Page 45 – Profiles in Diversity Journal®

Alan Nevel

Alan Nevel
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion

Thermo Fisher Scientific
Headquarters: Waltham, Massachusetts
Business: Scientific R&D
CEO: Marc Casper
Employees: 50,000
Website: www.thermofisher.com

HARNESSING THE POWER OF INCLUSION

By taking a broad approach to diversity, Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, is successfully harnessing the power of inclusion to improve the company’s business outcomes.

“There’s power in ‘inclusion first’ thinking, and it’s driving new behaviors that are leading to better business results,” said Alan Nevel, vice president of global diversity and inclusion at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Under Nevel’s direction, the company is harnessing its diverse talent, backgrounds and experiences to drive speed, productivity, innovation and growth. Nevel says that building a more inclusive culture begins where the “rubber meets the road,” which he sees as the intersection between manager and employee.

According to Nevel, the company takes a broader approach to traditional diversity initiatives by focusing on less visible elements of diversity, including communication, working style, and conflict resolution techniques. “This allows our employees to fully engage in their work and helps to spark the innovative thinking that we need to fulfill our mission: to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer,” Nevel said.

VALUE IN CAPITALIZING ON DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

“Companies with longer histories of diversity and inclusion programming now consult us for support and advice as they move from a focus on ‘the numbers’ of underrepresented groups to a true cultural change that embraces diverse perspectives to improve business results,” Nevel added.

The goal of D&I is to improve performance, increase productivity, drive innovation and maximize employee engagement across the company’s 50,000-person workforce. “We’re doing this by building on our D&I educational assets and facilitating high-impact employee resource groups that partner with our corporate social responsibility team at the local level to add value in the communities where we live and work,” Nevel said.

In terms of business growth, over the past year the D&I team assisted some of the company’s largest customers by building stronger relationships from a supplier diversity perspective. “This has led to new opportunities for many small, women, minority, veteran and disabled-owned businesses,” he said.

EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP OUTREACH

The company has a variety of employee resource groups (ERGs). Nevel shared some examples of what a few of them are doing. The Veteran’s ERG has pledged commitment to the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The possAbilities (disability) ERG is active with the United States Business Leadership Network and local affiliates throughout the country. And the African Heritage ERG has combined its efforts with the supplier diversity program.

The company’s Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion has four team members directly involved in D&I work and more than 500 employees who are indirectly involved. Among them are employee resource group co-chairs, steering committees, executive sponsors, D&I facilitators, and D&I advocates throughout the company.

“Our goal is to become one of the world’s most admired companies. One in which all of our employees can grow, thrive, develop and perform at their highest level of ability. And, equally important, a company where employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work,” Nevel said.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC’S RECENT D&I RECOGNITIONS INCLUDE:

Profiles in Diversity Journal – Diversity Leader Award
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index – 100 percent perfect score “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality”
Lithuania’s Ministry of Social Security and Labor – Employer of the Year
Peking University’s Research Center for Corporate Social Responsibility and Employer Brand Communication – Top 30 Employers in Shanghai, China
Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council – Corporate Advocate of the Year

Steve Pemberton

Steve Pemberton
Vice President Diversity & Inclusion Global Chief Diversity Officer Walgreens Boots Alliance

Walgreens
Headquarters: Deerfield, Illinois
Business: Retail
CEO: Alex Gourlay
Employees: 240,000+
Website: www.walgreens.com

WALGREENS GLOBAL FRAMEWORK UNLEASHING D&I INTO MAINSTREAM BUSINESS

Walgreens longstanding and proactive commitment to diversity and inclusion is integrated into the mainstream processes and functions of its daily business.

“We are moving from a U.S.- centric diversity and inclusion model to a new global framework, one that emphasizes gender and generation, and approaches differences with dignity and respect,” said Steve Pemberton, vice president of diversity & inclusion, and global chief diversity officer for Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Under Pemberton’s leadership, Walgreens has made significant progress in moving toward a company whose cultures, people, perspectives, and workplaces are increasingly reflecting the current and future customers it serves, while delivering superior business performance.

“The key is attracting, retaining and engaging a diverse team, innovating based on deep customer insights, and making warmth, respect and inclusion hallmarks of our business practices,” Pemberton said.

SHIFTING TO NEW GLOBAL FRAMEWORK

Walgreens D&I commitment dates back generations and it continues to influence virtually everything the company does. “This includes where we locate our stores, who we hire, which products we introduce, and how we distribute goods and materials across the chain,” Pemberton said.

Today Walgreens stores anchor more than 8,100 diverse communities, employ some 240,000 diverse and talented people, and every day help more than 8 million customers and patients get, stay and live well.

The company has moved away from external measures of diversity and inclusion progress, and has increased its focus on internal metrics such as employee engagement scores and retention. “Looking at what your people say and do tells you more about where your organization really stands than how your company ranks among the organizations on a publication’s list,” Pemberton said.

Walgreens Office of Diversity employs 20 professionals. More than 100 additional team members are indirectly involved in the company’s diversity and inclusion work. It also sponsors three business-owned and leader-led regional operations diversity councils, each consisting of 18 to 22 leaders with profit and loss responsibility from Walgreens business units.

Walgreens is the largest drugstore chain in the U.S and is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Walgreens Boots Alliance is the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. The company was created through the combination of Walgreens and Alliance Boots in December 2014, bringing together two companies with iconic brands, complementary geographic footprints, shared values and a heritage of trusted health care services through pharmaceutical wholesaling and community pharmacy care, dating back more than 100 years.

HIGHLIGHTS OF WALGREEN CO.’S RECENT D&I RECOGNITION INCLUDE:

Profiles in Diversity Journal – Diversity Leader Award
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – The Million Dollar Club
Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council – MBEIC Sharing Success Award
Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council – Construction Buyer of the Year Award
Black Equal Opportunity Employment Journal – Best of the Best: Top Supplier Diversity Programs for African Americans
Hispanic Network Magazine – Best of the Best: Top Supplier Diversity Programs for Hispanics/Latinos
Professional Woman Magazine – Best of the Best: Top Supplier Diversity Programs for Women
U.S. Veterans Magazine – Best of the Best: Top Supplier Diversity Programs for Veterans
Latino Magazine – Latino 100

Susan deRyk

Susan deRyk
Joint Vice President of Patient Experience, Communications & Strategy

William Osler Health System
Headquarters: Brampton/Etobicoke – Ontario, Canada
Business: Healthcare
CEO: Matthew Anderson
Employees: 5,084
Website: www.williamoslerhs.ca

CANADIAN HEALTH SYSTEM REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES WITH D&I

Canadian healthcare leader William Osler Health System is transforming its diversity program with a resolute focus on reducing health inequities. To better understand and anticipate the needs of its patients and families, as well as its staff, physicians and volunteers, Osler is taking a sophisticated, evidence-based approach to health equity and inclusion.

“For us, taking a leadership role in health equity and inclusion means understanding, respecting and caring for all people across our region, and providing equitable access to quality health care that improves the patient experience,” said Osler’s Joint Vice President of Patient Experience, Communications & Strategy, Susan deRyk.

“It also means moving beyond diversity to create an environment in which equity and inclusiveness are woven into the fabric of our culture, as well as our clinical and administrative practices,” she adds. “We are transforming the organization by fostering an equitable, inclusive, welcoming and accessible environment for our patients and their families, and our staff, physicians and volunteers.”

In August 2014, deRyk was appointed Joint Vice-President, Patient Experience, Communications and Strategy and her portfolio expanded to include a regional Patient Experience program and “Equity Services” portfolio across Osler, and with the Central West Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) and Headwaters Health Care Centre (in Orangeville, Ontario) as part of an innovative integration of non-clinical services across the three organizations.

“We are pursuing changes to transform a stand-alone diversity program into one that is regional, and focuses on reducing health inequities based on the social determinants of health and regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, language, disability, and socio-economic background,” deRyk said.

ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS IN INDIA

deRyk identifies one of the highlights of her career as leading an initiative that sent an Osler clinical team to Punjab, India, last year. The exploratory mission has enabled Osler to learn more about health care in that region – where a lot of its patients originally come from – and identify opportunities to partner with organizations there through research and education initiatives to enhance the delivery of health care services.

Planning for a second exploratory mission is currently underway and organized for later this year.

“Understanding how health care is delivered in Punjab helps us establish partnerships with local health care providers to create innovative programs, such as screening for common illnesses or assisting with maternal health challenges. This has a direct impact on patient care in the areas where it’s needed most,” she said.

With her all-encompassing role for better understanding and anticipating patient needs and the impact diversity has on health outcomes, deRyk said that Osler is taking a sophisticated, evidence-based approach to health equity and inclusion.

Leveraging a diversity lens, Osler’s Health Equity & Inclusion Team is launching evidence-based health equity research based on patient data and demographics. “Our goal is to identify strengths and opportunities to help the organizations better serve vulnerable and diverse populations, while they are in hospital and after discharge when they are receiving care in their homes or in the community,” deRyk said.

“The findings of our current research and future planned studies may yield conclusions that improve our organizations’ ability to anticipate needs, establish priorities, and allocate resources to provide the best possible patient experience for vulnerable populations,” she said.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OSLER HEALTH SYSTEM RECENT D&I RECOGNITION INCLUDE:

Profiles in Diversity Journal – Diversity Leader Award
Greater Toronto’s Top 100 Employers
Greater Toronto’s Great Places to Work
Canada’s Best Diversity Employers Award
OHA Quality Healthcare Award

Prestigious Diversity Leader Award “Top 25” Unveiled Today

Leading the Way to Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion

CLEVELAND, OH (December 22) – Profiles in Diversity Journal today proudly announces the “Top 25” recipients of the 2016 Diversity Leader Award. The coveted annual award recognizes excellence for outstanding standards aligning diversity initiatives with business goals.

The Diversity Leader Award recipients are:

Aflac
BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust)
Capital One
Comcast NBCUniversal
Dechert LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
Excellus BCBS
Fish & Richardson
HP Inc.
Krungthai AXA Life Insurance Public Company Limited
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Mayer Brown LLP
Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
NBCUniversal
New York Life Insurance Company
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Prudential Insurance
Public Service Enterprise Group
Reed Smith LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
The Walt Disney Company
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Walgreen Co.
William Osler Health System

Winners are each being profiled in Profiles in Diversity Journal’s special Winter edition being released to the public at the end of January 2016.

Profiles in Diversity Journal is a quarterly publication dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, STEM, and higher education sectors. For nearly 18 years, the magazine has helped stimulate organizational change by showcasing the visionary leadership, innovative programs, and individual commitments to making it happen. #30#

2015 International Diversity Innovations Awards

The 12th Annual International Innovation in Diversity Awards generated a wide-range of unique applicants from businesses and organizations around the world. Collectively, they are forging ahead with global acclaim in innovative strategies that are making a dfference. The emerging theme this year culminated in aligning diversity with business goals, both in the workplace and marketplace.

Diversity brings an array of life experiences and world views that consistently produce a variety of new concepts and ideas. These leaders are incorporating fresh perspectives and different ways of thinking through realigning recruitment practices, linking diversity goals to performance metrics, thinking broader and networking wider. They all demonstrate that change is a foundation for innovation and their business future is connected to the power to innovate. We are honored to profile the best of best for 2015 and applaud all applicants for innovations that will continue to make a difference for decades to come.

Top Ten

Awards of Excellence

Model Program Transitioning Veterans into the Workforce

The Walt Disney Company has a long tradition of supporting the military, dating back to Walt as a teenager during World War I. Today, Disney continues that legacy with widespread philanthropic undertakings and its Heroes Work Here is gaining momentum across the country as a model program for transitioning veterans back into the civilian workforce. This success with diversity and inclusion is capturing the attention of well-known global companies as well as the White House.

“Our Heroes Work Here program not only helps us find and hire highly qualified veterans, it also supports veterans and their families as they transition out of the military,” Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company said. Disney’s company-wide commitment to recruit, support, and encourage other companies to hire veterans transitioning back to the civilian workforce is creating a public awareness campaign inspiring other employers to do the same.

Disney has hired more than 6,000 veterans since the initiative launched in 2012. The success of the program is being modelled in cities across the country who have hired over 10,000 more. “Veterans are a huge asset to companies across the nation and giving employers the tools they need to hire and retain them is something we are very proud of,” said Paul Richardson, Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney Company.

Inspiring Business Leaders into Action

The program is educating and inspiring business leaders to build up their own veteran and military family hiring programs. In four areas of the country, organizations and major corporations have joined forces with Disney to support veterans building meaningful careers in the private sector. Most recently, Disney joined forces in November 2015 in Chicago, Illinois, with the Easter Seals Dixon Center and USAA for the Veterans Institute Chicago Heroes Work Here initiative. The purpose was encouraging business leaders from Midwest-based companies of all sizes to build or expand their veteran and military family hiring programs.

The Chicago event was inspired from the success of a Disney Veterans Institute held in June 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Hosted by General Motors, the event attracted more than 380 attendees who were trained by experts from Disney’s Heroes Work Here initiative on best practices for helping veterans make a successful transition from the military to the civilian workforce.

“We’re happy to share what we’ve learned with other organizations, so that more of these modern-day heroes have the tools and opportunities to build meaningful careers in the private sector,” Iger said.

One of the participants of that event is profiled on a Disney website describing The Walt Disney Company as “being a lot like the military: Multinational, mission oriented, dedicated life of service and presenting a professional image. The biggest difference is everyone smiles more!”

As part of the Disney’s Heroes Work Here program, The Walt Disney Company held its inaugural Disney Veterans Institute back in November 2013. It continues as a complimentary seminar that features experts from Disney, government officials, veterans, and nonprofit veterans’ service organizations, who share experiences, best practices, and tips for creating a veteran hiring program. That initial event attracted more than 500 attendees, representing more than 350 companies, including Apple, JP Morgan Chase, Smokey Bones BBQ Restaurant, and local government agencies. First Lady Michelle Obama and Walt Disney’s CEO were the keynote speakers.

Continuing Walt’s Legacy

Going back to Walt Disney’s military history, just shy of his 17^th birthday, Walt attempted to enlist in the military during World War I but was rejected due to his age. In an effort to do his part, he joined the Red Cross and was stationed in Europe during the war. Later, during World War II, Walt created and produced training films for the Armed Forces and ultimately became one of the original sponsors of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

In addition to providing career opportunities for veterans, the company continues its tradition providing philanthropic support to a variety of organizations to help provide programs and services in order to assist veterans and their families. Walt Disney’s initiatives have expanded into sharing its resources to reach out to the private sector through a model diversity and inclusion veterans program.

Forging Relationships in Corporate, Academia, NGO and Government

For more than a century, Chevron has played a significant role in the South African economy. Continuing the relationship and respecting the culture, the company follows a deep-rooted process for addressing the complexities and opportunities of diversity and inclusion.

Chevron’s Office of Global Diversity joined forces with global D & I leader True Blue Inclusion of Washington, D.C. last year to host a first-of-its-kind cross-industry conference in Johannesburg. The impact of the Thought Leadership Forum was the beginning of sustained dialogue on tough issues around transformation.

That conference was the precursor for opening dialogue on the challenges and solutions of developing a robust, sustainable “Black South African Talent Pipeline.” It was the first forum of its kind in post-apartheid South Africa, bringing together transformation leaders from across industries, academia, government and non-governmental organizations.

“I can think of no better time, place or group of professionals to tackle the very important subject of black South African talent that the people I spent time with wrestling with both the opportunities and solutions we all must consider,” said Shariq Yosufzai, Chevron’s Global Chief of Diversity.

Today, those attendees have built relationships and are sharing best approaches in the recruitment, retention and development of talent. It’s making a difference today in employment equity for businesses and people in South Africa with a positive impact on the talent pool.

Development of Black South African Talent – A Call to Action

“Being the first in anything requires risk, vision, passion and a desire to be a change maker and leader,” said Carlton Yearwood, senior partner with True Blue Inclusion. “Accepting the challenge that the problem, and the solution, is bigger than the success of a single entity required a new and innovative approach to the longstanding challenge of early skill development, early talent identification, school-to-work transition, and leadership development and retention,” he added.

Thirty participants from industry, academic institutions, and nongovernment organizations came together for the conference. Under Chatham House Rule they intimately shared their approaches for improving and building of a more viable and sustainable talent pipeline. Participants engaged in new dialogue about real and perceived barriers, hatched a vision of possible solutions and put in place an action plan.

Identifying Pathways to Improve Metrics

The conference group collectively identified pathways for moving forward to improve metrics of black South Africans in leadership roles to include the key changes associated with women. Relationships were built, subject matter expertise shared and leveraged, and it evolved into sharing approaches to attract, develop and retain talent across businesses.

Some 20 years ago, South Africa closed the doors on apartheid. Newly elected President Nelson Mandela’s dream was to unite all the peoples of South Africa through the sweeping Truth and Reconciliation Act. Much has been accomplished, but much still remains to be done. “Staunch leaders with passion and vision will be required to continue to push their organizations, academic institutions, and governments to achieve parity at all levels,” Yearwood said.

This forum provided the opportunity for participants to deepen existing relationships and create new ones among individuals committed to improving the back talent pipeline in South Africa. It resulted in a new comprehensive networking system for ongoing future value. It also enabled participants to stress test their own approaches through the supportive critique of other participants and facilitators, while building on exchange and insight into the innovative solutions developed by others.

Participants benchmarked current strategies and metrics across companies and sectors, and derived an analytically rich understanding of how talent pipelines feed, divert, or lose key people. “Those in the private sector developed a better understanding of government policy development, while those in education and the public sector gained insights into the needs of business,” Yearwood said.

Firm Seeking to Establish Uniform Standards in Legal Procurement Process

The law firm Gibbons P.C. is raising the bar with a recommendation to the New Jersey State Bar Association seeking state-wide adoption of uniform standards in the legal procurement process.

Its Uniform Diversity Questionnaire (UDC) seeks to create fairness through uniform guidelines in the legal procurement process, an area the firm believes has fallen short of expectations. The UDQ is a key component of the final recommended diversity plan for the statewide bar.

In the legal profession, a considerable percentage of legal work is contracted through request for proposals (RFP), while the actual data requested and metrics used to evaluate prospective firms vary significantly from organization to organization.

Fairness in Comparing Performance

“The lack of uniformity in D&I measurement significantly burdens law firms seeking to comply in good faith,” Gibbons’ Chief Diversity Officer Luis Diaz said. “Without uniform metrics, the process doesn’t effectively compare that performance in a fair and equitable manner,” he added.

The UDQ includes a set of metrics for the fair and accurate comparison of legal vendors with regard to their respective policies, as well as flexibility to accommodate changes to the metrics as organizational needs change with market conditions.

“Much like the Common Ap, a standardized admissions application currently used by prospective students to apply to more than 500 colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad, the UDQ serves as a baseline for best practices in assessing diversity and inclusion for the legal industry as a whole,” Diaz said. “Establishing meaningful and uniform metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of DI efforts is critical,” he added.

The UDQ serves as a baseline for best practices in assessing diversity and inclusion for the legal industry as a whole. The intent is to promote a more equitable comparison and evaluation of law firms while promoting goals of universal inclusion and greater diversity. “We see the potential to impact the business procurement process and drive change in the industry. They change agents are the clients,” he added.

The procurement process organizations use today to retain legal work typically involves a formal request for proposal (RFP) that specifically seeks to measure law firm diversity performance. However, absent uniform metrics, the process does not effectively compare that performance in a fair and equitable manner. For example, some RFPs request firm-wide numbers and seniority levels of minorities, while others seek delineation of the roles diverse attorneys will play in the relevant matter, and still others establish requirements for diverse attorney utilization.

This lack of uniformity burdens firms that are seeking to comply in good faith with information requests, while rendering it difficult for the prospective client to fairly gauge the relative performance of various firms.

The UDC includes composition and matter staffing as well as supplier diversity metrics.

UDC key metrics can be broken into six areas:

General law firm demographics.
Law firm leadership demographics.
Matter staffing demographic profile for attorneys working on the matter.
D&I workplace practices.
Strategic plan and diversity initiatives.
D&I supplier diversity practices, including applicable minority and women owned certification and/or partnerships the law firm is or has been participating.

Uniform Metrics and Efficiency to Law Firms

In defining uniform metrics, the UDQ provides more efficiency to law firms. A firm would complete one UDQ annually to be automatically submitted with all RFP responses that year. For the organization seeking legal services, a major benefit in defining uniform metrics is the inclusion of specific and ascertainable factors that indicate a robust commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the exclusion of factors that do not meaningfully assess a law firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In recent years, Gibbons P.C. has repeatedly been singled out for recognition for its signature programs demonstrating its unique culture of inclusiveness and outreach. With about 220 attorneys, Gibbons is a leading law firm in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Unique Mix of Internal, External and Academia

Across Western Europe, Coca-Cola Enterprises knows that people make a company successful. Utilizing a unique mix of people from internal, external and academia, the company is successfully aligning diversity and inclusion with its business priorities.

Its innovative Diversity & Inclusion Lab in the United Kingdom is central to the company’s operating structure – essentially a roadmap to action. It is an integral part of how the company operates and how it sees its future in the global multicultural world.

The lab is held each year, with a mix of internal insight, external experience and the latest in academia research. Participants combine forces centering on specific topics to generate specialized action plans. “The D&I Lab is an amazingly effective tool to raise awareness in one particular area, and to start tackling it,” Chief Diversity Officer Maria Kokkinou said.

The annual seminars have a specific focus and some equally specific goals – raising awareness, learning what works, and developing an action plan to meet the challenge at hand. Programs strive to create a work environment that provides all associates equal access to information, development and opportunity.

Engaging Multiple Generations

In 2015, the lab focused on engaging multiple generations in the workplace. As a result, the company put in place a corporate-wide action plan to engage multiple generations. It includes a mentoring program, more flexible working, fun and recognition at work and a campaign to de-bug age related stereotypes.

Coca-Cola Enterprises now assesses quarterly benchmarks and acts on how each business unit and function is progressing toward its action plan. It has increased overall engagement and created specific generational actions plans for each business unit and support function, according to Kokkinou.

The lab was introduced in 2014, with the initial seminar focusing on increasing female retention. The result was company-wide work life integration. The company took action on reviewing its policies on flexible scheduling and it launched a Way of Working policy. It streamlines separate country policies and creates a single tool for requesting flexible scheduling. Corporate officials visited each of its major European sites and delivered a presentation explaining the availability of new services helping employees cope with work-life issues.

The key indicator of success in the area of female employee retention is the voluntary turnover variance between men and women—the smaller the variance, the better. As of June 2015, the variance was just one percent, down from three percent the previous year.

Sharing Insights and Best Practices

During the labs, internal business units share their insights and best practices; external companies that are leading the way share how they do it; and experts from academia report the latest research on the topic. The seminar ends by building an action plan based on key takeaways. What makes this initiative unique is the mix of internal and external participants, including academia, and the company’s accountability for taking specific action.

Within Coca-Cola Enterprises, women account for 33 percent of its board of directors and 29 percent of its leadership team – two and a half times the European average for boards of directors and nearly three times the European average for executives.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, www.cocacolaep.com, is the exclusive Coca-Cola bottler for Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The company has nearly 12,000 employees and more than 40 brands.

ACCOUNTABLE FOR SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

KeyBank is creating a cultural shift in a short period of time through a unique Diversity Recruiting Strategy that is accountable for putting the company on track this year for a significant increase in diversity hiring.

The company made significant strides in 2015 with its talent acquisition strategy based on a foundation of four pillars: branding, sourcing, deepening internal and external relationships, and driving accountability through metrics and reporting. The emphasis this year is on accountability for engaging a high performing, talented and diverse workforce.

“Our growth as a company is demonstrated in our focus on diversity and inclusion,” KeyBank Senior Vice President and Director of Diversity and Inclusion Poppie Parish said. “Simply put, our most important asset is our people,” Parish added.

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SUCCESS SHARED THROUGHOUT KEYBANK

Accountability for success in diversity and inclusion is shared throughout the company, starting with CEO Beth Mooney, who launched the Diversity and Inclusion Council as a catalyst for change back in 2012. The council has steadily built relationships with the bank’s Human Resources Department, each of its business lines, and its nine diverse employee resource groups. They have maintained a longstanding focus on diversity recruiting and this year accountability is a priority.

As part of the ongoing strategy, KeyBank enhanced its Talent Acquisition Team’s sourcing capabilities and accountability for metrics, and aligned recruiting results to each business area’s talent planning process. “We enhanced the capability of all recruiters to source and hire diverse talent by sending them through diversity-focused training, both internally and externally,” KeyBank Chief Talent Officer Brian Fishel said.

“The new program is resulting in solid traction in recruiting, hiring, employee development and retention. It’s creating a cultural shift in a very short period of time,” he said.

Over the past two years, KeyBank’s veteran hiring increased 45 percent and minority hires increased by 33 percent. KeyBank’s focus on campus recruiting has also been successful hires increasing from 24 percent to 36 percent. The bank is hosting “early identification” events to attract diverse talent earlier, focusing on post-secondary freshman and sophomore years.

KeyBank understands that diversity recruiting isn’t just a strategy, it is how to build productivity and achieve business goals.

2015 COLLABORATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

KeyBank’s diversity and inclusion activities have been consistent throughout 2015, resulting in collaborative accomplishments and milestones across a variety of areas. Highlights include:

Launching the Recruiting and Hiring Manager Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit.
Integrating recruiting procedures for disabilities accommodations.
Educating hiring managers/recruiters to translate military experience into civilian skillsets.
Incorporating quarterly diversity metrics into enterprise talent planning cycles, and new Diversity and Inclusion Line of Business dashboards.
Quarterly database tracking of candidates who are diverse by way of race/ethnicity, gender, military status, disability status, age and/or sexual orientation.
Launching a new diversity and inclusion careers internet site. www.careers.key.com/index.php
Developing a recruiting video demonstrating KeyBank’s commitment to an inclusive workplace www.careers. key.com/diversityandinclusion.php
Partnering its campus recruiting team with the Military Inclusion Key Business Networking Group to enhance onboarding of veteran new hires.
Campus recruiting efforts on the early identification of talent through campus events and career experiences for post-secondary freshman and sophomore talent.
Strengthening KeyBank’s reach to individuals with disabilities via a newly launched Talent Acquisition Portal.
Expanding KeyBank’s reach to veterans via partnerships.
Partnering with Linking Employment, Abilities, and Potential (LEAP) to develop and place individuals with disabilities in technology and operations jobs.