Top executives: speak out.

AFLAC 

Diversity is a core value at AFLAC and not just a practice.

"We're committed to embracing our differences and combining our unique talents and resources as we continue to guide AFLAC on it's mission of remaining one of the top performing companies in America," said AFLAC CEO and President Daniel P. Amos. "That's why I promoted Brenda Mullins to be out officer in charge of diversity for our company."

Mullins developed a diversity initiative for the Fortune 500 company she refers to as the Five R's: Recruitment, Reinforce, Relationships, Retention, and Rewards.

"Diversity is much more than black and white or male and female," said Mullins, second vice president of human resources, manager of diversity/employee relations. "It's about working together' and taking care of your people. It's about understanding diverse cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences."

Only by nurturing and listening to the many voices that comprise our workforce, our communities, out customers and our business partners can we hope to continue the success we have enjoyed since our founding in 1955 by John, Bill and Paul Amos.

Diversity enhances and enriches out performance, our products and services, our communities and our lives. Therefore, we continue to draw on the variety of skills, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of our employees to improve our company and community.

Corporate America has recognized AFLAC for its diversity initiatives. ESSENCE magazine's May 2003 issue named it as "A Great Place for African-American Women to Work". Fortune recognized AFLAC as one of "America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities."

Great gains have been made in diversity awareness in the workplace, Mullins said.

"I think that there'll always be a need for diversity programs because our population is getting more diverse. Ethnic groups that were once viewed as minorities are now becoming the majority; " Mullins said.

NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY 

Throughout New York Life's rich 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 measures to attract people of all races, religions, ages and ethnicities. By mirroring our nation's population, we can achieve our business goals and reinforce oar 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 for our employees.

Over the past several years, New York Life has successfully recruited minority employees at all levels. To ensure a consistent pool of qualified candidates, we participate in minority career fairs, such as the Urban Bankers Coalition, NAACP and Women for Hire; and visit college campuses with heavy minority representation, such as New York University, Morgan State, and Howard University. This year, we enhanced our minority recruiting efforts by participating in the Career Forum for Women and Minorities, the Disability Career Expo and Employee Workshop, and the National Business & Disability Council at Baruch. For years, we have participated in the Inroads Internship Program by recruiting high-achieving minority college students for summer jobs at New York Life with the goal of employing them upon their graduation. We also participated in National Disability Mentoring Day by hosting ten local college students and informing them of the opportunities New York Life offers.

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

JOHNSON CONTROLS, INC.

At Johnson Controls, Inc., our commitment to diversity is one of our core business strategies and a key to out" global success. Our business success as we've expanded around the world is testament to the progress we've made to embrace diversity globally. We have made it a high priority to draw from a rich and diverse talent pool whether it's in hiring new employees or selecting suppliers. I believe that both workforce and supplier diversity help us achieve our mission to "continually exceed our customer's increasing expectations."

Diversity gives us the broad insight and understanding to successfully serve customers across traditional national and cultural borders. It gives us market access. It increases customer loyalty. We also believe that it differentiates us from our competition.

The economics of diversity purchasing are compelling. The increase in the minority population in the United States has resulted in $1.3 trillion in annual spending power by minority consumer's. Minority-owned companies are what I call a new emerging market in the U.S. They are growing four times faster than the average U.S. firm and are creating thousands of new jobs. As the new emerging markets prosper, so do the companies that sell to them.

As a testament to out decision to make diversity a key business strategy, we were most recently named "2003 Corporation of the Year" by the National Minority Supplier Development Council. Such recognition is an acknowledgment that we commit to diversity the same way we commit to all of our important corporate initiatives.

When more people have money and jobs, more people can afford to purchase products and services, competition increases, corporate revenue increases, communities are stronger, and lives are enhanced. Isn't that what every person and every business wants? It's economic development at its best.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL 

As Marriott International has grown in both the U.S. and internationally, our workforce has naturally become more diverse. We benefit from this increase in talent and the broader perspectives made possible by this diversity which we view us a strategic business imperative.

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

Over the years, we have learned that an essential foundation for our success is our people--the associates. Marriott's diversity vision is based upon attracting the best and brightest, and is simple and succinct:

* To create an all-inclusive environment.

* To attract a diverse group of associate at all levels.

* To develop each associate's unique talents and skills.

* To employ each associate's special abilities in achieving Marriott's mission and goals.

* To enable each associate to share in the company rewards.

Furthermore, we make a clear connection between a diverse workforce and the ability to compete in today's marketplace. We recognize that being diverse is the key to being competitive from a consumer and associate perspective.

Our success is evident in the recognition we have received for supporting workplace diversity, recruitment, career development and balancing work and family. Marriott's steadfast commitment to providing opportunities for success is what will continue to make Marriott a leader in the hospitality industry.

SODEXHO

When I became CFO of Sodexho's North American operations in 1999, I was determined that building an organizational culture based on inclusion and respect would be one of our highest priorities.

The facts ace clear--by 2008, 70% of new entrants into the U.S. workforce will be women or minorities. Just as our workforce is becoming increasingly diverse, our customer base is also rapidly changing. We provide food and facilities management services to some of this nation's largest and most prestigious corporations, hospitals and universities, and we know our marketplace is changing rapidly. Walk into a Sodexho cafe anywhere across the U.S. and you are likely to hear our customers speaking any one of hundreds of languages.

The reality of the modern business world is if you don't structure your company to enable the hiring and retention of the best and the brightest of today's incredibly diverse workforce, you won't succeed in the long run. Not only is a commitment to diversity and inclusion essential to Sodexho's success, but it is my personal belief that it is the right thing to do, ethically and morally, as citizens of our society.

As a result, I mandated that diversity become one of our company's six strategic business imperatives, appointing Chief Diversity Officer Rohini Anand to lead our efforts to become a benchmark company within our industry and throughout corporate America

Sodexho is a better and stronger company when we ensure that every employee has an equal opportunity to achieve success. The diverse talents of out people will enable us to maintain our leadership in an increasingly sophisticated, competitive global marketplace.

When we talk about the legacy of diversity, it's important to remember today's young managerial recruit may be tomorrow's senior leader: I strongly believe the programs we are putting into place today will pay strong dividends for Sodexho and for all of us in the future.

TOYOTA

At Toyota, diversity isn't an initiative it's a business imperative. We continue to redefine leadership in the automotive industry by elevating the benchmarks for quality, corporate responsibility and best practices. Our comprehensive 21st Century Diversity Strategy is rooted in the Toyota principles of continuous improvement and respect for people.

Diversity creates pathways for Toyota to make a difference and to earn the respect of our associates and our communities. We are committed to making a significant impact in the areas of minority purchasing, advertising, retail market development, dealership management development, automotive training centers, community outreach and work, force management. Our internal diversity education programs are designed to reinforce this commitment while ensuring that associates have the awareness, skills, knowledge and ability to carry out their individual responzsibilities. The emphasis on understanding, valuing and leveraging differences links directly to our ability to compete effectively in an ever-changing marketplace.

LEGG MASON INC.

At Legg Mason, diversity is more than a catchphrase--it is an absolute necessity to thrive in today's global economy. We are committed to ensuring the diversity of our organization in order to achieve continued growth and success for our clients and employees. Legg Mason fosters an environment that promotes respect, integrity, teamwork, achievement and acceptance, while embracing those characteristics that make each of us unique.

As a leading global asset management company, our mission is to build and maintain a highly successful investment firm that places our clients interests first and rewards our shareholders and employees. To help the realize this mission, we continue to enhance diversity in our workplace through recruitment and retention programs, as well as ongoing training and mentoring. We also encourage diversity in our client relationships, in out industry and in our communities.

Legg Mason believes that recognizing diversity in the workplace is vital for creating and sustaining an environment where individual differences are respected and accepted. Over the past decade, both our business and our diversity efforts have grown together: One Of the masons that Legg Mason has become a market leader is a result of our varied opportunities for people of all backgrounds. These efforts and initiatives flow throughout the company-from the board of directors and senior management to our department directors and managers-everyone is encouraged to make decisions to enhance our diversity.

While we are encouraged by our growth in diversity and its positive results out endeavors continue to evolve. Legg Mason strives to provide a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds, and works to celebrate diversity everyday.

COORS

At Coors, Diversity Management is not a program-it's the way we do business everyday. "We understand at Coors that a diverse corporate culture is critical to achieving our goal of becoming a leader in the global beer industry," said Leo Kiely, President and CEO, Coors Brewing Company.

To become the best beer company in the world, we must build the best team in the business, We're continuing to assemble an outstanding team at Coors Brewing Company, and we're looking for people who can lead oar business to even greater success. "Our goal is to grow our business profitably and consistently over the long term," said Kiely. "We believe we can continuously improve our performance by investing in out people and creating a challenging and fun-working environment. Our commitment is to see that Coors remains a place where people excel because they are valued, trusted, respected and rewarded."