Diversity by Design:
Powering Hispanic Inclusion
By Judy Turnock
Top row (L-R): Francisco C. Peschard, Luis Vargas, Guillermo Díaz, Ernesto Felix, Isaura Gaeta, Ruth Gaviria, Lisa Quiroz, David Olivencia, Mick López, Orlando Padilla. Middle row (L-R): Emilio Pardo, Rocky Egusquiza, Jorge Pérez, Anne Alonzo, Raymond Arroyo, Juan Galarraga, Chris Olivera, Carlos M. Hernández. Bottom row (L-R): Frank Ros, Juan P. Frías, Virginia Sánchez, David Ruíz, Magda Yrizarry, David Rodríguez.
During the past quarter century, the U.S. Hispanic population and its
buying power have grown exponentially. Hispanics already exceed
16% of the population and represent an estimated $1 trillion in buying
power, and the U.S. Census projects continued growth.
The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), a coalition of 16 national Hispanic organizations and almost 50 corporate members, anticipates that growth. “Our goal is to see Hispanic
inclusion that reflects both our population and our economic contributions,” reports HACR President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos F. Orta. “HACR—through our coalition and corporate members, our Research Institute and professional development programs—is uniquely positioned to guide Corporate America toward realizing the rich potential of the Hispanic community.
HACR’s 2010 Corporate Inclusion Index reveals that many major corporations already have specific recruitment strategies targeted to Hispanics at all levels, including student internships and programs, and processes that provide a welcoming and productive environment, such as business-oriented employee resource groups.
Feeding directly into these corporate efforts is HACR’s Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ Program (YHCA). Through HACR YHCA, young Hispanics who have demonstrated leadership qualities within Corporate America and the Hispanic community receive professional development and participate in peer-to-peer conversations and panel discussions about success strategies.
The Corporate Executives Forum™ (CEF) brings together Hispanic executives from the top three positions that report to the CEO. CEF participants discuss business issues, daily challenges and strategic solutions based on their firsthand experience. Additional CEF events enable them to interact with corporate CEOs and directors, which leads to new and productive business collaborations.
The HACR CEO Roundtable
Governance: Hispanic Leadership at the Top
The studies of the HACR Research Institute, which monitors governance trends of the top 100 companies and HACR corporate members, suggest a direct and positive correlation between board diversity and corporate financial performance. Further, more potential employees, customers and shareholders than ever examine the inclusiveness of a company before they invest themselves or their financial resources. Probably the most obvious proof of a company’s commitment is the face of its leadership: Do the board and the senior executive team reflect varied experiences and diverse points of view?
"We know the Hispanic talent exists; we know the benefits companies derive from their presence; and we know increased Hispanic representation promises even more innovation and greater customer loyalty."
Carlos F. Orta, President and Chief Executive Officer HACR
HACR’s annual Corporate Directors Summit (CDS) brings together Hispanic directors to share the challenges and opportunities of serving on corporate boards, the latest trends in the Hispanic consumer market and the best strategies for increasing Hispanic representation. “Our CDS is the forum for matching corporations with those who bring the experience, knowledge and drive that corporate governance requires for success in the global marketplace. Our leadership programs prepare highly experienced Hispanic leaders for board appointments,” explains Orta. “We know the Hispanic talent exists; we know the benefits companies derive from their presence; and we know increased Hispanic representation promises even more innovation and greater customer loyalty,” he says. “In today’s highly competitive business environment, corporations need to explore every avenue that can enhance their bottom line.”
For more information about HACR’s research, programs and publications, as well as other advantages of HACR membership, visit www.HACR.org.
Team member diversity is a big part of what makes Target a great place to work and shop. Meet three of the thousands of Hispanic team members—exemplary leaders with top teams who are proud to share their inspiring points of view.
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Juan Galarraga
Vice President, Store Operations— Healthcare and Store Compliance |
Lucy Salazar
District Team Leader, Stores |
Francisco Peschard
Group Director, Distribution |
| Juan’s Target experience started with leading the electronics department at our store in Delray Beach, Fla. Twelve years later, he’s leading one of our key operations teams for stores nationwide. “I’ve found that throughout my career, Target has made me a leader and not just a supervisor or a boss,” Juan says. “We all have things that we are naturally good at and we all have things that we may never be great at, and Target looks for your strengths and gives you the tools to continue to leverage those strengths.”
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As a student at the University of Texas at Brownsville 16 years ago, Lucy began her career as an hourly team member at her local Target store. Now she leads a district that includes all Target stores in cities along the Texas-Mexico border. “I feel fortunate to lead a diverse team in the community where I grew up,” Lucy says. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to truly connect with and provide my guests with the products they need for everyday life.” |
The team-focused culture is a big part of why Francisco joined and has stayed at Target. “I can tell you firsthand that Target is not just a place to earn a paycheck, but a place to grow, learn, be challenged, have a blast and make a difference. We seek out differences because having a diverse, multifaceted team allows us to put the best brains and the right talent to work on our business. Target is committed to fostering an inclusive culture and creating a workplace where team members feel welcomed, valued and respected regardless of their background or life experiences.” |
At our headquarters:
Connections Mentoring pairs ethnically diverse team members with mentors for guidance and support, whether it’s developing leadership skills or simply serving as a sounding board.
At our stores:
The Connection is a series of carefully designed and skillfully facilitated meetings to help store teams share ideas on diversity and inclusion fronts—making the subjects more relatable and relevant.
At our distribution centers:
Diversity teams lead the efforts orts at each of our distribution centers, sharing and carrying out diversity and inclusion plans, which they come together to write with their peer groups.
www.target.com
Ford was one of the first American companies to embrace the growth of a diverse population in the U.S., and this philosophy has contributed greatly to our success. By building an atmosphere that leverages the diverse talents and achievements of our workforce, we take a critical step forward working effectively with employees, dealers, investors, suppliers, unions and communities worldwide. “Creating an inclusive workplace is critical if we hope to fully serve our customers and truly compete globally,” says Debbie Weaks, Ford’s chief diversity officer.
Focus HOPE: Ford volunteers assemble food packages at Focus: HOPE in Detroit, Michigan, during Ford’s Accelerated Action Day.
Ford Motor Company Fund supports programs and initiatives that help build sustainable communities. Through Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, Ford Motor Company Fund partners with business, education and civic leaders throughout the U.S. to help improve high school graduation rates and prepare students for college and careers. Working with the League of United Latin American Citizens, Ford Driving Dreams through Education addresses high school dropout rates among Hispanics. And the Ford Driving Skills for Life program has reached more than 400,000 U.S. high school students since 2003, using ride-and-drive experiences and the Internet to teach students safe driving techniques. In 2010, more than 27,000 employees and retirees in 41 countries donated more than 112,000 hours to more than 1,100 projects as part of the Ford Volunteer Corps.
Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development program provides opportunities for a broad range of partners. Ford believes our business should mirror the communities in which we operate, and ensuring suppliers represent all segments of the community helps us achieve that goal. Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development Office works with business leaders, trade associations and community-based organizations to offer economic development to diverse businesses. In 2010, Ford purchased $3.8 billion in goods and services from approximately 200 minority-owned suppliers and $866 million from more than 150 women-owned businesses. These results are an improvement over 2009 and exceed our goals for minority and women-owned suppliers.
Detroit Zoo: Ford volunteers, with Ford Motor Company Fund President Jim Vella, at the Detroit Zoo during Ford’s Accelerated Action Day
Ford’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) actively support the company’s diversity objectives by promoting leadership development and tackling issues throughout our multicultural communities. These 11 groups have been invaluable in helping the company attract, develop, engage and retain a diverse workforce. Ford’s Employee Resource Groups help foster an understanding of cultural differences and offer ways to collaborate and network. Many ERGs participate in outreach, serve as company advocates and offer vehicle discounts to members of the communities in which they live.
Our work is not done. It’s our goal to even further advance an inclusive workplace in the changing world. Now, more than ever, we strive to create a great workplace, a diverse environment and the quality products that our customers love and expect—all while helping to build better communities and a better world.
To learn more about Ford Motor Company, visit us at www.ford.com.
Prudential has long ranked as one of the world’s most successful and most admired companies. Critical to that world-class status is Prudential’s diversity initiative, which is an integral factor in the company’s business strategy. “For us, diversity is all about the business,” says Emilio Egea, vice president and chief diversity officer. “Our key diversity drivers mirror our business drivers: position in the marketplace of customers and shareholders; attracting, developing, engaging and retaining top talent; and organizational effectiveness.”
Emilio Egea
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer
One key goal of Prudential’s broad diversity strategy is a respectful workplace— what the company terms a “safe-to-say” environment, where all employees feel they and their contributions are valued, and where they are inspired to maximize their efforts on behalf of the company.
Prudential’s annual employee satisfaction survey tracks progress toward this gap, with the data broken out by the categories of race, rank and gender. Over the last few years, gaps for these categories have been significantly reduced or eliminated. “When we factor in the tens of thousands of written comments in our employee survey,” reports Egea, “we know our employees not only value our workplace—they clearly understand the total Prudential package is hard to replicate.”
With a board that is roughly 50% women and people of color and a senior executive team that is committed, engaged and accountable, Prudential visibly demonstrates its commitment to diversity as an integral part of business success. John Strangfeld, chief executive officer, holds his senior team accountable, and the board reviews CEO Strangfeld’s results in this area. As further proof of the team’s inclusive mind-set, senior executives are actively involved as mentors, members of diverse external boards and sponsors for Business Resource Groups (BRGs), Prudential’s internal employee networks.
A highlight of the “safe-to-say” environment is evidenced in one of the BRGs, the Hispanic Heritage Network, where members participate in professional and personal development opportunities; partner with other Hispanic professional organizations; and brush up on business and financial terms in Spanish. They even tutor senior executives in Spanish.
Measuring results assures that the strategy is producing desired outcomes at all levels. “We measure the performance of the senior leadership team and their reports,” explains Egea. “How, for example, have they demonstrated their understanding and awareness of differences in the workplace and marketplace? What obstacles have they removed to allow diverse talent to progress? And they are recognized for results, because progress on diversity is a factor in annual performance reviews.”
“We see the success of our diversity strategy in more innovation, more customer satisfaction, broader cultural competence and stronger brand recognition,” says Egea. “All of that translates into our competitive edge, now and in the future.”
To learn more about careers at Prudential, visit http://jobs.prudential/view/page/jobs.
