The Diversity Roadmap: Profiles in Diversity Journal’s featured
CEOs share ten game-changing concepts
Westlake, OH (April 7, 2014) – The 33 chief executive officers highlighted this month in PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL® see strong individuals from diverse backgrounds as the major players moving their companies in the right direction. To them, there is no doubt that a diverse workforceis more than a strategic advantage in today’s marketplace. These leaders embrace diversity and inclusion, not just because they believe it is good for their business, but because they know it is the right thing to do.
Here are ten ideas the executives shared that can make diversity a game-changer for any organization.
Ten Steps to Making Workforce DiversityYour Strategic Advantage
- Un-silo your efforts.“Diversity is now woven into everything we do from recruiting and professional development to the way we serve our clients; from our supplier relationships to our commitments to youth, education, and workforce readiness.”
– John B. Veihmeyer, Chairman and CEO of KPMG
- Think “individual” rather than “group.” “We embed diversity and inclusion practices throughout our employee life cycle and people programs through initiatives that help ensure that everyone is supported, included, and empowered to succeed by bringing their full self into our workplace.”
– Dr. Ralph W. Shrader, Chairman and CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
- Reflect your market.“In order to understand and meet their [customers] pharmacy health care needs, it’s vital that we have a workforce that reflects the people we serve.”
– Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO of CVS Caremark
- Measure progress. “Each year, our leadership teams develop specific D&I plans to ensure we make progress against our goals. To drive accountability and action, these plans are reviewed quarterly by the company’s senior leadership, and we’ve seen strong results from this approach.
– John F. Brock, Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.
- Create outlets for contribution.“More than 60,000 of our employees participate in organizations such as Community NETwork (the African American Telecommunication Professionals of AT&T), AT&T Veterans, and Women of AT&T. These support groups lead the charge on improving the communities they represent, and they’ve made a big impact.”
– Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc.
- Develop a pipeline of leaders. “Giving our employees a spectrum of career experiences both augments their skill sets and enhances our ability to retain them.”
– Ellen M. Lord, President and CEO of Textron Systems
- Promote real inclusion. “Diversity is key to our success, because diversity of perspective results in diversity of solutions, and we are in the solution-delivery business.”
– Patrick C. Duncan Jr., Chairman and Managing Director of Gibbons P.C.
- Walk your talk. “Leadership matters. In 2012, when I added my voice to the fight against the Minnesota Marriage Amendment…it was with the business community in mind.”
– John Taft, CEO of RBC Wealth Management
- Encourage collaboration.“Diversity is the basis for long-term success. My management experiences at Microsoft, Yahoo, and now at my own startup company, have proved it true repeatedly.”
–YueZhuge, Co-Founder and CEO of Landscape Mobile
- Take advantage of today’s multigenerational workforce.“Since there is a wider view of cultural dynamics and work behaviors, we have found that this mixed multigenerational environment creates better decision making, more creativity, and improved problem solving.”
– Jeffery K. Patterson, CEO of Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Direct Action for Diversity:Inspiration Becomes a Business
Like his fellow chief executives, the Founder and CEO of Data Morphosis, Sam Joneshas long held a vision for a better workplace.After nearly a decade in the executive search industry in Asia Pacific, he saw a need within organizations to make sense of workforce data in a way that would give them broader insight into the benefit of its diversity.
“Every business maintained that people were their most important asset. If people were truly at the heart of your business, why weren’t HR and D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) given world-class tools to do their job even better and more efficiently? I decided to turn my frustration into inspiration.”
“I believed that viewing your people data in the context of business performance could reveal that diversity was actually a huge commercial opportunity,” said Jones.He created software, called Gender Gap, thatlinks diversity and inclusion with business data toenable D&I practitioners to guide business leaders and measure the impact of initiatives against hard business numbers.”
Profiles in Diversity Salutes 33 CEOs
“True champions inspire us with their vision, excite us with their enthusiasm, and encourage us to overcome our biases and reframe the future. They question the status quo and ask us to do the same,” said CEO and Publisher of Profiles in Diversity Journal, James Rector of the 33 CEOs recognized in this month’s issue.
Joining Veihmeyer, Shrader, Merlo, Brock, Stephenson, Lord, Duncan, Taft, Zhuge, Jones, and Patterson on this list are Thomas King, Executive Director and President of National Grid USA; Lee Pelton, President of Emerson College; Todd Mohr, President of Aerotek®, Inc.; Anne Pramaggiore, President and CEO ofComEd; Bill Gracey, President and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee; Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Association; Robert Sanchez, Chairman and CEO of Ryder; Masashi Oka, President and CEO of Union Bank; George Chavel, President and CEO of Sodexo, Inc.; Jeff Fettig, Chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation; John Hartman, President and CEO of True Value Company; John Wilson, CEO of WilsonHCG; Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management Limited; Frederica M. Williams, President and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center; Chris Policinski, President and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Larry D. Zimpleman, Chairman, President and CEO of Principal Financial Group; Kelly Ortberg, President and CEO of Rockwell Collins; David F. Melcher, President and CEO of Exelis; Sheila Bassi-Kellett, Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources for the Government of the Northwest Territories; Beth N. Carvin, CEO of Nobscot Corporation; Matthew Anderson, President and CEO of William Osler Health System; Michael W. Lamach, Chairman and CEO of Ingersoll Rand.
Profiles in Diversity Journal is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, higher education, and military sectors. For more than 16 years, Profiles in Diversity Journal has helped to stimulate organizational change by showcasing the visionary leadership, innovative programs, and committed individuals that make it happen. Please visit for more information.
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