24 Mar The State of Gender Diversity 2017

How Does Gender Diversity Fit into Your D&I Strategy?

Diversity Woman asked nine diversity and inclusion leaders to describe their organization’s D&I initiatives for 2017 and beyond.

Dr. Rohini Anand
Sodexo
Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, and Global Chief Diversity Officer

True to its mission of improving the quality of life of its employees, Sodexo has always placed gender balance and the advancement of women at the heart of its economic, social, and environmental development.
Sodexo undertakes many ambitious initiatives to further this goal, including training, mentoring, creating women’s networks, and raising awareness. For example, over the last seven years, the percentage of women in Group Senior Leaders has risen from 17 percent to 31 percent, and women now make up 43 percent of the board of directors and the Global Executive Committee.
And we are aiming even higher. Global CEO Michel Landel has publicly stated a goal of 35 percent women in our Group Senior executive ranks by 2020 and 40 percent by 2025.
At the heart of its commitment to gender balance lies the Sodexo Women’s International Forum for Talent (SWIFT), an advisory board dedicated to ensuring better gender balance at all levels of the organization and focused on fostering women in leadership positions.

Yolanda Lee Conyers
Lenovo
Vice President for Worldwide Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer

Lenovo has demonstrated strong support for women in the workplace globally and is committed to even further advancement. Today, women make up approximately 36 percent of our employees around the world. Additionally, Lenovo’s commitment to diversity extends well beyond gender. We drive a number of initiatives to ensure that women and people of color both inside Lenovo and in our communities are equipped with the necessary skills and afforded the opportunities they need to thrive in today’s economy. It is my hope that other women can connect with the stories we share and how we helped shape the success of the company.

Patricia David
JPMorgan Chase
Global Head of Diversity

At JPMorgan Chase, we’re changing the face of leadership by maximizing our talent.
We’re proud that women comprise 30 percent of our Operating Committee and more than half of our firm, and also lead many of our executive management teams.
Our diversity and inclusion strategy is a company-wide priority that makes us a stronger firm. We continually seek ways to support the unique needs of our women. Through our programs, such as the Women’s Interactive Network Business Resource Group, Maternity Mentors, Women on the Move, and ReEntry Program, we’re helping women build careers and advance into and thrive in leadership positions.

Millette Granville
Delhaize America
Director of Diversity and Inclusion & Associate Engagement

Delhaize America, the parent company for Food Lion and Hannaford, is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. With competition for talent increasing, programs to help women achieve success are an integral part of securing diverse talent. We have created the following programs and initiatives to drive development, engagement, and retention.
• Women Business Resource Groups
• Supporting Women in IT
• Multicultural Women’s Mentoring and Sponsorship Circle
• Partnership with the Network of Executive Women
• Leadership development opportunities
• Commitment to increasing women in our candidate pools for leadership roles
We are committed to launching stronger and more effective programs to support our diverse workforce—we recognize that this is critical to our future success at Delhaize America.

Cynthia Marshall
AT&T
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, and Chief Diversity Officer

Diversity and inclusion are core to AT&T’s culture, as diverse perspectives foster big ideas, fresh points of view, and bold leadership. We strive to create an environment free of bias—conscious and unconscious—so everyone’s voice is included.
One of our priorities is making our company a great place to work for women. Our female employees know they can thrive at AT&T with phenomenal role models and mentors at all levels—women are leading major business operations and functions and serving on our board of directors and in the C-suite. And, through groups like Women of AT&T, Women of Finance, Women of Technology, Mujeres en Acción, AT&T Asia Pacific Women’s Organization, and AT&T Women of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, our female leaders set the example for continuous learning and giving back to the community.

Steve Pemberton
Walgreens
Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, and Chief Diversity Officer

Gender diversity is at center of our diversity and inclusion strategy. Women are far and away the largest percentage of our customer base and are the primary decision maker on matters of health and wellness in the home.
In addition, Walgreens continues to focus on the causes that matter the most to women, from providing childhood vaccinations across the globe to raising awareness on the importance 
of preventive health. That focus is also reflected internally in our annual Global Executive Women’s Conference, and our continued focus on developing women leaders across our company and in our communities.

Tyronne Stoudemire
Hyatt
Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are a manifestation of Hyatt’s purpose—we care for people so they can be their best. This philosophy aligns with our strategic priorities and values: cultivate the best people and evolve the culture, build and deliver brand-led experiences, operate with excellence, and grow with intent.
Gender diversity is found in our promise to identify and cultivate female candidates who are ready for general manager and senior level roles over the next two to four years. The prioritization of gender diversity is manifest in our Women@Hyatt Diversity Business Research Groups, with the goal to improve women’s career advancement encourage cultural competency; provide networking, sponsorship, and mentorship opportunities; and, as a result, impact the business in a positive way.

Angela Talton
Nielsen
Chief Diversity Officer 

Nielsen is very intentional about infusing D&I into the DNA of the organization. Nielsen uses a five-prong strategic approach to that focus on accountability, career development, retention, supplier diversity, and education.
We track our gender diversity metrics quarterly, and to date women represent 50 percent of the entire organization globally and 33 percent of senior leadership. We purposely craft our leadership development programs (at all levels) so the participants in those programs are over 50 percent female. Additionally, we invest in the growth of our ERGs (employee resource groups) and currently have at least one ERG in 70 percent of the 104 countries where we operate.
That’s just a start. Partnering with WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council), we have a robust supplier diversity program. We have built a STEM education curriculum putting Nielsen data in classrooms. At Nielsen, D&I are crucial to our growth, strength, and ability to innovate.

Magda Yrizarry
Verizon
Senior Vice President, Chief Talent and Diversity Officer

Verizon has a credo that gives us a common language. Our credo says diversity is important because it’s the right thing to do and it’s smart business. It’s not just a tagline or a slogan on the website, and it’s not a poster on the wall. It’s about customers, suppliers, and partners. It’s about creating an encouraging environment for people of all backgrounds. Gender diversity is a thread that pulls all the way through and touches all of these aspects.