How does your organization define diversity? Personality and work style Race, ethnicity, age and gender Religion, socio-economics and education Work diversities such as management and union, functional level and classification 1

How does an employer practice diversity? Policies & Benefits Work/life balance issues (flexible scheduling, daycare options, concierge services) Management Active participation from senior management Diversity taskforce assigned to lead diversity initiatives 2

How does an employer practice diversity? Training & Support Diversity education Communication skills training Mentoring programs Affinity networks Measurement Diversity metrics Satisfaction surveys Setting measurable goals Performance evaluations that include commitment to diversity 2

How does an employer practice diversity? Recruitment & Retention Creating a pool of current and future diverse candidates Diversity-friendly job requirements Recognition programs Advertising Speaking uniquely to diverse audiences through communications Diversity section on your careers web site Diversity branding 2

How does an employer practice diversity? Public/Community Relations Building relationships with diverse groups and key influencers Scholarship programs Public recognition 2

What are the benefits of practicing diversity? Attracts the best and the brightest employees Increases employee motivation and productivity Reduces resources spent on training, turnover and grievances Capitalizes on growing and emerging markets Open up new relationships with community groups and suppliers Increases creativity from unique opinions and perspectives Increases success and viability through flexibility and the ability to adapt to change 3

What are the disadvantages of not practicing diversity? Difficulty in attracting high quality candidates Problems with retention and turnover Loss of revenue on training, grievances and recruitment Loss of customer base due to a non-representative workforce Limited or decreased access to new markets Inability to adapt to market changes 3

Examples of how some employers addressed diversity Heineken Dominion South Florida Avenue Coalition 4

Heineken Assessment: position as a corporation committed to diversity, ethnic marketing and suppliers, conduct online research Strategy: use communications to reinforce commitment to diversity, establish diversity council Results: significantly increased diversity of application pool, established a new Director of Diversity position, initiated diversity training program 5

Dominion Assessment: position as an employer of choice with a commitment to diversity in employment, marketing and vendor/community relations Strategy: implement research projects with employees, community organizations, philanthropy program recipients and diverse suppliers Results: action plan was developed, research identified benchmarks, developed “best in class” guidelines to strengthen diversity programs 6

South Florida Avenue Coalition Assessment: position Ryder, Royal Caribbean, Office Depot, NCCI, and Florida Power & Light as diversity employers to attract/retain diverse staff in a cost-effective manner Strategy: form alliance between all companies, maximize exposure Results: established strong candidate relationship, lowered CPH, expanded reach, improved overall image of member companies 7

Bernard Hodes Group Diversity Services 8 To learn more about diversity and how it can be applied in your organization, contact Bernard Hodes Group at or visit: hodes.com/diversitymatters