Relevant Diversity Sites >

Diversity Conferences >

Sign Up

Receive this newsletter and sign up for our diversity list >

Diversity Matters
is edited by
Annette Merritt Cummings
Vice President,
Diversity Services
800.438.9911

Editor’s Note:  We are changing our publication schedule for 2007. Beginning with this issue, Diversity Matters will be published on a bi-monthly basis. Our next publication date will be March, 2007. Annette Merritt Cummings, Editor

Commit Your Company to Diversity in the New Year: Top Five Diversity Resolutions

It’s a New Year and we’re starting off with – you guessed it - our top five diversity resolutions. And unlike some of our more ill-fated personal ones (think ‘exercise more’ and ‘be more organized’), we suggest keeping these company diversity resolutions throughout 2007…and beyond. Read More >

 

Call for Entries: The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity
If your company has at least 1,000 employees in the United States, you are eligible to participate. The deadline to apply is February 7, 2007. Visit http://www.diversityinc.com/public/825.cfm for more information.

 

You Should Know These Upcoming National Diversity Celebrations:

January 15th:  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Observed every third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrates the life and legacy of the pivotal civil rights leader. Use the “day off” as a chance to communicate your organization’s commitment to some of the ideals King stood for—like equality. Learn more about him and hear an excerpt of his “Drum Major Instinct” speech at www.thekingcenter.org.   

February:  Black History Month
Acknowledge and create activities that promote this month-long celebration of the history and contributions of African Americans. Black History Month is largely attributed to Harvard scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s determination to make "the world see the [African American] as a participant rather than as a lay figure in history” (www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory). Does your company encourage and view all employees, including African Americans, as active participants in your success?  

Commit Your Company to Diversity in the New Year: Top Five Diversity Resolutions (continued)

1. My team will serve as an example of diversity and inclusion to the rest of the organization.
It starts with you. “Leadership and courage are two attributes that influence successful management of diversity and inclusion. The human resources function must serve as the role model for all the other functional leaders in your organization,” explains Hodes Diversity Services guru Annette Merritt Cummings. “One of our best practice client companies started their diversity assessment with Human Resources and implementation began with their staffing team.”

2. Our CEO will become more involved in management of diversity initiatives.
Take the ‘top-down’ approach. According to DiversityInc magazine (“ Why is CEO Commitment Such a Big Deal?”, November 2006), CEO commitment “is the No. 1 factor in what ends up being consistent performance in the [DiversityInc ] Top 50 [Companies for Diversity] list.” These companies score high in CEO accountability indicators such as personally reviewing diversity metrics, having direct or one-report-removed responsibility for diversity and signing off on executive compensation tied to diversity. Your top executive’s commitment can seal the deal.

3. Every employee will get training in diversity and the business case we use to support it.
Employee buy-in is critical to developing a diverse workplace environment. Make sure your employees receive the training they’ll need to move diversity from company rhetoric to reality. Hodes Diversity Services can help.

Also, make sure your employees understand the business case for diversity. The Society for Human Resource Management (“What is the ‘Business Case’ For Diversity”, May 2003) says that, “Focusing on diversity and looking for more ways to be a truly inclusive organization—one that makes full use of the contributions of all employees—is not just a nice idea; it is good business sense that yields greater productivity and competitive advantage.”

 

4. All communications, both internal and external, will reflect our commitment to diversity.
Diversity should be seen and heard. All of your communication materials should reflect the importance of this initiative to the overall success of the organization. Our Recruitment Marketing solutions can help you meet this goal.

 

5. I will go outside my own comfort zone in my personal life.
You will be a better advocate for diversity in the workplace if you believe in it yourself. Learning to appreciate and embrace difference is what diversity is all about, whether you’re working on a company-wide initiative or just expanding your own horizons.

Once you’re sold on the benefits of adding a little diversity to your own life, you can approach your organization’s initiative as more than a set of compliance policies and human resource procedures.

Have a Happy, Diverse New Year.

Relevant Diversity Sites

American Institute For Managing Diversity
http://www.aimd.org/

The Conference Board
http://www.conference-board.org/knowledge/diversity.cfm

Census EEO Data Tool
http://www.census.gov/eeo2000/

DiversityInc
www.diversityinc.com

Diversity Leadership Forum
www.diversityleadershipforum.org

Diversity Web
http://www.diversityweb.org/

Diversity RX – Healthcare
http://www.diversityrx.org/HTML/DIVRX.htm

National Multicultural Institute
http://www.nmci.org/

SHRM Diversity Focus Area
www.shrm.org/diversity  

 

Relevant Conferences: January 2007 – March 2007

1.7.07 – 1.10.07
Annual Rainbow/PUSH Wall Street Project Conference
NY, NY
www.wallstreetproject.org

1.10.07 – 1.13.07
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
National Technical and Career Conference
http://oneshpe.shpe.org/wps/portal/national

2.14.07 – 2.14.07
National Minority Business Council Annual Awards Luncheon
New York, NY
www.nmbc.org/events.cfm

3.22.07 – 3.26.07
National Hispanic Medical Association
San Antonio, TX
www.nhmamd.org

3.29.07 -3.30.07
The Conference Board
Diversity and Inclusion, HR and Talent Management
Annual Diversity Conference – Rhythms of our World
San Diego, CA
www.conference-board.org