Special Advertising Section
PROGRESS ENERGY EMPOWERED BY DIVERSITY Serving the needs of 2.8 million utility customers in the Carolinas and Florida, supplying more than 30 percent of the power to Georgia electric cooperatives and operating facilities throughout the Southeast means Progress Energy must not only understand diversity, it must embrace it. “Over the past five years our company has gone through many changes. Our service territories are growing, our industry is changing and our customers demand that we comprehend their changing needs,” said Bob McGehee, president, chairman and CEO at Progress Energy. “For a big company like ours to be nimble and responsive, our people must come to their jobs every day with diverse ideas and thrive in workplaces where all people are valued and respected.” In their relentless pursuit of excellence, Progress Energy employees are fully engaged in the company’s efforts to embrace diversity. The Corporate Diversity Council, chaired by McGehee, is made up of a cross-section of employees from across the company including line and service technicians, senior executives, customer service agents, managers, engineers and accountants. Diversity is a vital part of creating a high-performance culture and it makes for a better work environment. The company measures its level of achievement through the Diversity Scorecard, a quarterly analysis of success in five key areas: ● employee engagement and retention ● employee and leadership development ● supplier diversity ● recruiting and cultivating talent ● communications Achieving Full Potential New employees are encouraged to attend the company’s diversity training class within six months of their employment and the company is well on its way to achieving its goal of having all employees participate in diversity training by the end of 2004. Employee-designed activities have allowed employees to share their philosophies, backgrounds, perspectives and individual talents. Employees participated in more than 200 employee-planned events during the company’s 2003 Diversity Week. The results have been empowering: Supplier Diversity ● Increased corporate minority- and women-owned business (MWBE) spending by 18 percent to more than $96 million ● Increased Florida service area MWBE spending by more than 27 percent ● Created MWBE opportunities in nontraditional areas including coal purchases and investment banking ● Exceeded 20 percent MWBE goal for commitments on headquarters building project
Spanish-language outreach ● Provide service and safety information in Spanish ● Translate and distribute storm-related press releases in Spanish ● Educate line and service personnel on how to communicate with Spanish-speaking customers ● Conduct relationship-building sessions with Hispanic nonprofit executives to discuss Progress Energy’s strategy for increasing the diversity of its workforce and grant making At Progress Energy, a company that is powered by people, driven by performance and committed to excellence, diversity is more than an aspiration – it is a pillar of the company’s long-term strategy for success. For more information about diversity at Progress Energy, visit progress-energy.com/aboutus/diversity
Diversity on the Desktop Progress Energy is using technology to enhance its diversity efforts inside the company, achieve excellence in customer service and improve its outreach to a broader range of suppliers. The Diversity at Progress Energy Web site offers employees the opportunity to stay informed about diversity initiatives taking place inside the company. Employees can review the quarterly scorecard. Managers and supervisors can access tools that help them manage with diversity in mind and help their teams build a better understanding of how their unique differences can help them perform at a higher level. Employees can also learn about activities and events being planned by the Corporate Diversity Council, business unit diversity councils and individual departments and sections. Events like Diversity Celebration 2004, a week-long program of activities, engage employees in using diversity as a tool for improving the company’s performance, increasing customer satisfaction and enhancing shareholder value. The customer and vendor experience is also enhanced on the Web. During storms, Progress Energy customers can access press releases and safety messages in Spanish. The company is also planning to launch a Spanish-language Web site with regulatory and safety information available 24-7. Potential vendors can learn about the company’s Supplier Diversity Program at progress-energy.com/aboutus/diversity. Eligibility and certification requirements, items and services the company purchases, and the program objectives are at vendors’ fingertips.
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Trim: 8” x 10.875” Live: 7.5” x 10.375 Bleed: 8.25” x 11.125” Client: Inc Magazine, October 2004 issue Designer contact: Segal Savad, 212-645-0206