Speaking out on diversity.

BLACK ENTERPRISE'S top Companies for Workforce Diversity:

* AFLAC 

* ARAMARK

* BANK OF AMERICA 

* BELLSOUTH

* DAIMBLERCHRYSLER

* FANNIE MAE 

* FEDEX EXPRESS 

* MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

* MCDONALD'S CORP.

* MGM MIRAGE 

* PEPCO HOLDINGS INC

* PITNEY BOWES 

* STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE INC

* THE COCA-COLA CO.

* YUM! BRANDS 

Source: BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine-July 2005 "30 Best Companies for Diversity"

"If you are an African, Hispanic (Latino), or Asian American trying to advance your career, working for a company that values workplace diversity is extremely important. This will give you a good indication whether your employer will value your contributions, grant you promotions, train you to take on more responsibility, and pay you accordingly."

Source: www.ethnicmajority.com/corporate_diveristy.htm

Three key factors to determine how diversity is managed within an organization:

1. Top-Level Positions. How many African Americans hold senior executive positions or manage large groups of people?

2. Diversity of Spending. How diverse is their marketing program and who are their vendors? How much business do they do with black companies?

3. Board of Directors. Having different ethnicity within the board of directors allows the company to grow and better serve their employees as well as their customers.

Conferences

The 1st Diversity Lecture Series Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute 2005-06 Academic Year Bennett College for Women

* www.bennette.edu

Source: www.bennette.edu/PR/press-release.htm

3rd Annual Chief Diversity Officers Forum Bennett College for Women March 28-30, 2006

* [e-mail]

Women Of Power Conference

Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, Phoenix February 1-4, 2006

* www.blackenterprise.com/wps

Resource Guide

Multicultural marketing news and information

* www.targetmarketnews.com

* www.multiculturalmarketingresources.com

* www.worklifepolicy.org * www.now.org

* www.naaahr.org

Census 2000 information

* www.census.gov

News on diversity management professionals

* www.diversityhotwire.com

Vanguard

Vanguard Takes A Process-Oriented Approach

Diversity isn't just talk at Vanguard. Given our results orientation as an investment manager, we want to know exactly how we are doing on our diversity, objectives and what we can do to improve.

We are applying the same analytical rigor to our efforts on diversity that we apply to other aspects of our operations. We knew we wanted to get better at attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce. So we began by taking a close look at the main processes that are keys to the success of those efforts: awareness, recruiting, new-hire orientation, and development.

As a result, we've worked to raise awareness in diverse communities about the great career opportunities at Vanguard. We're also changing how we go about recruiting diverse professionals and matching them to the right positions at Vanguard. When new crew members from diverse backgrounds join Vanguard, we are working to ensure that they feel engaged and productive from the outset. We're also improving the training and development that will help all crew members to reach their full potential.

Businesses often view diversity as a "soft" issue and delegate it to the HR department, but Vanguard's diversity effort is headed by our business leaders and supported by HR professionals. Why? We recognize that having a diverse crew is essential to our company's long-term business success.

We want Vanguard to be seen as an employer of choice by investment and business professionals who represent all backgrounds and perspectives. We aren't there yet, but we are holding our senior leaders accountable for our efforts to promote diversity and develop future diverse leaders. With a diverse crew and a diverse leadership team, we'll be best able to serve our diverse client base and to achieve our goal of being the world's highest-value provider of investment services.

PG&E

PG&E is a producer and supplier of energy to nearly 5 percent of Americans, a neighbor in thousands of communities, a provider of essential services, and a builder and steward of vital infrastructure. The heart of our company is a diverse workforce of nearly 20,000 individuals representing a remarkable range of backgrounds and life experiences. We believe this diversity makes us a stronger company. It is a source of new and innovative ideas. It empowers us to anticipate, understand and respond better to the needs of our customers and communities. It enables us to be more flexible and adaptable to change. And it makes PG&E an interesting and engaging place to work.

To foster diversity, we strive to create an inclusive work environment that respects all employees. One way we do this is by instituting human resource policies and practices that comply with not only the letter, but also the spirit of state and federal equal opportunity employment laws and guidelines. We also require management commitment and leadership in communicating that every member of our team is important and must be treated with respect.

Our commitment to workforce diversity is also reflected in our recruiting strategies. Whether seeking candidates for an immediate opening or developing a pool of talent from which future needs may be filled, we look for qualified candidates from all backgrounds. We further encourage this approach through external partnerships with programs and organizations that work with minorities and women. Within the company, we actively sponsor employee associations to help us institute educational and leadership programs and implement effective recruitment strategies in the many diverse communities we serve.

PG&E looks forward to continuing to carry out our long-standing commitment to workforce diversity and is proud to have recently been named one of the 30 Best Companies for Diversity by BLACK ENTERPRISE

AICPA 

Diversity Has Become an Economic Imperative for the Accounting Profession

Under Barry Melancon's tenure as president of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute has made it clear that diversity is no longer just the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do.

"Diversity has become an economic imperative," says Melancon. "All professions today recognize the need to attract minorities to the ranks in order to reflect the makeup of their clients. There are almost five million minority-owned businesses in the United States, up more than thirty percent since 1997. Everyone of these companies needs the services of a certified public accountant."

In 1969 the AICPA passed a resolution to integrate the profession, establishing the Minority Initiatives Committee (MIC) to help minorities become CPAs and encourage their advancement and retention within the accounting profession. Today the MIC is involved in a wide variety of programs aimed at encouraging minority participation in the accounting profession. The most direct way is through the AICPA Scholarships for Minority Accounting Students, which has helped thousands of students earn degrees in accounting.

Another initiative is the AICPA Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop, a two-and-a-half day seminar that focuses on strengthening leadership, team building, presentation and communication skills for scholarship recipients and other selected students.

Recognizing that University professors serve as role models, the AICPA provides support through fellowships and sponsors the Ph.D. Project for minority CPAs who desire to earn a Doctorate and return to the classroom. More recently, the AICPA has leveraged its efforts by supporting the Center for Accounting Education, a new project at Howard University to produce more African-American CPAs.

Helancon explains "Accounting is a dynamic profession, and being a CPA opens doors to an exciting career."

For more information on the AICPA's diversity programs log onto www.aicpa.org/diversity.

New York Life Insurance Company 

Throughout New York Life's rich, 160 year history, our values of financial strength, integrity and humanity have served as our guiding principles. As the population of the United States has grown increasingly more diverse, we have taken concrete measures to attract and retain people of all races, religions, ages and ethnicities. By mirroring our nation's population, we can achieve our business goals and reinforce our corporate values. Supporting a diverse work force broadens our pool of talent and helps generate new ideas and approaches to better serve policyholders, all while creating a vibrant and exciting workplace.

New York Life continually strives to build a diverse workforce and to ensure that all employees are given equal and ample opportunities to maximize their potential and establish successful careers. For eight years, New York Life has recruited recent graduates from top business schools across the country to participate in a two-year rotational program that provides valuable work experience in three business units. This MBA Management Associate Program, with minority employees making up more than half of the participants, affords recent graduates the opportunity to work closely with senior management and gain exposure throughout the organization. Upon completion, candidates are promoted to the appointive officer level.

The company also works to ensure that it's a place where people of different backgrounds and perspectives are respected and appreciated. To ensure that employees receive the support, guidance, and preparation necessary to enhance their professional development, New York Life has a Mentorship Program coordinated through Minority Interchange, which matches an experienced employee with a less experienced employee for one-on-one coaching. In 2003, New York Life launched the Women's Leadership Project. The mission of the Women's Leadership Project is to challenge women to maximize opportunities, enhance their career development and achieve their personal best. It is an innovative approach to developing leaders, and it gives employees a chance to participate in a variety of ways--through seminars, workshops, and networking events. To enhance the coordination of diversity efforts throughout the organization, as well as to brainstorm new diversity related initiatives, New York Life created a Diversity Task Force, headed by the Human Resource Department, which brings together representatives from different business units.

Progressive, successful companies such as New York Life require a diverse corporate culture. By bringing talented people together with different viewpoints we create synergies and foster the creative thinking, innovation and problem solving that will help us remain the industry leader we are today.

Weyerhaeuser Company

I strongly believe Weyerhaeuser's work force should represent and reflect the people who live in our communities and purchase our products. We are well on our way to achieving this goal by:

* Creating an inclusive culture at Weyerhaeuser--one in which everyone is respected, valued and feels a part of a performance-driven team.

* Holding leaders accountable and measuring results for diversity as we make hiring and promotion decisions.

* Sponsoring the Weyerhaeuser Scholars Program, administered by the UNCF, which attracts students through scholarships and internships.

* Strengthening our business outreach to include more diverse suppliers.

We are increasing diverse leadership talent at all levels through succession planning, career development, mentoring, regular coaching and performance feedback. The effort is showing results. Last year the number of women and minorities in our highest paid jobs increased by 15 percent.

While we are making progress. I'm not satisfied. We are not where we should be. For our businesses to succeed, we must attract diverse talent and help create a climate where each individual feels welcome, respected and valued. As we change our company, so we help change the nation.

I've asked Weyerhaeuser leaders to remember these words of Dr. Martin Luther King: "Something tells me that the ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge."

Dr. King moved our nation by appealing to our common aspirations: respect, trust, equality and opportunity. I'm committed to ensuring that our company achieves those aspirations.

We have a long road ahead of us, but I'm optimistic. We have a better understanding than ever of the environment we must create to attract diverse talent. And we are putting meaningful actions behind our words.

Geeks On Call[R]

Geeks On Call[R] is the nation's leading on-site computer service company with over 340 independently owned franchises in 25 states nationwide. Such expansive reach creates the need for an all inclusive environment in everything we do. The only way to adequately communicate and address the needs of our customers, clients, franchise owners, and employees is to actively manage and implement our strategic initiative to embrace and support a diverse workforce.

But diversity in our hiring practices is only the surface of our much broader corporate mission. Computing is an all inclusive activity available to everyone regardless of socioeconomic situation. Because we offer a service that reaches across all borders and boundaries, we must have open lines of communication to help people reach the full potential of the Internet. It is through understanding diverse cultures, lifestyles, experiences, and backgrounds that these lines of communication remain open. As the population of America becomes more diverse, it will be more and more imperative that we match that diversity and listen to the broad spectrum of voices that make up our workforce and our clientele.

Geeks On Cal[R] is dedicated to bringing talented people together to exchange different viewpoints and develop innovative strategies which help the company grow into the future. Today we're an American company, but the global reach of computers and the Internet is undeniable. Our continued success as a provider of computer services will depend on developing strategies to embrace a new frontier of diverse users in many cultures. We must mirror not just the American cultural landscape, but the cultural landscape of our planet if we are to succeed with the globalization of our brand. Diversity provides the broad insight necessary to successfully serve our growing customer base across ethnic, political, societal, and cultural barriers and achieve higher levels of brand acceptance and customer loyalty.

BellSouth

At BellSouth, we take diversity a step further with a focus on inclusion. This is a business approach that embraces diverse characteristics and leverages similarities to engage all employees at all levels, supporting individual success as well as the success of the company.

We have made diversity and inclusion a formal part of the very fabric of BellSouth's organization and culture. I created the Chairman's Diversity Council in 1997 consisting of officers from across the company. In 2001, the Council created the position of chief diversity officer. BellSouth believes that diversity, and fostering an inclusive workforce, are not only the right things to do they are critical to maintaining a competitive advantage in today's global marketplace.

Our commitment to diversity also reaches into the communities we serve. That commitment is reflected in all business activities, including marketing and advertising, purchasing, recruiting, service deployment and of course, our philanthropic involvement.

BellSouth values and has dedicated itself to build upon its legacy of diversity. We will continue to strive to be a leader in the areas of diversity and inclusion--in our workplace, in our marketplace, and in our communities.

Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers[R], residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial-up and high-speed DS/Internet access, satellite television and Cingular[R] Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth[R] RealPages.com[R] and The Real Yellow Pages[R].

BellSouth has joint control and 40 percent ownership of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider with 51.6 million customers.

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Marriott International

At Marriott, Diversity is a Business Priority

Marriott International's commitment to diversity is absolute. It is the only way to attract, develop and retain the very best talent available. It is the only way to forge the business relationships necessary to continue our dynamic growth. And it is the only way to meet our responsibilities to our employees, customers, partners and stakeholders.

As a leader in the hospitality industry, Marriott's global diversity goals encompass every business unit worldwide. Our objectives are business focused by embracing and improving the diversity of our global workforce we add substantial value to the organization. It strengthens our culture and improves our ability to reach a changing and diverse marketplace.

Today, we recognize that being diverse is the key to being competitive, both for winning consumer business and for attracting and retaining talented employees. A more diverse management team means better business decisions.

Marriott's dedication to global diversity across our company is on of the main reason why people want to work with us and do business with us. Our success is evident in the recognition we have received for supporting workplace diversity, recruitment, career development, supplier diversity, and balancing work and family.

Our steadfast commitment to providing opportunities for success is what will continue to make Marriott a leader in the hospitality industry,

ESPN 

Embracing diversity in the workplace will improve our culture. It is, however, most importantly a pragmatic business strategy that gives us a competitive advantage. The world is rapidly changing, and the most successful companies, including ESPN, understand that diversity benefits the business. We recognize that becoming a truly diverse organization is an evolutionary process. It is a journey rather than a destination. We seek institutional change where diversity is no longer a goal, it is simply what we've become. The journey will present us not only with challenges but also with unprecedented opportunities for organizational and personal growth.

Diversity is at the core of what will continue to make ESPN a successful company, The more diverse your work force, the more voices and new ideas you are going to have within your company. Ultimately, it will make your business more competitive and successful. I don't see it as anymore complicated than that. However, accomplishing that takes work and dedication, and it takes time to get there. But it is worth every ounce of effort you put into it. Our biggest initiative so far has been to focus the senior management of our company toward leadership in this area. We have to all be advocates of diversity for it to work. You have to have champions of diversity in your senior management culture carriers and then you need to push that culture clown throughout your organization. We are going top down with our training. We really want our senior management to lead by example. Then ultimately every one of our 4,000 employees will follow. It is a very powerful message to send.