held accountable for successfully achieving the balance?

To answer these questions, a research team at Borderless—the Brussels-based leadership consultancy and executive search firm—surveyed international senior executives in roles at the top three levels of their organizations. Borderless researchers, led by Consultant Jasmine De Clerck, worked in collaboration with Dr. Gijs van Bussel, Professor at Nyenrode Business University and partner at PwC’s Human Resource Services practice in the Netherlands.

“If it’s true that compensation drives behavior, then we wanted to know to what extent organizations are transforming financial packages and benefits to support today’s expectations of corporate leaders,” said Ms. De Clerck. “Our research showed that despite years of talk about corporate social responsibility based on the ‘planet, people, and profit’ ideal, there is still a clear mismatch in aligning management compensation structures.”

Three key conclusions were drawn:

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1. Short-termism Trumps Corporate Social Responsibility The prevailing view in terms of awarding variable compensation seems to be short-termism.

“When asked about their variable compensation— cash bonus, stock options, shares, etc.—participants responded that it is most often linked to their short-term impact on the business—that is, financial results and

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reaching strategic milestones within three months to a year,” explained Ms. De Clerck. “To a much lesser extent it relates to people and planet issues such as employee engagement and motivation, environmental footprint, reputation, brand, innovation, and other corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures.”

Interestingly, close to 28 percent of respondents felt that their variable compensation is at least partially a pure retention bonus. And almost half stated that they don’t have a long-term (5–10 year) incentive.

2. Words Aren’t Necessarily Backed by Actions Opinions are clearly divided as to whether the CEO is rewarded for the long-term viability of the company from a profit, planet, and people perspective: onequarter of executives answered positively, one-quarter negatively, one-quarter replied “to an extent,” and onequarter simply did not know.

“Moreover, only a minority of the surveyed companies reported having CSR objectives tightly linked with compensation,” said Ms. De Clerck. “Even if C-level executives were ‘walking the talk’ on these issues, actions are not clearly disclosed and rigorously demanded. Although each annual report today talks about the effect of the company’s activities on the environment and its key stakeholders, there is no clear link to the CEO’s remuneration in these domains.”

3. Transparency to Relevancy: Not There Yet “We were surprised to find that the international movement promoting the shift from ‘transparency to relevancy’ in disclosures within compensation reporting does not seem to have taken off in the companies who responded,” said Ms. De Clerck.

As Dr. Gijs van Bussel pointed out: “It is not good enough to simply list all of the data in the report.

Companies should ask: What is the relevancy of this data for our stakeholders? Can our stakeholders easily discern whether or not we pay for performance or retention from the data presented in the report?”

There was a clear difference in responses from privately- and publicly-owned companies. Sixty-seven percent of respondents in public companies said that the compensation packages of board members and the executive committee are clearly communicated in the annual report, whereas only 22 percent of private company respondents agreed.

“For private companies in particular, what message do you send when you don’t go beyond the minimum legal requirements of reporting? What if you want to promote pay-for-performance as a value in your company? How credible is your message if you are not seen to be setting the example from the top? There is no reason for privately-owned companies not to consider implementing best practices in transparent communication when it comes to pay and performance,” added Ms. De Clerck.

The Evolving Landscape of Executive Compensation As more emphasis is placed on how executives perform and how that performance is rewarded, it is clear that we are not yet where we aspire to be. The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), set up in 2010, aims to define standards for a new format of annual reports that shows the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of strategy, governance and performance on value creation in terms of both financial and nonfinancial capital, such as talent, natural resources, and intellectual property.

“We believe, in the same way that several internal control scandals provoked new codes for corporate governance, the financial crisis will lead to the adoption of more robust reporting standards like that being created by the IIRC,” said Els De Cremer, Managing Director, Borderless. “This transparency would allow investors and prospective employees to understand how companies are investing their (leadership) capital and how they are setting the stage for their business to succeed responsibly, today and tomorrow.

“Transparency, relevancy of what is communicated, and congruence in corporate values lead to sustainable results in more ways than one.” PDJ Borderless has a unique approach to international executive search. The firm finds and attracts talented senior-level executives for multinational companies in the process and converting, life sciences, environmental technologies and food processing sectors. For more than a decade, Borderless has been identifying leaders to assume roles on boards and in senior management, finance, human resources, administration, marketing and sales, operations, logistics, and R&D, as well as a range of specialist positions. http://borderless.net.

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BUSSEL

DE CLERCK

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RECOVERING

FROM A MISSED

Tips for rebuilding as a best-in-class supplier after a contract loss.

By Brian Bensman

A

s the economy continues to recover, many organizations are working hard to ensure the best value for current spend, which means finding suppliers who can deliver exceptional products and services at a fair price.

Oftentimes, expanding supplier bases to include diverse suppliers helps businesses reach this goal. A 2011 survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reveals that respondents believed supplier diversity programs “are the right thing to do,” keep them in compliance with federal reporting regulations and make sense because their customers are diverse.

However, the ISM’s Supplier Diversity Survey found that nearly 72 percent of organizations agreed that the biggest challenge they faced was finding qualified suppliers. The

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toughest time for a diverse supplier can be the moments after losing out on a contract. Whether large or small, contract wins are key to improving employee morale and keeping business revenue out of the red. Minority and Woman-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) can recover more easily from a contract loss and rebuild themselves as bestin-class suppliers by following a set of tips for supplier success, which include: 1. Determine Areas for Improvement by Reassessing the Submitted Proposal Winning a contract takes hard work and patience, so suppliers should not be discouraged when they do not secure business on the first attempt. Organizations, especially those with award-winning supplier diversity programs, are rigorous when qualifying MWBEs and

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reviewing proposals. It’s important for suppliers to take a step back after being passed on for an opportunity and assess their proposal with a critical eye to see how it can present a more robust proposal at the next opportunity.

MWBEs need to ask themselves: What areas are lacking comprehensive information or fail to set the supplier apart from others? Does the supplier offer a competitive advantage beyond a diverse solution? Did the supplier provide a current client list that highlights competence at meeting the customer’s needs? Does the supplier appear ready to take on a contract of the proposed size? Does the supplier demonstrate an understanding of the customer and the industry? Did the supplier have the opportunity to both quote what was requested in the bid package and offer other creative opportunities that the client might not have considered?

Many organizations issue a Statement of Work (SOW) or similar document to define sourcing requirements when going to market.

This outline would be an ideal point of review for self-assessment. It may also be beneficial for MWBEs to ask the customer if they are open to sharing insight on the proposal that can be helpful at the next opportunity, although not all organizations will be able to or choose to provide this information.

2. Review the Value Proposition A value proposition demonstrates how a product or service solves problems, the specific benefits the product or service offers the customer, and how these benefits are unique in comparison to competitors. Organizations should focus on the differentiators of their business, and communicate these clearly during the bidding process in order to stand out. For instance, suppliers may need to think beyond providing a high-quality product or service at a fair price, because customers want to have a competitive advantage and will look for suppliers that can offer unique solutions. Many organizations encourage both new and incumbent suppliers to challenge themselves to change or improve their value proposition. If suppliers can offer additional services that reduce the client’s total cost and not just the cost per unit, they can increase their chances of being selected by the customer.

3. Expand Learning with the Help of Mentors and Training Courses Networking enables suppliers to get face-to-face interaction with sourcing and diversity leaders at tradeshows or

local business events. Organizational leaders should make it a priority to build relationships with these corporate decision makers and emphasize that they want to learn from them.

Relationship-building opens the door to mentoring, a key to success for suppliers. Mentors serve as coaches to employees and executives of MWBEs in order to improve selling strategy, identify pain points, and offer a unique point of view to which suppliers may not previously have had access.

Corporations with best-in-class supplier diversity programs may have formal mentoring programs in place to pair passionate leaders with MWBEs. To identify organizations that may offer these programs, suppliers should do their research and identify award-winning supplier diversity programs. Businesses that have received accolades from national or local organizations are likely to offer mentoring programs. It’s also helpful to reach out to leaders within the organization that did not select the MWBE in order to get direct feedback about its proposal and learn how to improve for the future.

Mentors provide one-on-one learning. However, training classes designed for suppliers provide education in a group environment and are critical for learning how to be competitive during the bidding process and after, if selected by the customer.

4. Consider Building Momentum with Smaller, Manageable Projects As difficult as it may be, organizations need to see the silver lining after losing out on a contract. The experience gives suppliers the chance to regroup and work on areas of

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their business in order to make a proposal stronger at the next opportunity. To improve the quality of a submitted proposal, it’s often beneficial to build momentum with smaller projects in the interim.

Customers want to see experience, so demonstrating value by winning business, regardless of size, is important. It may also be better to develop a business model that capitalizes on a smaller scale solution for many potential clients versus relying on one customer with a high spend account.

By balancing multiple customers, suppliers can build an impressive client list and go after a larger account in the future if they wish.

All MWBEs should be open to methods for developing and improving their operations in order to capitalize on the growth of supplier diversity program spending. Although it takes time to adapt to the requirements and needs of an organization after losing out on business, MWBEs are better equipped to win contracts when they practice the above strategies. After applying these tools for success, if the supplier is awarded a contract, it can more easily guarantee the renewal of the contract by focusing on remaining competitive and communicating differentiators as often as possible. PDJ Brian Bensman is Senior Director of Strategic Sourcing at Cintas Corporation, which provides highly specialized services, including designing, manufacturing, and implementing corporate identity uniform programs, to more than one million businesses.

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The Opportunity in Your

BENEFIT PROGRAM

When looking for a job, weighing the options for employees is about much more than base pay.

By Chris Duchesne

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T

he role, the manager, and the compensation are all important factors in deciding whether to join a new company, but benefit programs are a critical factor as well. According to a recent MetLife study, 61percent of employees say the benefits offered

November/December 2013

were the reason they joined their employer—69 percent say they are the reason they stay with their employer (2010 MetLife 8th Annual Study of Employee Benefit Trends).

And increasingly, employees are looking for benefits that are tailored to them as individuals, not blanket programs that leave them wondering if their em-

“

“

ployer understands their needs. More than ever, the lines between work and home life are blurring and working for a company that understands that is important to employees.

Family dynamics have changed, and today’s parents are facing unique work-life challenges that previous generations did not. Women are sharing family responsibilities with their spouses, more men are opting to take on a larger childcare role, technology is enabling work flexibility, and more women are staying in the workforce after having kids—in fact 40 percent are the family breadwinner. All of this means that we also have to evolve our thinking about benefits programs and work flexibility, whether you are already a parent or think you could be one in the next five years.

Companies who value their employees and want to retain top talent recognize the importance of benefits programs and a company culture that encourages employees to take advantage of them.

They are looking for holistic solutions that provide a broad range of services that can help meet employees’ needs as they change over time. With the changed employee-employer contract, employees want to be recognized not

COMPANIES WHO VALUE THEIR

EMPLOYEES AND WANT TO RETAIN TOP TALENT RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BENEFITS PROGRAMS AND A COMPANY CULTURE THAT ENCOURAGES EMPLOYEES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

just for their output and contributions, but as valued members of the organization who exist outside the work space as well.

Flexible work options, paid leave and benefits like child and adult/elder care solutions prevent workers from having to take unpaid leave and decrease related absences— good for both the employee and the employer.

Among the top benefits highlighted by employees today are: Flexibility Whether it’s the ability to work from home a couple of days a week or the option to work four longer days and take the fifth off to run errands, make doctors’ appointments, or recharge , flex-

ibility is key to employees.

Technology has changed when and where work can be done. Especially for the latest generation of workers, the concept of being in the office and working a traditional schedule are no longer predictors of success, and for many is a turnoff.

Meeting Care Needs With changing family dynamics, care responsibilities, whether for a child or an aging parent, no longer fall predominantly on women so care programs that assist both men and women are essential. Forward-thinking companies recognize that their employees are multidimensional, juggling the demands of work and family and offer care and

backup care programs for employees.

Maternity and Paternity Leave Most companies now offer maternity and paternity leave programs but whether they are paid or unpaid and length of time offered will vary from company to company. As a general rule of thumb, companies should offer at least two weeks off for paternity leave and should provide pay for as much of 12 weeks of maternity leave as possible.

Some companies, like Yahoo!, even offer money for household expenses on top of paid time off.

Benefits programs are evolving and companies are getting creative to lure and keep talented workers. They are seeking solutions that can be tailored to fit diverse employee needs, but feel like a solution for one.

After all, happy, balanced people who feel valued are more likely to be focused and motivated employees. PDJ

Chris Duchesne, VP of Global Workplace Solutions for Care.com, brings more than 15 years of experience in HR technology to Care.com, the largest online care destination in the world with 8 million members spanning 16 countries. A key member of the leadership team, he oversees the Global Workplace Solutions program that provides customized, costeffective programs that make Care.com’s suite of services available to institutional and corporate clients, their employees and families. Each program is tailored to the specif ic needs of an employee base and can therefore range from the most basic level of services to enhanced back-up care to Senior Care Planning to one-on-one support in establishing care networks for relocating executives. Current clients include start-ups to Fortune 500 companies like Yahoo!, Clif Bar & Company, Facebook, Honest Tea, iRobot, Jamba Juice, Northwestern University, eBay and LinkedIn. DUCHESNE

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The Case for FLEX

By Catalyst

I

n today’s tech-savvy world, many workers can do their jobs anytime and anywhere. In fact, experts predict that 1.3 billion people will be working virtually within the next couple of years. Face time can still be valuable—but it no longer represents the best or only way to work.

So why are so many companies still questioning the importance of offering flexible work options?

Earlier this year, Yahoo, following in Bank of America’s flex-reducing footsteps, ended its telecommuting option.

Just a week later, Best Buy terminated its decade-old flexible work program.

The reluctance of some employers to embrace flex can be at least partially attributed to the persistence of certain myths. Catalyst’s new study, The Great Debate: Flexibility vs. Face Time, dispels these myths.

Below are several of the myths our report addresses— along with the findings that disprove them: MYTH: Flexible work arrangements are the exception, not the rule.

FACT: Eighty-one percent of our subjects said that their current employer offers flexible work options. This means that for every company that does not offer such options (which can include telecommuting, flexible arrival and departure times, compressed work weeks, part-time options, and job-sharing), there are four others that do.

MYTH: Flex only matters to millennials and parents.

FACT: High-potential employees of all ages—with and without children—see flexible work options as important and desirable.

MYTH: Women are likelier than men to use flexible work options.

FACT: Women and men are equally likely to use some flex options throughout their careers.

MYTH: Access to flexible work arrangements has no impact on employee aspirations.

FACT: Ninety percent of employees in organizations that offer flexible work options aspire to a C-suite job.

In companies without these options, women are far likelier than men to downsize their aspirations.

Flex Works, a useful new tool released with this report,

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TIME provides detailed examples of successful flexible work arrangements from companies where “flex works” for everyone. It includes the following compelling insights: • Smart companies make flexibility a priority, even during challenging economic times • Ensuring that all employees, regardless of gender or parental status, have access to flexible work arrangements can enhance the effectiveness of these arrangements • Industries with roles that cannot be performed virtually can still offer their employees some flexibility • Collaboration and innovation can be achieved virtually and even across different time zones • Home office workers can be more productive and deliver higher quality work than their in-office counterparts • Organizations looking to succeed in growing economies must be as committed to implementing flexible work programs in these regions as they are to implementing such programs in more developed areas • In order for flexible work options to be effective across an organization, employers must be sensitive to cultural differences • Successful flexible work arrangements require trust and respect between managers and employees An organization’s unwillingness to offer flexible work options can negatively impact its ability to attract and retain top talent, since high-potential men and women alike have come to expect flex options. Companies that wish to hire the best and brightest should determine which flex programs and policies are best suited to their business—and start implementing them.

In an increasingly competitive, borderless business world, only the most adaptable companies will survive. PDJ

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization expanding opportunities for women and business. Find out more at www.catalyst.org.

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At BAnk of the West, We vAlue the individuAl.

Different perspectives generate fresh ideas. That’s why at Bank of the West, we value diversity and equal opportunity for all our employees. We’ve grown stronger thanks to our unique blend of people. After all, in today’s competitive banking environment, it is our employees that keep us a step ahead of the rest. For career opportunities, visit us online at bankofthewest.com.

Bank of the West and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers.

Member FDIC. ©2012 Bank of the West.

| HOW I WORK

Sharda Mohammed

As director of diversity at Michelin, I am able to leverage all of the incredible talent working for us to not only achieve business results, but also to enhance the corporate culture of our 120-year-old company. At the end of the day, a company’s diversity, when nurtured and embraced, will help set it apart from its competitors. The Michelin tagline is “a better way forward,” and on a daily basis, we encourage employees to challenge themselves and each other.

What technology (apps and software) do you use on a daily basis?

I could not function without the array of applications on my iPhone. I rely on it to stay looped in with LinkedIn’s Diversity groups,

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to be prepared in case it happens to snow in our area, and of course, to stay connected to my networks on Facebook.

At my desk: Microsoft Office dominates my desktop.

You can always expect to find me building a presentation in PowerPoint, preparing a docu-

November/December 2013

ment in Word, or monitoring the influx of emails through LotusNotes.

What is your favorite gadget or technology?

At Michelin, we use IBM’s Sametime for real-time, in-

Hometown:

Lachute, Quebec, Canada

Current City:

Greenville, South Carolina

Favorite Technology:

iPhone

Describe Yourself in Three Words: Driven, Caring, Vibrant

work responsibilities every chance I get.

Do you listen to music at work? stant messaging communication. People become consumed and inundated with emails throughout the day, so a quick instant message is an effective way to connect with a colleague, ask a question, or even just send a goofy emoticon. The best part is that this form of communication is accepted and used throughout the entire world, making colleagues in foreign countries and senior management accessible.

me be more efficient. Being adaptable and flexible to the changing pace of the workday is also important, since every day is different with different needs. I make it a point to maintain a healthy worklife balance, and I am lucky Michelin supports that. I also separate tasks that must be done at work from those I can do at home.

Describe your workspace:

Working for Michelin is far from boring. The diversity in our business projects and our employee base ensures that my job is always filled with exciting and fresh opportunities. Although stress can creep in from time to time, I find myself most able to manage through it by staying focused, being determined, and keeping things in perspective. It also helps to use my colleagues as a sounding board.

Michelin’s North American headquarters recently went through a renovation to brighten and open up workspaces in order to encourage collaboration, interaction, and engagement among employees. Long gone is the isolation from high cubicle walls and my workspace, at the intersection of human resources and communications groups, is an inviting space where I welcome casual conversations, laughter and a pleasant interface with my fellow employees.

How do you save time at work?

Staying organized and planning for the tasks ahead helps

How do you manage boredom/ stress while at work?

What does an average lunch break consist of?

I use my lunch breaks to network with friends and colleagues. I try and learn something new about my coworkers and their respective

Listening to music at work is difficult for me as I tend to enjoy losing myself in the lyrics and melodies—I’m not sure my neighbors would appreciate hearing my version of ’80s classics.

Describe a perfect work day?

My perfect workday starts after getting a good night’s sleep and time in the morning with my children—getting them ready for school and prepared for their day. As we leave the house, we tell each other, “Only you have the power to make today great— now go have a great day!” One key to my perfect work day is arriving early in order to get through emails and tasks that might have lingered from the previous day. Without those looming over me, I am able to be fully engaged and prepared for my day’s work.

I dislike having to be overly concerned with administrative tasks. Instead, I prefer to make a difference by providing my full attention to the project at hand. Of course, no perfect day is complete unless it is filled with conversation and laughter. I live by a motto I would like to share with everyone: Be the best your unique self has to offer! PDJ

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| DAY IN THE LIFE

Tomas DeLuna

At 27, DeLuna is the creative force behind GE’s new Artistry™ Series—a family of kitchen products that combine distinctive, even elegant, design with easy usability.

7 a.m.

Wake up, feeling eager to start the day. Before I leave for work, I pause and have breakfast with my wife. We make this a priority each morning.

7:45 a.m

Leave for work with lunch in tow. The drive takes about 10 minutes with traffic, which is just enough time to start thinking about the day ahead and getting focused.

8 a.m.

Arrive at work.

8:15 a.m.

Grab a cup of coffee and do some research to get my creative juices flowing. Many days, like today, I choose to read car blogs, which doesn’t appear to relate to appliances, but provides me with a unique perspective on design. The ways cars tug at emotions is very compelling. I’m a self-proclaimed techy, so I might do some research on tech blogs, too, to see what consumer brands are up to.

9 a.m.

Fire up my email, run through my to-do list and begin tackling today’s tasks—after my one cup of coffee for the day, I’m feeling inspired.

9:30 a.m.

Meet with a large retail customer who has come to Appliance Park learn about our Artistry strategy from our design team. As the designer behind the Artistry strategy, I am in this meeting and others like it to ensure we’re highlighting key aspects of the appliance line. Thus far, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback and interest from these groups.

10:30 a.m. Take the customer to our Industrial Design

Operations (IDO), where they can see and

interact with our actual appliances. This is

very important for Artistry, which places a lot

of design emphasis on the features consumers

touch and interact with.

11 a.m.

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Sit down with our communications group to discuss how to position Artistry. The goal is to deliver a clear and consistent message and a brand statement. I enjoy these meetings because they allow me to help set the direction of products I’m passionate about.

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

12:30 p.m. Take a break for lunch. I use this time to

recharge and to clear my head. I’m extremely

focused when I’m working, but when I take a

break, I shut that off completely and take a true

mental break.

1:30 p.m.

Start my afternoon in our Rapid Prototyping Center (RPC), testing a part of a new appliance.

The RPC houses rapid prototype printers with a wide variety of printing technologies that can produce workable models in different materials and sizes. Rapid prototyping streamlines and speeds up the product design process. The RPC is key in the project I’m working on today because it will help cut down on the number of design revisions needed to get us to our goal.

2:30 p.m. Interview with a design publication. This is an

important aspect of my role and I’ve gotten

comfortable with this type of exchange.

3:15 p.m.

Design team regroups to review the prototypes created today and decide what adjustments are needed. This review process is very important because it allows us to see potential design issues and address them early on.

4 p.m.

Faced with a product design hurdle we haven’t been able to get past, we take some time to brainstorm solutions as a group.

5:30 p.m. Leave work and head home.

5:45 p.m. Arrive home and let out our cocker spaniel.

He runs around, enjoying finally being outside!

7 p.m.

Sit down to dinner with my wife. We’ve been making an effort lately to sit together at the dinner table rather than eat in front of the TV. It gives us a chance to reflect on the day and share stories.

11 p.m.

After doing some chores around the house— we’ve been making a lot of upgrades lately, as we recently moved—we go to bed, ready to start all over again tomorrow. PDJ

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Service.

It’s What We Do.

| CORPORATE INDEX 3M............................................. www.3m.com............................. 26, 27, 74

Cozen O’Connor..................... www.cozen.com........................................ 12

Accenture............................ www.accenture.com............................... 26, 27

CVS Caremark................www.cvscaremark.com..................................... ......................................................................... Inside Front Cover, 26, 33

ACT............................................www.act.org........................................... 22 Ameren.................................. www.ameren.com................................ 26, 28 American Express Company.................................www.amex.com.................................. 26, 28

Deloitte.................................. www.deloitte.com................................. 26, 33 DLA Piper..............................www.dlapiper.com................................ 26, 61 Ernst & Young LLP.................... www.ey.com..................................... 26, 34

Bank of the West.......... www.bankofthewest.com......................... 26, 69

FordHarrison LLP...............www.fordharrison.com............................. 26, 34

BASF Corporation....................www.basf.com................................... 26, 29

Gallaudet University............. www.gallaudet.edu..................................... 16

BeamPines......................... www.beampines.com.....................................11

Gibbons P.C........................ www.gibbonspc.com.............................. 26, 35

Booz Allen Hamilton............. www.bah.com............................. 26, 29, 75

General Electric......................... www.ge.com.......................................... 72

Borderless............................http://borderless.net..................................... 62

Greenberg Traurig, LLP........... www.gtlaw.com........................................ 26

Caesars Entertainment Corporation............................www.caesars.com................................ 26, 30

Halliburton...........................www.halliburton.com.............................. 26, 35

Capital One Financial Corp..................... www.capitalone.com.............................. 26, 30

Housing Solutions USA..............www.housingsolutionsusa.org............................. 76

Care.com..................................www.care.com......................................... 66 Catalyst...................................www.catalyst.org....................................... 68 Charles Schwab & Co........ www.schwab.com......................... 13, 26, 32 Chevron...............................www.chevron.com................................. 7, 26 Citigroup Inc.............................. www.citi.com.......................................... 26 Coca-Cola Enterprises..........www.cokecce.com................................ 26, 32

Haynes and Boone, LLP.. www.haynesboone.com............................ 26, 36

Ingersoll Rand................company.ingersollrand.com............................... 26 JBK Associates.................. www.jbkassociates.net................................... 26 Kirkland & Ellis LLP............... www.kirkland.com...................................... 56 KPMG LLP.............................www.kpmg.com........................... 26, 36, 55 Linkage..............................www.linkageinc.com....................................... ..........................................................................26, 38, Inside Back Cover

Engaging

Diverse

© 3M 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Perspectives Ideas as diverse as the people behind them.

3M innovations are born from the contributions of many. Along with more than 88,000 employees in more than 70 countries, you can share your ideas and shape the future.

Be part of what’s next.

3M.com/careers-diversity

BOLD denotes Advertiser Lockheed Martin Corporation.................. www.lockheedmartin.com........................ 26, 37

Reed Smith LLP.................. www.reedsmith.com............................... 26, 41

MeadWestvaco Corporation...................... www.meadwestvaco.com................................ 26

SAP.......................................... www.sap.com.......................................... 26

Michelin.................................www.michelin.com...................................... 70 MGM Resorts International........................www.mgmresorts.com............................. 26, 38 Moore & Van Allen PLLC....... www.mvalaw.com................................ 26, 39 National Grid......................www.nationalgrid.com............................. 26, 39 National Industries for the Blind................................www.nib.org........................................... 14 New York Life...................www.newyorklife.com...................... 25, 26, 39 Newell Rubbermaid....... www.newellrubbermaid.com.............................. 26 Novartis AG...........................www.novartis.com...................................... 26 OfficeMax Inc.......................www.officemax.com............................... 26, 40 Pepco Holdings, Inc.........www.pepcoholdings.com........................... 26, 40

Rockwell Collins...............www.rockwellcollins.com................................. 26 Shell........................................www.shell.com.................................. 26, 43 Sodexo, Inc........................... www.sodexo.com................................. 26, 42 Springboard Consulting LLP............. www.consultsprindboard.com............................. 10 Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.......www.sullcrom.com................................ 26, 42 Teach For America.......... www.teachforamerica.org.......................... 26, 44 The Hartford........................www.thehartford.com.............................. 26, 44 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service...... www.fws.gov.................................... 26, 46 Union Bank..........................www.unionbank.com.............................. 26, 45 UnitedHealth Group... www.unitedhealthgroup.co.................. 15, 26, 45 Vanguard............................www.vanguard.com.............. 26, Back Cover Wal-Mart Stores, Inc...........www.walmart.com............................... 26, 31

PNC Financial Services Group...................... www.pnc.com................................... 26, 59

Walgreen Co........................ www.walgreens.com.............................. 26, 46

Proskauer Rose LLP............ www.prokauer.com..................................... 26

William Osler Health System................. www.williamoslerhs.on.ca.......................... 26, 47

Raytheon............................... www.ratheon.com...................................... 26 RBC..........................................www.rbc.com............................. 26, 41, 47

WellPoint, Inc.....................www.wellpoint.com............................ 5, 8, 26

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.......................www.zphib1920.org.................................... 73

Work that makes a difference.

Teammates who value individual aspirations and experiences.

At Booz Allen Hamilton, our people provide clients with inspired thinking—to help solve some of today’s most important and complex challenges and achieve success in critical missions.

We believe unique perspectives contribute to innovative ideas, which drive better results not only for our clients, but for the world around us. At Booz Allen, diversity is central to who we are and what we do. Our commitment to an inclusive environment means facilitating understanding and awareness, and creating initiatives to improve the quality of work life for staff.

If you’re looking to do work that makes a difference at a firm that’s committed to helping you achieve your professional and personal goals, Booz Allen could be what’s next for you. To find out more, visit boozallen.com/careers to create and submit a profile.

www.boozallen.com/careers We are proud of our diverse environment, EOE/M/F/D/V.

| QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Helping the Homeless GET RESULTS We spoke with Cara Pace, president of Housing Solutions USA, a nonprofit with revenues of $65 million that provides services to the homeless and needy in New York City. Almost 8,000 people are helped every year through Housing Solutions USA, and about 150 are employed at the organization.

How did you become involved with Housing Solutions USA? In the late ’90s, I worked at an organization called the Children’s Health Fund at Montreal Medical Center. They provided healthcare services to people in the homeless shelters in New York City. In 2001, I moved to Volunteers for America and ran their largest division, housing and shelter in New York City, a program for people who were victims of domestic violence; had medical issues; had supportive housing, affordable housing, or market rent; and were living in shelters for families. I spent ten and a half years at Volunteers for America running a diverse portfolio, and I had the opportunity to start a new organization called Housing Solutions USA with former Commissioner of Public Services Robert Heft and Alison Iski. We decided to pool our talents and create a new kind of nonprofit that was really results-focused; we wanted to make a difference in homelessness in New York City.

Why do you consider Housing Solutions USA a “next-generation” nonprofit?

We take a business approach. We

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PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

try to be effective in our programming and costs, as well as resultsdriven, in that we provide cuttingedge services to our clients that are also practical. We approach every client individually and make sure our staff understands the need to be diverse in our approaches, because everyone is different— everyone is facing challenges for different reasons. We empower our clients to take charge of their life plans, and be instrumental in improving their own situation and getting out of the homeless shelter.

Because we take this approach, we’re able to put people into housing and establish relationships with clients more quickly, and we can operate with a smaller staff. Many times, nonprofits get caught up in advocacy, rather than in being results-driven.

How long do people usually stay in the housing solutions?

How do you help them get back on their feet?

They generally stay between nine and twelve months. When people come to us, we start immediately to work on an exit strategy and identify the underlying causes of their homelessness. Whether the November/December 2013

problem is job loss, a medical issue, or drug abuse, we connect them with services that will help them deal with issues or get proper training. We set practical goals in our plans and follow up with accountability questions like are you using drugs, are you sending out a certain number of résumés, and did you go to your job interviews? They have ownership of the plan, and goals that are measured weekly.

How do you see the problem of homelessness in New York City being solved?

As an organization, we’ve become engaged in policymaking in the city and the industry as a whole. The homeless service industry and nonprofit providers are trying to educate New York City mayoral candidates and other elected officials to make homelessness a top priority in the next administration. I think as part of this community we’re able to get media outlets to pay more attention to homelessness, to help them understand that it’s not just related to a disaster like Sandy. It’s a serious issue for families and children that should have a higher priority across the country. PDJ

Diversity and inclusion is everyone’s job.

May 5-7, 2014 • Atlanta, GA

Designed for both practitioners and general business leaders, the Institute helps organizations recognize and leverage D&I to achieve goals and drive results.

Join other organizations dedicated to diversity and inclusion at Linkage’s Institute for Leading Diversity & Inclusion™, May 5-7, 2014, in Atlanta.

Call +1.781.402.5555 or visit www.linkageinc.com/div7 to learn more.

Linkage works with leaders and leadership teams worldwide to build organizations that produce superior results. For over 25 years, we have delivered on this promise by strategically aligning leadership, talent, and culture within organizations globally. We do this by providing strategic consulting on leadership development and talent management topics and through our learning institutes, skill-building workshops, tailored assessment services, and executive coaching.

www.linkageinc.com

Linkage is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, and St. Louis, and outside the U.S. in Athens, Bangalore, Brussels, Bucharest, Buenos Aires, Hamilton, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Mexico City, Rome, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

V A N G U A R D C A R E E R S . Stay. Inspired.

At Vanguard I stay connected.

At Vanguard, giving back is an integral part of our culture. We offer many unique programs that help Vanguard make an impact on the communities in which we live and work. We believe financial literacy is an important skill for all ages.

That’s why we have partnered with an award winning educator, Rafe Esquith, to develop a financial education program appropriate for all children from kindergarten through 12th grade titled My Classroom Economy. The classroom economy idea offers a way to teach young people not only the concept of financial discipline but also the rewards that go with it.

To learn more about My Classroom Economy visit the website at www.myclassroomeconomy.org.

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Connect with VanguardÂŽ Vanguard is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

www.vanguard.com/careers