The Leaderboard

Trailblazers in Corporate Diversity

(page 1 of 3)

American Airlines
Our overall diversity strategy is one of integration. From a human resource perspective we pay attention to the representation of minorities and women, and cultural sensitivity instruction is also critical for American Airlines. We train our leaders to be confident in dealing with different cultures internationally. We have an employee engagement and community initiative as well. American Airlines has 16 different employee resource groups, from women to disabled veterans, African American, Hispanic, Lesbian-Bisexual-Gay and Transgender (lbgt) communities. Our groups send a message of community support by volunteering in a number of different initiatives. For example, we support individual historically black institutions such as Paul Quinn College in Dallas.

We continue to contribute to the United Negro College Fund and h.o.p.e. llc (Helping Other People Excel). h.o.p.e. is an organization based in Winston Salem, nc, that aims to enhance the quality of life in local communities through empowerment and education. In conjunction with h.o.p.e., American Airlines facilitates state-of-the-art flight simulation courses, workshops in public speaking and informational seminars that provide an insider’s perspective on the airline industry. We also have a diverse segment marketing initiative that carves out funds from our general marketing budget to target the African American, Hispanic, women and lbgt communities. We found that when people see themselves in your marketing, they are more likely to be attracted and remain loyal. We also have a diverse supplier initiative that has been going on since the early 1990s. We have helped to grow minority owned businesses to the tune of $3 billion. One of our philanthropic efforts that assists diverse communities internationally is Global Impact. This nonprofit federation encompasses groups such as, the Catholic Relief Services, Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children. The Foundation for aids Research and the naacp Legal Defense Fund have also been recipients of American Airlines support.

AT&T
We are committed to enriching and strengthening diverse communities nationwide. Since 2000, at&t and the at&t Foundation have distributed more than $289 million to programs and initiatives that enhance education, support community vitality and help meet critical needs in under-served communities across the country. We are also known as a pioneer and national leader in developing and implementing supplier diversity practices. Our commitment to supplier diversity is evident in the benchmarks we’ve set and the results we’ve achieved. We are among the highest in the nation. Supplier diversity is a critical part of everyday business for us. We support programs that help minority business owners build entrepreneurial skills, such as the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business.

Our largest commitment to giving back to diverse communities is through the at&t Aspire program. Announced earlier this year, it’s a $100 million initiative that addresses high school and college success, and workforce readiness. It’s at&t’s most significant educational initiative to date and it’s one of the largest corporate commitments ever to address those issues. One component of the at&t Aspire Program is grants to school districts and school district foundations. Another component is job shadowing for 100,000 students in conjunction with Junior Achievement worldwide. We are also commissioning another round of major research on high school dropout issues and solutions. We are engaging educational practitioners. For example, we are working with John Bridgeland who co-authored “The Silent Epidemic.” It was the first major research report that focused on the high school dropout issue. We have commissioned Mr. Bridgeland to do a second round of research in that area. We are also working with the America’s Promise Alliance to organize 100 community summits about the problem. We are really committed to helping students get through high school and prepare for a global workforce.

We support a variety of health and human services initiatives abroad, as well. We have made contributions to organizations such as Childnet International, an Internet safety program for children, and the Parikrma Humanity Foundation in India. These are just two examples of what we have done internationally.

Coca-Cola
Domestic Eagle – In 2007 Coca-Cola spent $340 million with minority and women-owned suppliers. During the construction of the World of Coca-Cola permanent exhibit in Atlanta more than 34% of the project’s budget went to minority and women-owned suppliers.
International Eagle – Coca-Cola invested $100,000 to build six new schools in rural Egypt. – Coca-Cola has pledged $2.5 million over a three year period to support and develop hiv/aids programs in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania.

Fed-Ex
Domestic Eagle – More than 40% of FedEx’s workforce and 27% of its management team are minorities. – FedEx is a major corporate sponsor of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
International Eagle – FedEx donated pilot’s time and aircraft to deliver 77 tons of generators, clothing, tools  and other supplies to the victims of a Peruvian earthquake.

Ford
Domestic Eagle – Founded in 1978, Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development program facilitates the purchase of $3 billion in goods and services annually from minority and women-owned businesses.
International Eagle – In 2008 Ford Motor Company donated an additional 1.7 million rmb toward earthquake relief efforts in China, bringing its total donations to nearly 7 million rmb.

Hilton
Domestic Eagle – Hilton Hotels maintains approximately  60% minority workforce representation and almost 30% minority representation in management positions.

Johnson & Johnson
Domestic Eagle – Johnson & Johnson awarded a Community Health Care grant to New Orleans’ St. Thomas Community Health Center, which offers low cost and free mammograms to low-income residents.
International Eagle – Johnson & Johnson maintains a partnership with Adolescentes Criativos (Creative Adolescents) of Salvador, Brazil. Creative Adolescents uses art and culture to educate at-risk youth. – For 20 years Johnson & Johnson has partnered with Operation Smile, which offers reconstructive surgeries to children with cleft palates.

Marriott
Domestic Eagle  – More than 400 Marriott hotels are owned, operated or under development by women and ethnic minorities. – In 2007 Marriott spent $478 million with women and minority owned businesses and established a goal of 15% suppler diversity by 2009.
International Eagle – Marriot’s Hong Kong hotels have partnered with the Hong Chi Association to provide career training to disabled young people.