Building on Ernst & Young’s successful 2012 Black History Month Executive Roundtable in Oakland, the firm hosted more than 500 professionals, community leaders and students during an expanded 2013 Black History Month roundtable series in Oakland, Los Angeles and Seattle this February. While each event offered unique elements, all featured compelling panel discussions about the career progression and personal achievements of black professionals, as well as diversity and inclusiveness business strategies.

Each roundtable was moderated by an Ernst & Young current or retired partner, including Risk Partner Marcus Odedina in Seattle; Ernst & Young Americas Inclusiveness Officer Karyn Twaronite (pictured above) in Oakland; and retired Midwest Region Managing Partner and Vice Chair Tony Anderson in Los Angeles. Roundtable panelists represented leading West Coast businesses such as: Joanne Harrell, Senior Director of Public Affairs and US Citizenship at Microsoft; Kelvin E. Council, CFO of Boeing Commercial Aviation; Gregory Adams, President of the Northern California Region Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; and Craig Robinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of NBC Universal.

“Our Black History Month dialogue in Oakland was remarkable, and I’m so thrilled that business and community demand for these discussions inspired us to create an event series,” said Ernst & Young’s Karyn Twaronite. “Within our organization, I’m consistently reminded of how our black professionals are building a better working world, and these cross-company events made it clear there are so many more success stories to celebrate throughout our businesses and communities — yet we must tell these stories if we want to replicate and multiply them.”

Reflecting on different career journeys

No one’s career starts at the top, and the panelists offered motivating and inspirational stories about their journeys into leadership roles and the C-suite, as well as their unique experiences as black professionals. For example, Kaiser’s Gregory Adams told the Oakland audience that despite growing up in the South in the 1960s and personally experiencing discrimination, “It never defined who I was or who I was going to be.”

During the Seattle roundtable, Microsoft’s Joanne Harrell shared her own stories and perspectives on her success and personal achievements, emphasizing the importance of feeling “centered, comfortable and confident.” Boeing’s Kelvin Council stressed that focusing on performance and technical competency plays a key role in having a successful career. 

Finding common ground in taking risks, learning from mistakes

Each panel provided different takeaways, yet one recurring theme was that taking risks throughout your career is a necessary step to growing professionally. For example, during the Los Angeles roundtable, NBC Universal’s Craig Robinson shared how he is pleased that he pushed through his concerns about taking a job in Columbus, Ohio, a city he had never been to before and was not particularly interested in. “Not only was the opportunity excellent for my career, but it turned out to be the best five years of my life,” he said.

When the Seattle discussion turned to career-shaping opportunities and lessons learned, Boeing’s Kelvin Council commented that, “Everyone makes mistakes, but it is the professional who is willing to take ownership and find a solution who leverages challenges as opportunities to grow professionally.”

Ernst & Young LLP retired partner Tony Anderson noted that this thinking goes to the core of being authentic. “You have to allow people to be who they are at work — not 50%, not 75%, their whole selves. Only then can people truly provide their diverse views, improve the decision-making process and help your organization realize the true value of diversity.”

Building your brand, your network and your board

Another shared theme of the roundtables was the importance of building your personal and professional reputation and continually growing and fostering your professional network. At the Los Angeles roundtable, NBC Universal’s Craig Robinson summarized it well: networking is a quality game, not a quantity game. On the other hand, Kaiser’s Gregory Adams recommended to the Oakland audience that finding a way to disconnect is important, because you can’t bring your true value if you are always connected. He walks an hour and a half a day to unplug.

Finally, the Seattle panelists emphasized how critical it is to establish professional mentors and personal accountability. Boeing’s Kelvin Council suggested building a personal board of directors to rely on for regular, candid and meaningful advice. Microsoft’s Joanne Harrell added that she focuses on being accountable for herself rather than investing time in comparing her work to that of others.

“The Seattle event was yet another validation that translating the tremendous potential of black professionals into positions of power requires both personal passion and sponsorship,” said Ernst & Young’s Marcus Odedina. “This series was largely possible because of our Black Professional Network and similar groups, and I applaud their efforts to bring this learning and networking to the community so we can close what is too often a gap between black potential and power.”

For others considering investment in a D&I event series, Neal Sornsen, Ernst & Young’s San Francisco Bay Area Major Accounts Coordinating Partner, added, “The cross-company planning and participation in this series resulted in meaningful relationship building that advanced D&I initiatives and furthered our joint business goals. I joined many firm partners in hosting and engaging in several events from beginning to end. The events may have taken place in the West, but I am confident their impact extends across the US andbeyond.”

* This article features contributed content and has not been fact-checked or copy-edited by DiversityInc.

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WASHINGTON, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) bestowed the prestigious Crystal Leadership Award to James S. Turley , Global Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ernst & Young, at WBENC’s 2013 Salute to Women’s Business Enterprises, a gathering of over 1,000 major corporations, government entities and women’s businesses in Baltimore on March 14, 2013.

The award, the highest honor given to a corporate entity by WBENC, recognizes Turley’s leadership in influencing women’s business success. This is evidenced by the groundbreaking programs he has overseen enabling the strategic development of women-owned businesses. His stewardship of Ernst & Young’s extraordinary supplier diversity program and commitment to integrity, quality and professionalism is reflected throughout the organization.

” Jim Turley demonstrates the power of principled leadership in spurring growth among women’s businesses, from emerging entrepreneurs to established suppliers,” said Pamela Prince-Eason , President and CEO of WBENC. “His support of equal marketplace access and capacity development has resulted in stronger women’s businesses, and in turn, their contributions to a better economy.”

Ernst & Young pioneered the world-renowned Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award more than 25 years ago and founded its Entrepreneurial Winning Women^TM Program six years ago. This national competition and executive leadership program identifies a select group of high-potential women entrepreneurs whose businesses show potential for scalable growth and then guides them in achieving it.

During WBENC’s Summit & Salute to Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs), Ernst & Young LLP was named one of WBENC’s 2012 America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises, an honor it has received four times. It is the only national award honoring corporations for world class programs that level the playing field for women’s business enterprises to compete for corporate business.

“Under Jim’s leadership, Ernst & Young people are encouraged to find innovative ways to help women thrive. He recognizes the tremendous economic potential of women as employees, entrepreneurs, producers and consumers, and he sets the bar very high in his efforts to help them realize that potential,” said Theresa Harrison , Director of Supplier Diversity at Ernst & Young LLP, as well as a past recipient of WBENC’s William J. Alcorn Award for excellence in 2011. Harrison is a WBENC Board Member and a tireless contributor to the organization, chairing the Corporate Membership and Revenue Generation Committee among other commitments.

WBENC’s Summit & Salute is designed to drive business development and collaborative success among WBENC’s Corporate and Government Members and WBEs.

Ernst & Young LLP is a member firm of the global Ernst & Young organization, providing assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services in offices throughout the US. Ernst & Young member firms have 167,000 people worldwide who are united by its shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality.

WBENC is the leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, with over 11,000 WBENC-Certified WBEs. www.wbenc.org.

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New York, 8 March 2013 — Ernst & Young has announced a new program to tap the leadership potential of elite female athletes and Olympians after their retirement from competitive sport. Leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, of which Ernst & Young member firm Ernst & Young Terco is a sponsor, the three-part program will focus on 1) creating a first-of-its kind Women Athletes Global Leadership Network, 2) commissioning research on the impact of women’s advancement in sport and society, and 3) highlighting stories of inspiration.

Research has shown that a majority of executive women say that sports helped them develop leadership skills that contributed to their professional success. The Women Athletes Global Leadership Network will connect women athletes who seek meaningful careers outside their sports with retired elite athletes, including women Olympians, who successfully transitioned to a significant second career. Ernst & Young will also connect these women athletes with its robust business network of top women leaders and entrepreneurs around the world, many of whom have sports in their background. The network will be designed to share lessons learned from career transitions, to mentor, open doors and create opportunities and to inspire the next generation to maximize their potential.

To guide the overall program, Ernst & Young has commissioned new research about the connections between sports and leadership and the effect that women’s access to and participation in sports can have on education, health and global economic development.

In addition, looking toward the Rio 2016 Games, Ernst & Young will use multi-media platforms to publicize the stories of Olympic alumni and top women leaders who see sport as foundational to their success. These stories of inspiration, and the upcoming research, will focus on the impact that women have had on sport and society with a goal of further opening the playing field and advancing gender equity around the world.

“Ernst & Young has seen the power of diversity and inclusion and we want to build a better working world by expanding opportunities for women leaders. With their inherent confidence, high standards, discipline and experience in working as a team, female athletes have tremendous value for businesses like ours, governments, and NGOs around the world,” says Beth Brooke, Global Vice Chair, Public Policy, for the Ernst & Young organization, a Title IX scholarship recipient, and one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” according to Forbes. “We have a long history of convening networks, helping female entrepreneurs scale their companies, and driving the global dialogue around the advancement of women. The impact of women at the London games was historic and we want to continue this momentum by helping transform elite female athletes into exceptional leaders.”

Brooke will discuss Ernst & Young’s new program at the 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards’ “Women in Sport” press conference on Monday, March 11, at 11 a.m. BRT in Rio de Janeiro. The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards program honoring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year, according to Laureus.

Leveraging London Games Momentum
Ernst & Young was inspired to create the network to build on the momentum at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where women represented 44% of competitors. In comparison, in the 1908 Games, when just 37 women competed, men outnumbered women 53 to one. For the first time in the history of the modern Games, in 2012, women were able to compete in all sports in the Olympic program, and all countries participating in the Olympic Games had women athletes in their delegations including, for the first time, Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar.

Women’s advancement in sports has implications beyond the Olympic Games. Research shows a direct correlation between girls’ participation in sports and higher education and employment. In fact, a 2010 Study by Betsey Stevenson, former Chief Economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, found that Title IX accounted for a 20% increase in women’s education and for about a 40% rise in employment for women ages 25 to 34. At the 2012 London Games, Ernst & Young issued a white paper that more closely examined the foundation women have established in sport, the effect they are having on business and society, and the work that remains, titled, High achievers: recognizing the power of women to spur business and economic growth.

“With rewarding post-sports careers, elite women athletes – high achievers, natural leaders and team players – can make a huge impact on the next generation, their communities and the world around them. However, the transition from the field or the gym after retirement from sport can be mystifying,” noted Donna de Varona, Olympic Champion and advisor to Ernst & Young’s new program. “Too often, women athletes either reach the pinnacle of their careers at a very young age or stay in elite sports so long that they miss out on entry into the job market. They need guidance, connections and support to write the next chapter in their lives. They need mentors who have been through their journey. Ernst & Young’s program will make a huge difference in their professional lives after sport and magnify their contributions and value.”

Participants lending support to Ernst & Young’s program include leaders such as: Nawal El Moutawakel, Olympic Champion and Vice President, International Olympic Committee Member; Anita DeFrantz, Olympic Medalist and International Olympic Committee Member, Chair of Women in Sports Commission; Deedee Corradini, President, International Women’s Forum;  Donna de Varona, Olympic Champion and former President, Women’s Sports Foundation; and Adriana Behar, Olympic Medalist and Brazil National Olympic Committee Member.

Women Athletes Global Leadership Network
In addition, founding members of the Network are currently being identified and will represent the five primary Olympic regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. These founding members will then be asked to help identify women from their respective regions to join the network, with a goal of steady growth heading into the Rio 2016 Games.

The Women Athletes Global Leadership Network will comprise:

• Women leaders, including female Olympic alumni and other elite athletes, who have taken what they learned in sport and applied it to a successful professional career
• Olympians who are actively pursuing meaningful new careers
• Women who believe in the power of mentorship and want to help and inspire other women and girls to channel their strengths and potential

“By combining the power of sport with the power of women leaders around the world, the impact is exponential,” Brooke added.

Today’s announcement builds on Ernst & Young’s long-standing support of women, which includes another unique program focused on female entrepreneurs. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Winning Women^TM program is an annual competition and executive leadership program that identifies a select group of high-potential women entrepreneurs whose businesses show real potential to scale — and then helps them do it. It continues to expand around the world, with programs launching or in development across every continent, including the US, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia and Australia. For more information on how Ernst & Young supports women’s advancement and gender equity around the world, visit www.ey.com/womenathletesnetwork.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 167,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited that provides professional services to clients in the US.

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Ernst & Young
Get on Board: Driving Action Through Gender Parity
NEW YORK CITY—Ernst & Young hosted “Get on Board: Driving Action Through Gender Parity,” a Forté Foundation event about woman representation in corporate boardrooms at which Forté released its list of Global Board-Ready Women. Nancy Altobello, Ernst & Young’s Americas Vice Chair, People, opened the program by discussing key data from a new E&Y report on the number of women on U.S. boards, and Karyn Twaronite, E&Y Partner and Chief Inclusiveness Officer, participated in a panel discussion. In attendance was DiversityInc Vice President, Consulting Debby Scheinholtz. Ernst & Young is No. 6 in the DiversityInc Top 50.

Forest City
Real Estate Associate Program (REAP)
BEACHWOOD, Ohio—DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti spoke at a session of the Real Estate Associate Program (REAP)—a 13-week series of courses that exposes professionals from underrepresented groups to the commercial real-estate business—at the headquarters of DDR. The session, titled “Career Workshop,” was facilitated by Andrew Passen, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Forest City; Mark Floyd, Executive Vice President of Employment at DDR; and Daniel Gold, Vice President of Human Resources at Associated Estates. Forest City and DDR sponsored the program, which had only been held in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.

TD Bank
Women in Leadership
MT. LAUREL, N.J.—TD Bank celebrated three years of its Women in Leadership program with a presentation on TD Bank’s diversity initiatives from President and CEO Bharat Masrani, a panel with a number of the company’s most senior women leaders, and a keynote address from Betsy Myers, Founding Director of the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University and former official in the Clinton Administration. The event was attended by DiversityInc General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Transformation Services Lora Fong; Director of Benchmarking Shane Nelson; and Web Editor Stacy Straczynski. TD Bank is one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies.

National Organization on Disability
NOD’s 30th Anniversary Celebration
NEW YORK CITY—The National Organization on Disability’s 30th anniversary celebration was held at the offices of McGraw-Hill. Kessler Foundation President and CEO Rodger DeRose spoke about the disability employment field and NOD’s place within it. NOD Chairman Tom Ridge and NOD President Carol Glazer presented awards to founder Alan Reich and founding board members. NOD also screened its 30th anniversary video, featuring board member and actor Robert David Hall (CSI), and highlighted its two signature programs: Bridges to Business and Wounded Warrior Career Demonstration. Members of NOD’s CEO Council, including from DiversityInc Top 50 companies Aetna (No. 24) and MetLife (No. 50), were recognized. DiversityInc Foundation Director Stuart Arnold attended the event.

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Walmart announced the promotion of Karen Roberts to Executive Vice President and General Counsel. She manages a department that is responsible for all legal matters affecting the company in its domestic and international markets. A 17-year veteran of the company, Roberts previously was Senior Vice President and President of Walmart Realty, overseeing close to 1 billion square feet of real estate. Roberts has a bachelor’s degree from Harding University and a juris doctor from the University of Arkansas.

Charmaine Brown, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Forest City, was named Diversity Executive of the Year by Commercial Property Executive magazine. CPE cited Brown’s role in implementing a new recruitment strategy and in helping bring the Real Estate Associate Program to Forest City’s hometown of Cleveland. Brown is also involved in the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Commission on Economic Inclusion and the Northern Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council. Brown has a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.

Lissiah Hundley has been named Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Cox Communications. She is the primary advisor on the research, development, execution and enhancement of D&I programs and initiatives at Cox, working closely with HR and senior leaders to develop D&I strategies for the business. Previously, Hundley was Vice President and Diversity Project Management Manager at Wells Fargo. She has a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor from St. Mary’s University in Texas and a master’s degree from the University of Texas. She is a member of the board of directors of Urban League of Central Carolinas. Cox is No. 25 in the DiversityInc Top 50.

Kellogg Company has promoted two women to new leadership roles in its human-resources department. Sammie Long has been named Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources. In her new position, Long is responsible for all of the company’s HR functions for its 31,000-plus employees worldwide. The England native graduated from the University of Salford outside Manchester. Replacing Long as Vice President, Human Resources, Kellogg North America, covering the company’s operations in the United States and Canada, is Lyn Frantz, formerly Vice President, Human Resources, Kellogg North America Supply Chain. Frantz has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University. Kellogg Company is No. 49 in the DiversityInc Top 50.

Kellogg Company announced the election of Mary Laschinger, Senior Vice President of International Paper and President of IP’s xpedx division, to its board of directors. Laschinger, who is responsible for IP’s North American distribution business, was also appointed to the board’s Manufacturing Committee and to its Social Responsibility and Public Policy Committee. Laschinger has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut.

Wyndham Worldwide has named Tiziana Sullivan as Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion. She will focus on D&I initiatives in recruitment, development and retention of global talent, as well as customer and stakeholder relations. She will also manage diversity initiatives among Wyndham’s associate business groups. Sullivan previously served as Director, University Relations and Diversity Recruitment. She has a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University. Wyndham Worldwide is one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies.

New York Life announced the appointment of Troy Glover as Senior Vice President in charge  of the company’s Long-Term Care Insurance operation. He is responsible for all facets of product development, marketing and administration of the Long-Term Care Insurance line. Glover most recently was Chief Operating Officer of the unit, which is based in Austin, Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University and a master’s degree from Cornell University.

Ernst & Young has named Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya as the 2012 Overall Award winner in its National Entrepreneur Of The Year program, for his vision in jumpstarting the U.S.’s Greek yogurt boom. The award encourages entrepreneurial activity and recognizes leaders and visionaries who demonstrate innovation, financial success and personal commitment as they create and build world-class businesses. Winners in 10 industries were selected by an independent panel of judges from among 244 regional honorees. Ernst & Young is No. 6 in the DiversityInc Top 50.

Rhonda Davenport Johnson has been named Senior Vice President and Director of the Comerica Loan Center. She oversees all Comerica Loan Center operations for mortgage, home equity, consumer and small-business loans generated through Comerica’s national operations. Davenport has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Michigan University and is a graduate of the Consumer Bankers Association’s Graduate School of Retail Bank Management. Comerica Bank is No. 3 in DiversityInc’s Top 10 Regional Companies.

The Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced two promotions: Chris Mendoza to Vice President of Multicultural Market Development and Brian K. Lee to head of the company’s Greater Los Angeles agency. Mendoza is responsible for the development of multicultural business and market strategies, including securing and leveraging strategic alliances with diverse organizations that support recruiting and business generation. Lee is building on the agency’s decades-long commitment to Los Angeles as well as expanding the agency’s multicultural reach to address the financial needs of various ethnic groups in and around the area. One of Lee’s goals is to double the number of multilingual financial professionals in the Los Angeles office. MassMutual is one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies.

The Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress, the division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau responsible for increasing the city’s share of the multicultural meetings, conventions and tourism markets, has appointed Nicole Johnson-Reece as its new Executive Director. Reece most recently was Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion for ARAMARK. She has a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University.

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To evaluate the impact of global diversity efforts, we have investigated best practices that correlate to results, measured in increased human-capital diversity and business opportunity. Through 203 data submissions and extensive interviews with 25 companies, we have learned that diversity-and-inclusion initiatives have been mostly focused around gender, while efforts to include ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities and LGBT people are just beginning to surface.

We studied all global regions and found the most successful diversity-and-inclusion efforts in Europe, Asia and Central/South America. Virtually all start with initiatives aimed at women that emphasize local cultural values. We found direct correlations between companies that have initiatives for recruitment and talent-development programs for women and increased representation of women in the workplace, management and the senior-executive ranks. We also note correlations between D&I initiatives such as resource groups and mentoring, and increased female representation in management ranks.

Support from corporate and local leadership is especially critical when addressing other dimensions of diversity. Companies in every region with global diversity councils have made far more significant inroads in LGBT inclusion. And companies with regional diversity councils led by local business leaders are far more likely to implement supplier-diversity initiatives.

In this report, we will document which best practices are working through analytical data and case studies demonstrating results. All of the companies we have analyzed tell us these efforts are just beginning and they expect to see rapid advancement in their global diversity efforts and enhanced competition for talent.

I. Methodology: DiversityInc’s Global Diversity Research

This report relies on two years’ worth of data submissions, totaling 203 entries from 46 countries. The submissions represent nine industries—professional services, technology, consumer-packaged goods, pharmaceutical, chemical, manufacturing, auto, hospitality and medical devices. The questionnaire was designed to be culturally competent, capturing and codifying demographics (gender, age and locally underrepresented groups where reportable) as well as best practices (talent and leadership development, resource groups, diversity councils, supplier diversity).

Our thirteen 2012 sponsors helped us determine what best practices to examine locally and globally to implement initiatives with sustainable results. Our interviews, with an emphasis on talent development, leadership pipeline and resource groups for underrepresented groups, gave us perspective on what has worked for different companies in different countries/regions, and how they overcame challenges. The sponsors are: Accenture, BASF, Cigna, Dell, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, Ernst & Young, General Motors, Merck & Co., Medtronic, Pfizer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sodexo and Wells Fargo.

Companies filled out the survey for each country they chose; most also provided information for headquarters. The survey continues to stay open. We add companies, countries and regions to our database with each new submission. The survey has approximately 100 questions and is divided into the following seven sections:

• General Information: Ascertains how long the diversity-and-inclusion initiative has existed, and how it is organized and staffed (full-time, part-time and volunteer).
• Headquarters: Assesses global diversity councils and global support and control of local diversity-and-inclusion initiatives.
  
• Leadership and Values: Examines what diversity and/or inclusion means locally, what the three biggest challenges/barriers facing successful D&I efforts in each country are, what type of internal diversity council has been established, the support of local business leaders, how D&I is integrated into the local business goals, what metrics are used to assess D&I success locally (i.e., what is the business case?), and how employee engagement is measured.
  
• Human Capital: Measures workforce, management and senior-management representation by gender, looks at the age of the workforce in each country, and probes whether the local organization has specific recruitment and leadership-development efforts for women and other underrepresented groups.
  
• Best Practices for Global Diversity: Looks at local efforts to implement global diversity strategies and initiatives that include resource groups, mentoring, training, outreach to LGBT people (where legally permissible), outreach to people with disabilities, work/life benefits (especially flexible workplaces), and website communications about D&I.
  
• Supplier Diversity: Studies whether local supplier diversity exists and, if so, what groups are targeted and what best practices are in place to support growth and impact.

 II.  Major Global Diversity Findings 

Our findings show significant correlations between established best practices and human-capital results, primarily measured in recruitment and promotions of women. The data and interviews support specific and proven approaches to recruitment, leadership development, flexible workplaces, formal mentoring, resource groups, generational issues and global executive diversity councils. Full findings are available to global sponsors and global consulting clients. (See more information on DiversityInc Global Consulting.)

Examples:

• Companies with formal recruitment policies aimed at women reported dramatic increases in female representation in the workforce. For example, in India, companies with formal recruitment policies had one-third more women in the workforce.

• We note a significant increase in management opportunities and promotions for women in companies that have locally based leadership-development programs aimed specifically at women. In contrast, leadership programs targeted at underrepresented groups are scarce globally. For example, in Brazil, companies with leadership programs for women had almost four times as many women in management as companies without these programs; in Japan, the difference was sixfold.

• Almost all companies surveyed felt that flexibility in terms of hours and location is key to increasing retention, engagement and promotions of women and younger people in general. The degree of flexibility often depends on the local cultural role of women and how strong their home/family duties are. For example, in France, companies with flexible workplaces have almost double the percentage of women senior executives and a third more women in management. They also have double the amount of women in the workforce.

• While formal mentoring and sponsorship programs are just beginning to catch on in most of the world, their impact in areas where they have been in place is dramatic. For example, companies in Australia with formal mentoring had one-third more women executives than companies without.

• Global resource groups traditionally are aimed at women and focus almost exclusively on talent development, but we are beginning to see groups based on age, sexual orientation and, in a few cases, race/ethnicity. There are definite correlations between having groups and increased diversity in the workplace. For example, in the United Kingdom, companies with resource groups had 10 percent more women in management.

• Our research shows a vast difference in the age of workers in various countries, with many Asian countries having very young workforces and some European countries having older workforces. The issues facing them are very different and, therefore, require a variety of solutions. For example, more than half of the workforce of the countries in Asia are younger than 34.

• Global executive diversity councils are increasingly used to set D&I strategies for the organization, which then are filtered to local diversity councils for implementation. They show organizational consistency in values and subsequent messaging, which produces results in the global workplace. For example, in Europe, companies with global executive diversity councils are twice as likely to offer domestic-partner benefits in countries where they are legal and three times more likely to include sexual orientation in training. And companies with global executive diversity councils are also three times more likely to have regional councils to implement strategies. Supplier diversity is a good example of that: Companies with regional councils in Europe are twice as likely to have formal supplier-diversity outreach. (There is virtually no supplier diversity in Asia yet.)

Case Studies:

Global Diversity Best Practice: Developing Female Talent in Australia: Can flexible workplace models and leadership programs provide measurable improvements in gender diversity? Read these case studies from Deloitte and Ernst & Young.

Global Diversity Best Practice: Flexible Workplaces in India: Global companies must combat a “leaky pipeline” of women talent, but these best practices from Sodexo, Merck, Dell and Deloitte can improve retention.

2 European Case Studies: People With Disabilities & Ethnic Minorities: How are Sodexo and Merck recruiting people from underrepresented groups in Europe?

Best Practice: IBM’s Global LGBT Support: How is IBM’s global commitment to the LGBT market reshaping its business advantage? It builds credibility and trust with clients—and increases revenue prospects.

III. Conclusions About Global Diversity

The direct link between diversity-management best practices and sustainable human-capital results is clear from this research as well as from the interviews with executives around the globe.

To highlight the key correlations:

• Companies with recruitment programs for women recruited 20 percent more women in Europe and Central/South America.
• Companies with leadership programs for women had 44 percent more women executives in Asia.
• Companies with flexible work arrangements had 34 percent more women executives in all areas studied.
• Companies with formal mentoring programs had 12 percent more women in Central/South America.
• Companies with global diversity councils were twice as likely to have global LGBT efforts in all regions.
• Companies with regional diversity councils led by local country executives were four times more likely to have supplier-diversity programs in Europe and Asia.

The best practices the companies have detailed for us, and which still are evolving, increase representation, engagement, productivity and marketplace connections. However, the research shows they work most effectively when specifically tailored to local cultural norms and when there is support from both global headquarters and local leadership.

There are demographic differences between regions, which we note in this research, such as the much younger workforce in Asia and older workforce in Europe. There are also varying standards on women’s roles in and out of the home, inclusion of LGBT people, the need for proactive efforts to include people with disabilities, and the importance of supplier diversity.

Global diversity is evolving at different paces in various regions and countries, but all participating companies agree to its increasing importance in having an engaged workforce that relates to the local population.

WHAT’S NEXT? 

Our consulting practice can help build your global diversity initiative and successfully implement it on a local level. This service includes: Making the business case to local leadership; in-depth assessment of organization/current initiatives; roadmaps and specific plans of action; situational analysis; written and verbal debriefs.

Our next round of global research will start in the spring of 2013, and will focus on increasing our knowledge database, especially in emerging-market countries where there is significant business-growth potential. Sponsors will be able to shape the best practices we study and will receive data analysis of their submissions compared to the competitive set.

For more information on consulting and research sponsorship, visit DiversityInc Global Consulting or contact consulting@diversityinc.com.

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“My attitude is that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does, in every institution and walk of life,” Obama said, noting that the Boy Scouts provides young people opportunities and leadership and that “nobody should be barred from that.”

Boy Scouts to Lift Gay Ban?

Corporate pressure from companies such as Ernst & Young, AT&T and Merck & Co. certainly contributed to the Boy Scouts of America’s apparent decision to end its ban on gay scouts and troop leaders, with a formal announcement expected as early as next week. The new policy would leave membership decisions up to the Boy Scouts’ 290 local councils and 116,000 sponsors, which are comprised of religious and civic groups.

“The Boy Scouts of America have heard from scouts, corporations and millions of Americans that discriminating against gay scouts and scout leaders is wrong,” said Herndon Graddick, President of GLAAD, an advocacy group for LGBTs. “Scouting is a valuable institution, and this change will only strengthen its core principles of fairness and respect.”

“Last year Scouting realized the policy caused some volunteers and chartered organizations … to act in conflict with their missions, principles or religious beliefs,” said Boy Scouts of America spokesperson Deron Smith. “It’s important to note this policy would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization’s mission, principles or religious beliefs.”

Change of Heart?

However, many news sources say the Boy Scouts’ sudden reversal is less about conflicting missions—after all, the policy had been in place since before the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in 2000—and more about societal pressure to shift toward more inclusive practices.

The announcement comes just seven months after Boy Scouts of America was slammed nationally for reaffirming its anti-gay membership policy after nearly two years of examination, and just one month after Merck & Co ended its funding to the Boy Scouts.

In addition to continual chiding from the public, Boy Scouts of America evoked strong reactions from senior executives and other diversity leaders at top corporations—in particular, Ernst & Young Chairman and CEO Jim Turley and AT&T Chairman, CEO and President Randall Stephenson, who are both BSA board members. Turley very publicly urged the Boy Scouts to reconsider the policy to better reflect the times; the Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs and the U.S. military all have policies of inclusion.

“I support the meaningful work of the Boy Scouts in preparing young people for adventure, leadership, learning and service. However, the membership policy is not one I would personally endorse,” Turley said last June. “As I have done in leading Ernst & Young to being a most inclusive organization, I intend to continue to work from within the BSA board to actively encourage dialogue and sustainable progress.”

Ernst & Young is No. 6 in the DiversityInc Top 50 and No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees. AT&T is No. 4 in the DiversityInc Top 50 and No. 8 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees. Merck & Co. is No. 16 in the DiversityInc Top 50. All three companies have a 100 percent rating on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign, which designates those organizations demonstrating workplace equality for LGBT employees.

The post Obama Joins Corporate Outcry Against Boy Scouts’ Gay Ban appeared first on DiversityInc.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on the third Monday of January, is a federal holiday around the time of Dr. King’s Jan. 15 birthday. It was declared a federal holiday in 1986 and is now observed in all 50 states, with South Carolina the last to adopt it, in 2000. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, about a third of private employers now give employees the day off. A questionnaire sent to the 587 participants in the DiversityInc Top 50 survey found that 61 percent close their offices—and all but two of the companies on the DiversityInc Top 50 list are closed.

• 96 percent of the companies in the survey observe the holiday in some way.
• 65 percent of the companies that close also plan additional events and volunteer efforts for employees.
• 91 percent of the participants that stay open plan additional events and volunteer efforts for employees.

In addition to office closures, the responses show that companies rely on four strategies to commemorate MLK Day: Volunteerism, Resource Groups, Events and Corporate Communications. Below, we share best practices from more than 20 companies.

Volunteerism

Forty percent of the companies we surveyed encourage employees to utilize the holiday as a day of service and volunteerism. Several companies, including Kaiser Permanente (No. 3 in the DiversityInc Top 50), Marriott International (No. 21) and Accenture (No. 12), give employees the day off to serve nonprofits aimed at underrepresented groups in their communities through a call to action for the National Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

• “For the ninth consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente is proud to participate in the National Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this day, thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees and physicians will step out of lab coats and suits and into painting caps and tool belts, rolling up their sleeves in community service to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to improving lives through dedicated service. Last year, employees broke records with more than 7,000 volunteers, including physicians and senior leaders, a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Volunteer activities took place at over 130 sites across the country, serving an estimated 35,000 people.” —Rosalind Padilla, Senior Project Manager, Workforce Diversity, National Diversity, Kaiser Permanente

• “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day of Service has become an annual call to action for volunteers across the country to get involved in meaningful community service. In this spirit of celebration, Accenture people in Detroit and Washington, D.C., will take time to give back by participating in local MLK Day events in January 2013. … Accenture’s Carolinas African American employee resource group in Charlotte will be joining with the Charlotte Experienced Hire employee resource group to serve the Charlotte community through the Habitat for Humanity MLK Day Build project. Accenture volunteers in the Miami office are invited to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and participate in various service activities. Volunteer groups will also be participating in landscaping, mural painting and gardening projects to help beautify the school grounds.”  —Stacey Jones, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, Accenture 

• “Marriott International honors the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in many ways. We host ongoing volunteer activities in various geographical regions where associates can serve as volunteers.”  —Maruiel Perkins-Chavis, Vice President, Workforce Effectiveness & Diversity, Marriott International 

• “At Walmart, Dr. King’s message aligns with our company’s three basic beliefs: respect for the individual, service to our customer, and striving for excellence. 2013 will mark Walmart’s 17th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. In addition to a home-office program where Mayor Dennis, the Honorable Alexis Herman and Tavis Smiley have served as guest speakers, the company has also collaborated with community-based organizations and school districts in community programs. The company also has a Day of Service project that encourages our associates to give back to our community. As Dr. King represented a lifetime of service, Walmart is committed to serve our associates and our customers.” —Donald Fan, Senior Director, Global Office of Diversity, Walmart

• “Altria encourages our employees to use Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service volunteering in honor of Rev. King. We sent a communication that went out to our company employees letting them know how they could get involved: Make It a Day On, Not a Day Off. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (MLK Day) marks the beginning of the year of service as millions of Americans honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering in their communities. The Altria Volunteers program is one of the cornerstones of ‘Contributing Together,’ giving employees the opportunity to get involved in their community by participating in volunteer events. In support of our volunteer program, Altria Group and its companies have partnered with the HandsOn Network to positively impact local communities nationwide while simultaneously promoting strong corporate citizenship and employee-engagement goals.” —Nancy Adams, Senior Manager – Diversity / AAP / HR Client Services, Altria Client Services

• “Last year, as in previous years, Harland Clarke has encouraged our employees to take on the true spirit of Martin Luther King Day by serving the community. Rather than taking the day ‘off,’ our employees take a day ‘on’ of service.” —Stacy Franklin, Vice President of Human Resources, Diversity and Workforce Performance, Harland Clarke

• “Independence Blue Cross’s corporate volunteerism group, the Blue Crew, participates in the Martin Luther King Day of Service.” —John F. Clayton Jr., Manager, Diversity, Inclusion & Workforce Initiatives, Independence Blue Cross 

Resource Groups

Thirty percent of companies’ Black resource groups take the lead in planning celebrations, events and communications to promote Dr. King’s message of inclusion to all employees. The resource groups frequently volunteer within their communities as well.

• “Some of Ernst & Young’s Black Professional Networks (BPN) have convened client events in honor of Black History Month. For example, our West Sub-Area BPN co-hosted a ‘Black History Month Executive Roundtable’ last year with the Kaiser Permanente African-American Professional Association. The event featured a panel moderated by Tony Kendall (Chairman and CEO, Mitchell & Titus, LLP) and panelists from Gilead Sciences, Kaiser Permanente, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, AAA Northern California, Textainer Group and CBS Interactive. … Our Boston office BPN held its second annual Black History Month celebration last year, where it recognized members and champions alike for their involvement and support.” —Emily Lobel Kameros, Associate Director, Inclusiveness, Americas People Team, Ernst & Young (No. 6 on the DiversityInc Top 50)

• “This year, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield’s African-American affinity group, Enlightenment and Empowerment Enterprise, had invited the League of Women Voters of New Jersey to participate in our celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. They showcased their organization by distributing literature informing our employees about the importance of registering to vote as well as how they can get involved in the voter-registration drive. Bookmarks, which contained a reprint of one of Dr. King’s speeches, were also distributed to our employees. In addition to our affinity group’s luncheon, we run excerpts of several of Dr. King’s videoed speeches as well as various quotes and historical facts regarding Dr. King on our internal television monitors during that time as well.” —Alison Banks-Moore, Chief Diversity Officer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (one of DiversityInc’s Top 10 Regional Companies)

• “Accenture’s Detroit African American employee-resource group will convene for an interactive panel discussion entitled ‘Living the Dream … the Accenture Way’ to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and how diverse workplaces like Accenture, and our clients, are providing an inclusive environment and what things can be done as we continue to move forward. In coordination with the event, Accenture employees will host a canned-goods drive to collect nonperishable foods that will be donated to Detroit-based Capuchin Soup Kitchen. … Accenture’s African-American employee-resource group in Philadelphia will work with the YWCA for a day of workshops and mentoring.” —Stacey Jones, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, Accenture

• “AT&T’s African American resource group—Community NETwork—participates in several January events across the nation: The Connecticut chapter sponsors a bus trip to the Presidential Inauguration and reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life too as we pay tribute to President Barack Obama’s being elected to a second term in office; the Detroit chapter’s MLK Oratorical Program will have singing and liturgical dance, featuring 10 students reciting the ‘I Have a Dream Speech’; Chicago and Charlotte chapters will participate in A Day of Service, honoring Martin Luther King Jr.; and San Antonio chapters are the major sponsors of the largest MLK parade in the nation. We expect to have close to 100 employees marching in the parade. Also, the Oklahoma City Community NETwork chapter will participate in its local, Oklahoma City MLK parade.” —Forrest Parrott, Executive Director – Internal Communications, AT&T (No. 4 on the DiversityInc Top 50)

• “Each year, H.O.N.O.R. (Helping Our Neighbors With Our Resources) and the A.A.L.C. (African American Leadership Council), two of Johnson & Johnson’s enterprise-wide resource groups, celebrate the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This annual ceremony, now in its 35th year, also serves as a means to honor members of the Johnson & Johnson companies and the local community who have inspired and demonstrated a passion for others through caring and service.” —Anthony Carter, Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, Johnson & Johnson (No. 11 on the DiversityInc Top 50)

• “IMPACT, Humana’s African-American Network Resource Group, coordinated an ‘Impact Day’ for Humana associates to give a day of service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Members from all five of our Network Resource Groups volunteered at the following nonprofit organizations: Newburg Boys & Girls Club, Christian Care Community Rehabilitation Center and ElderServe. —Kai Vaughn, Inclusion & Diversity Consultant, Humana

• “Our resource groups take the opportunity to educate Kellogg employees about Dr. King’s work via communications, newsletters, etc.” —Mark King, Chief Diversity Officer, Kellogg (No. 49 on the DiversityInc Top 50)

• “Progressive’s African American resource group PAAN plans a celebration for those who are working through a process we call ‘Celebration in a Box,’ which allows various groups using several formats to celebrate the occasion.” —Neil Lenane, Director of Employee Experience, Progressive Insurance

Special Dr. King & Black History Events

Almost 30 percent of companies host corporate events with guest speakers to discuss the significance of Dr. Martin Luther King, civil rights, diversity and inclusion, and Black History Month.

• “Wells Fargo buys local and national print-media advertising as well as radio spots to honor the life of Dr. King. A number of regions participate in MLK Day parades, breakfasts and other volunteer activities to support the communities where our team members live and work. In 2012, Wells Fargo served as the official financial-services-sector sponsor of the premiere of the George Lucas film Red Tails. With a special connection to the Tuskegee Airmen, Wells Fargo honored two of its retired Wells Fargo team members, Colonel George S. Roberts and Lieutenant James Walker.” —Jimmie Paschall, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Diversity & Inclusion, Wells Fargo, No. 33 on the DiversityInc Top 50

• “The North Shore–LIJ Health System has held an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program honoring Dr. King for the past 42 years. This year’s theme is ‘Living the Dream … the Next Generation.’ The program, hosted by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Literacy, is held in the auditorium of one of our larger hospitals and is also telecast to all of our sites (15 hospitals) through the Health System’s videoconferencing network. This year’s keynote speaker for the 43rd annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program will be John Quiñones, Emmy Award–winning co-anchor of ABC’s Primetime and sole anchor of the series What Would You Do? … We also sponsor a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Creative Arts Contest for the children of our employees. The winners are presented with prizes at the event.” —Barbara Felker, Vice President, Community and External Affairs, North Shore–Long Island Jewish Health System

• “We start our branded Black History Month celebration—”AT&T 28 Days”—every year on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s a six-week program with TV, radio, digital integration and live events in seven markets. This year, we will begin in Chicago on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We also have an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration luncheon in Atlanta with prominent speakers that is open to the members of our 11 resource groups.” —Forrest Parrott, Executive Director – Internal Communications, AT&T

• “In 2012, Kellogg commemorated Dr. King’s legacy by being a sponsor of the Rainbow PUSH’s annual MLK Scholarship Breakfast in Chicago.” —Mark King, Chief Diversity Officer, Kellogg

• “Army and Airforce Exchange Service always has an official program during commemoration week with a guest speaker and display posters. Our guest speaker is Theron Bowman, Ph.D., Deputy City Manager, former Chief of Police, Arlington, Texas; Consultant, Nation Builder, Police Practices Expert, and Entrepreneur.” —Carlyn Houston, EEO Programs Specialist, EEO Diversity and Inclusion, Army and Airforce Exchange Service

Internal Office Communications

Approximately 21 percent of companies send messaging via emails, newsletters and/or corporate intranets to communicate the relevance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to employees. Some companies, including Ernst & Young, pair these efforts with messaging about Black History Month as well.

• “Comcast and NBCUniversal have changed the homepage of our new corporate website to feature a compelling 1965 Meet The Press interview with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During the interview, Dr. King discusses the march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., to help raise awareness of the difficulty faced by black voters in the South and the need for a Voting Rights Act, which passed later that year. Additional historic photos and videos from NBC News’ coverage of the civil-rights movement can be found within the story. Please share this link to help share an important piece of American history.” —Katie Lubenow, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Comcast (one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies)

• “Ernst & Young’s local offices/regions (and their associated BPNs) do a variety of communications in recognition of Black History Month. For example, last year our McLean BPN ran a series of profiles of black leaders. In addition, they ran a giveaway with complimentary tickets to see Red Tails, the movie based on the real-life heroics of the Tuskegee Airmen.” —Emily Lobel Kameros, Associate Director, Inclusiveness, Americas People Team, Ernst & Young

• “Marriott disseminates communications to our associates that advises them of local community-service opportunities, events and celebrations they can participate in to celebrate of this day of service.” —Maruiel Perkins-Chavis, Vice President, Workforce Effectiveness & Diversity, Marriott International

• “Humana produces an all-associate communication that informs associates of the work of Dr. MLK Jr. and how we at Humana can pay tribute through community service.” —Kai Vaughn, Inclusion & Diversity Consultant, Humana

• “Deloitte shares messages on our intranet and leaders send messages to their teams about the importance of remembering Dr. King.” —Wendy Berk, Senior Manager, Inclusion, Marketing and Communications, Deloitte (No. 8 in the DiversityInc Top 50)

• “Celebrations of Black history held during the month of February have, from time to time, commemorated the life and work of Dr. King. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois plans to post a tribute to Dr. King on our intranet site this year.” —Carolyn Clift, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Health Care Service Corporation (No. 19 in the DiversityInc Top 50), which operates Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois

• “McGraw-Hill proudly recognizes MLK Day as an official holiday and the offices are closed. We generally post an article or commentary on our intranet site.” —Terri D. Austin, Chief Diversity Officer, The McGraw-Hill Companies (one of DiversityInc’s 25 Noteworthy Companies)

 Additional Recognition & Charity Contributions

• “This year will be our 21st Peoria-local luncheon. Caterpillar was the first company to sponsor the luncheon financially. This year, we have Condoleezza Rice as our guest speaker and Caterpillar has not only generously provided financial contribution, but has two tables and is flying Dr. Rice into Peoria on the corporate jet.” —Alma Brown, Communications Representative, Caterpillar Inc.

• “The majority of Johnson & Johnson’s contribution efforts go toward the Frank R. Steele Scholarship Fund, set up by the H.O.N.O.R organization in 1984, that provides financial assistance through the Middlesex County College Foundation to African-American students studying for degrees in Business Administration and Science.” —Anthony Carter, Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, Johnson & Johnson

• “Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois celebrates Martin Luther King Day as a corporate holiday.  All employees get the day off. Our Illinois headquarters building is illuminated on Martin Luther King Day with MLK [across the façade].” —Carolyn Clift, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Health Care Service Corporation

• “In Bentonville, Ark., Walmart sponsored the essay contest for local sixth graders where students reflected on Dr. King’s message of equality and discussed how they were living Dr. King’s dream.” —Donald Fan, Senior Director, Global Office of Diversity, Walmart

The post Dr. King & Civil Rights: How Walmart, AT&T & More Keep It Relevant appeared first on DiversityInc.

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“Our leaders are so moved by our people and they care so deeply about what they think that I knew if I brought their voices to our work, they would really hear me,” she says.

Twaronite launched a “listening tour” in October 2011, when she started her position. Beginning in Dallas, she traveled all over the Americas region—Atlanta, San Jose, Detroit, San Antonio, São Paulo, Brazil, Mexico City, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Secaucus, N.J., Memphis, New York City, Stamford and Hartford, Conn., Charlotte, Orlando, McLean, Va., and Washington, D.C.

In each location, she met with different types of employees—diverse in racial/ethnic/gender/age/orientation/disability demographics, diverse by position and job function, diverse by level of technical skills.

“I worked with our HR department to make sure they preselected people who had proven track records in their day jobs. I wanted the best perspective on what makes people high performers,” she says.

The HR representatives gave the employees topics in advance and lots of direction about being candid and open with Twaronite. Her main questions concerned whether people felt they could bring their whole selves to work, what made them feel included or excluded, and how their team leaders factored into their feelings of inclusion or exclusion. Sessions generally had between 10 and 35 participants, and her team met with a few thousand employees total.

Simultaneously, Twaronite reviewed numbers from an engagement survey and compared them with employee ratings and what she heard directly from the employees themselves.

“We are an accounting and consultancy firm—we really like the numbers. So if I see data with extreme positives, we can replicate it in other places,” she says.

Her key findings were that when people said they felt included, they better absorbed real feedback, like on-the-job coaching. Flexibility in their workplace and from their manager correlates to higher inclusion levels. And employees who had more interaction with clients and senior executives also felt more included.

What made employees feel excluded? “When people acknowledged that someone was different but didn’t want to learn more about them,” Twaronite says, noting as an example a young Muslim woman who is a star performer but felt excluded because no one on her team asked about her religion. “She wanted to share who she is and her coworkers felt they needed to be respectful and cautious,” Twaronite says.

Although Twaronite’s schedule is understandably extremely busy, she plans to continue her traveling listening tour indefinitely. “It’s really relevant to be sensitive and close to your customers [in this case, the employees] so you can see consistencies and inconsistencies,” she says.

Related Video: “How Ernst &Young Gets Its Diversity Message to 50,000 Employees Every Day”

The post How Ernst & Young Improved Engagement, Innovation for 167,000 Employees appeared first on DiversityInc.

There is a distinct need for diversity in skill sets, expertise, experience and viewpoints on boards, driven by evolving strategic goals and market challenges. Board effectiveness demands robust debate in which norms are challenged and a breadth of perspectives inform board strategic discussions and actions. Indeed, a high-performing board is now, by definition, diverse.

In this report, Ernst & Young reviews the progress made to increase gender diversity on US corporate boards by comparing board composition of S&P 1500 companies at the time of the 2012 annual meeting to the 2006 annual meeting. The report focuses on a broad universe of companies to tell a more complete story since the boards of large companies tend to be more diverse. The report is also unique in that it looks at the roles women have once they join boards, and reviews the backgrounds and qualifications of women directors. Overall, Ernst & Young finds that the rate at which women are joining boards as a percentage of new board members is increasing and that boards that already have at least one female director are most likely to add more.

>> Click here to download a PDF of the Getting on Board report from Ernst & Young.

* This article features contributed content and has not been fact-checked or copy-edited by DiversityInc.

The post Getting on Board: Women Join Boards at Higher Rates, But Progress Comes Slowly appeared first on DiversityInc.