Ernst & Young, No. 6 in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50, is one of eight leading companies that presented at our Managing Relationships Between HR & Diversity Departments event held in New York City.

The full presentation slides are available at DiversityIncBestPractices.com.

For closed captions, press the CC button in the YouTube player.

Video Minutes
0:01:29 Evolution of HR Departments
0:03:36 Importance of HR–D&I Collaboration
0:08:20 Metrics & Accountability
0:09:38 Working With Communications Staff
0:14:03 Use of Social Media
0:16:02 Senior-Executive Involvement

The post HR & Communications: How Ernst &Young Gets Its Diversity Message to 50,000 Employees Every Day appeared first on DiversityInc.

By Denyse Leslie, Senior Vice President of Consulting, DiversityInc

“Put your money where your mouth is.” “Home is where the hearth is.” I grew up with statements like these as guideposts of how to live in a community, how to be authentic and consistent, and a reminder to do what I say I will.

In my review of diversity and inclusion on websites, I found a CEO and diversity statement that both demonstrate these ideals.

GRADE A
Prudential Financial, No. 9 in The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 

John Strangfeld, chairman and chief executive officer of Prudential Financial echoes these sentiments in what he says and does at Prudential and for Newark, N.J., Prudential’s home for 135 years.

From the Prudential homepage, one click takes you to “Our Company,” where the business case for diversity is well presented. Even though Prudential’s website has dual duty and must speak to consumer and institutional markets, the site conveys that it is invested in its people who, in turn, instill confidence and trust among consumer and institutional clients.

The CEO statement begins with “Difference can make all the difference in the world … we succeed through people …” The sentiment continues in the larger The Power of People statement: “Diversity objectives are treated just like anything else in our business cycle.”

Strangfeld’s bio is easily found on the Prudential site, and it reads well. He is what he says he is. He supports higher education and an equal chance. [Watch the video below to hear Strangfeld accept DiversityInc's 2011 Special Award for Top Company for Community Development at DiversityInc's annual event.]

For closed captions via YouTube, click here then press the CC button.

Prudential invests in the communities in which its employees work. Strangfeld has embraced urban economic development and educational access to quality schools—both public schools and charters. He is behind veterans’ re-employment and as suppliers. I’d say Prudential in the person of John Strangfeld is putting its money where its mouth is.

GRADE D
MetLife, No. 50 in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50

Snoopy is the beloved, welcoming and familiar mascot that greets consumer and institutional customers at the MetLife homepage.

Click to “About MetLife.” It’s all about the products and services with the central focal picture being one mainly of white people. The link to diversity is from this page. There, MetLife connects its business to its diversity commitments through case stories, resource-group initiatives and diversity champions. I particularly liked how the company positions its resource groups “to listen and serve”; resource groups are current-day listening posts.

I was impressed by the MetLife’s board diversity, with professional and life experiences that span leadership of the NAACP to the New York Stock Exchange. Still in pursuit of the CEO’s statement, I found on the Executive Officers page Chairman, President and CEO Steven A. Kandarian’s considerable business accomplishments and his external board commitments. However, the site lacks the CEO statement. MetLife’s diversity commitment is clear, but when the CEO statement is not prominent, it’s not as personal.

GRADE F
Company X

Another consumer-insurance company, which we will not name, has a prominent CEO statement on diversity and inclusion, but it is two clicks from the homepage. The statement, however, is outdated: “Diversity is about being human and doing the right thing.” Diversity is about these things, but it’s also about the changing workforce, the changing customer, investing in the economic viability of cities, and enjoying the full benefits of diversity at the senior-leadership table—diversity of thought.

Throughout the website, Company X is pragmatic and scrappy and open for business. It clearly has a number of solid diversity best practices in place that are celebrated on the site. The company’s heart is in the right place. What is personal in this CEO’s statement, however, is not connected to today’s diversity business case. The DiversityInc Top 50 companies have moved on.

Recommendations

• Make the CEO statement easily searchable.
• Serve it up early and strong, no more than one click from the homepage.
• Have the faces of your company be diverse in more than the diversity and careers segments of the website.
• The CEO bio is another excellent place to beef up and honestly record the many ways your CEO is engaged and that diversity does matter in his or her personal life.
• Describe senior executives’ multicultural board commitments, how they have invested the company in community development where the company’s people work. Make their diversity personal.

The post We Evaluate CEO Commitment on Corporate Websites appeared first on DiversityInc.

The organization, which fights breast cancer, reversed its decision to defund Planned Parenthood, but can the damage really be undone? The resulting mistrust from Komen’s flip-flop stance and delayed response to protests now has former supporters wary of backing the organization and raising questions.

How could such a poor decision get approved in the first place? The answer could lie in a lack of diversity in its board, according to an article on MotherJones.com by Clara Jeffery.

Calling for an Overhaul

The article delves into the organization’s other underlying issues—such as the way donated funds are collected and distributed, its focus on finding a cure over prevention and how the organization threatened to sue other charities for utilizing their “for the cure” phrasing in marketing.

Most notably, it makes the call for a complete Komen overhaul—starting with its “sucky” board of directors, says Jeffery. She notes that the nine board members are mostly white (there are only two Blacks on the board) and most are wealthy Texans.

Ultimately, the article raises important questions about diversity in leadership and thought that is a common topic discussed at DiversityInc. Without more diversity among board members—individuals who can challenge the way the organization has typically done its business—how can Komen adapt and innovate to changing demographics and concerns among the population of women it purports to represent? How can it prevent communication blunders from happening again?

Diversity in Thought

Read these DiversityInc articles on diversity in thought and corporate values for more insight into how crucial diversity is to a business’ success and public relations:

Restoring Trust in Public Companies Through Diversity
Luis Aguilar is one of the most influential Latino attorneys in the country and has served as an executive in major U.S. companies. He talked to DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti about his commitment to diversity at the SEC and in the governance of the country’s public companies.

Did the Fed’s Stunning Lack of Diversity Cause the Housing Crisis?
Without a diversity-management structure, there are no checks and balances in place.

Will Occupy Wall Street Occupy Your Front Entrance?
They’re angry and growing in numbers. What does your organization have to do to not be a target?

Ask the White Guy: Decision Making, Clarity of Values & What to Do When It Goes Horribly Wrong
Are you violating your values? If you are, you can’t hide from the repercussions.

Lessons on Values From Ellen & JCPenney
JCPenney’s support of Ellen DeGeneres after an attack by an anti-gay organization is a case study in clarity of values and CEO support.

Lowe’s Muslim Publicity Gaffe Serves as Case Study of What Not to Do
Lowe’s publicity nightmare continues after being the only major advertiser to pull its advertising from TLC’s “All-American Muslim” reality show.

The post Did Komen’s Lack of Board Diversity Cause Its Crisis? appeared first on DiversityInc.

“When I came into this role, it was really important that we elevated the visibility of diversity as an objective force,” recalled Veihmeyer as he spoke with DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti at a DiversityInc event. He discussed with Visconti why he believes equitable values are key to an inclusive workplace and how best to communicate those to the entire organization.

He noted that communicating the importance of diversity doesn’t stop with memos, emails and webcasts. “You will fall flat on your face,” he said.

Read: CEO Commitment: Why Visibility & Accountability Matter

Generating Buy-In

Veihmeyer had to convey KPMG’s goals to all leaders of local business units—a total of 150 people—and connect with them on a daily basis. “If you aren’t passionate about this, then you can’t be in your leadership role, and we do have people who don’t respond the right way,” he said. He noted that all 22,000 employees might not yet buy in, but it is imperative to have his 150 local leaders on board.

“Diversity is not just a nice thing to do because we are all good people. It’s about trying to connect the dots and intellectually make the case for why we won’t grow as fast, be as profitable, have the best latent and achieve all of our objectives without inclusion,” he added.

Recruiting & Retention

Talent management is also high on KPMG’s agenda. Despite high unemployment rates, the firm globally is facing a talent shortage. It has shifted its thinking toward an environment of sponsorship.

Veihmeyer says this mentality is an active responsibility for career progression among employees. KPMG has a Leaders Engaging Leaders program in which participants take responsibility for at least two high potentials and are held accountable for their continued growth and resignations.

Community Connection

Additionally, KPMG encourages volunteerism and community outreach. Veihmeyer believes that there is a connection between how you treat employees and clients. “I think those drawn to caring about community and making a difference in the lives of people can look at clients from an empathetic standpoint,” he said. “It’s not just about generating a fee but finding solutions and getting to the next level.”

The post KPMG’s CEO Reveals How to Be a Strong Diversity Leader appeared first on DiversityInc.