NEW sponsors named 'Best for Multicultural Women'

In a year of tough economic choices, Deloitte, General Mills, Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Walmart remained committed to policies and programs that support working women of color, according to Working Mother Magazine, which named the six NEW sponsors to its list of 23 Best Companies for Multicultural Women in 2010.

At Deloitte, one of Working Mother’s Top 5 Best Companies for Multicultural Women, efforts to increase the status of women have resulted in the firm having 10 times the number of female partners, principals and directors that it had in the mid-1990s, the magazine noted. Growth has been dramatic for multicultural women, who make up 35 percent of all female employees at the firm, an increase of 9 percent since 2003.

Three percent of corporate executives, 7 percent of senior managers, 4 percent of top earners, 17 percent of company hires and 15 percent of participants in mentoring programs are multicultural women. The firm’s success was attributed to an expanding list of outreach initiatives. It’s Breakthrough Leadership program, for example, supports top multicultural managers in brainstorming strategies for effective career development. In 2009, 41 percent of the program’s participants were female and nearly all who have been involved with it are still with the firm. What’s more, the magazine noted, leaders of all business units and service areas have a three-year plan for recruiting and advancing diverse employees.

General Mills "the place"

At General Mills, another Top 5 company on the list, 90 percent of multicultural female employees say the company supports diversity, according to Working Mother. "If a woman of color has a thirst for learning and a focus on results, this is the place for her,” Kelly Baker, a vice president in the human resources department, told the magazine.

While multicultural women comprise only 7 percent of all U.S. employees, they represent 18 percent of last year’s salaried hires, 16 percent of management hires and 23 percent of rehires. Executive coaches have been brought in to work with high-performing Hispanic, African-American and Asian managers, the magazine noted. Plus, an 18-month executive co-mentoring program pairs senior leaders with director-level women and people of color. The company’s Executive Diversity Council sets annual diversity and inclusion objectives, which, Working Mother noted, seem to be paying off.

Multicultural employees hold three times as many officer positions, and women more than twice as many, as they did a decade ago. Last year more than one-third of all multicultural female professionals were promoted or given lateral assignments to expand their career opportunities.

At General Mills, multicultural women represent 3 percent of corporate executives, 5 percent of senior managers, 7 percent of the top earners, 12 percent of the company hires, 26 percent of participants in mentoring programs and 9 percent of participants in career counseling programs.

Kraft training and coaching

NEW sponsor Kraft Foods was recognized for training sessions that help multicultural employees focus on smart planning and good networking to advance their careers. The consumer packaged goods company encourages relationship-building through its new Peer Coaching program.

"Women and people of color bring their managers along for meetings with directors or vice presidents, who facilitate discussions about how the women can become more effective in their roles,” the magazine explained. "An employee planning to move to corporate headquarters from the field might be coached by a senior leader who has made a similar transition. In a company this large, such programs are crucial; in fact, 45 percent of current employees are mentors or mentees.”

Kraft Foods’ Insights Mentoring initiative for women in the supply chain provides them with a connection to higher-ups who can help them improve their technical skills and knowledge of corporate culture. Ten employee networks offer formal one-on-one mentoring and small-group mentoring, as pioneered by the company’s African-American Council. "These mentoring pods have become so popular that they are now spreading to field locations and management centers companywide,” the magazine noted. "In the meantime, each business unit creates its own plans to retain and develop women of color, which the CEO reviews quarterly or annually.”

At Kraft, multicultural women represent 9 percent of corporate executives, 4 percent of senior managers, 6 percent of the top earners and 45 percent of the company hires.

A founding partner and sponsor of the Executive Leadership Council, which helps African-American men and women advance, PepsiCo signed on in 2007 as a corporate partner of Ascent, an organization that seeks leadership roles for multicultural women. Top execs nurture high-potential talent by mentoring two women in positions below them, and a group of managers are involved in Power Pairs, an initiative that strengthens their relationships with female employees of color, Working Mother reported.

The company’s Women of Color Multicultural Alliance helps to drive diversity initiatives and collaborates closely with separate advisory boards dedicated to female, African-American and Hispanic employees. Networking groups bring women of color together to discuss relevant issues and diversity and inclusion goals are part of senior executives’ performance objectives, the magazine noted. Led by CEO Indra Nooyi, the company has doubled the number of multicultural women in executive-level jobs since 2002, when it began tracking their representation, according to Working Mother. At PepsiCo, multicultural women represent 4 percent of corporate executives, 6 percent of senior managers,6 percent of the top earners and 19 percent of the company hires.

P&G retains women of color

At Procter & Gamble the average retention rate for multicultural women has increased from 93 percent to 95 percent over the past four years. Multicultural women who work for P&G occupy 50 percent more jobs at the vice president or general manager level than they did in 2006. Working Mother attributed these gains in part to the company’s Corporate Women’s Leadership Team, which is devoted to retaining and developing multicultural female managers, especially those who have been with the company fewer than five years. More than half of its top leaders come from outside the United States.

But even in lower positions, multicultural women affect policy, business strategy and work-life initiatives through the firm’s Mentor-Up program, which encourages women to share their view with managers. In addition, diversity training teaches employees at all levels that different viewpoints make the company stronger, the magazine noted. CEO Bob McDonald considers it his personal mission to create a diverse workforce, requiring annual reviews to monitor diversity in each business unit.

At Procter & Gamble, multicultural women represent 3 percent of corporate executives, 7 percent of senior managers, 8 percent of the top earners, 12 percent of the company hires, 11 percent of the company losses, 10 percent of participants in mentoring programs and 9 percent of participants in career counseling programs.

Walmart officers are 30 percent women

At NEW sponsor Walmart, 25,000 associates attended seminars or watched broadcasts on diversity topics last year. Women represent nearly 60 percent of associates and 30 percent of corporate officers. Multicultural women are a growing force: African-American women hold more than 10 percent of company jobs; Hispanic women occupy 6 percent, Working Mother reported.

The President’s Global Council of Women Leaders explores ways to keep female employees engaged and develop them for leadership roles. The retailer’s Diversity Goals program requires 50,000 managers to mentor at least three associates and participate in at least one diversity-related event each year. Managers also are charged with making sure their hiring reflects the applicant pool. If these goals are ignored, up to 15 percent of their bonus -- and possible future raises -- will be adversely affected. Under new rules, each Walmart business division must create diversity and inclusion plans.

Today, women fill 41 percent of all officer and manager positions companywide (up from 39 percent in 2003), while people of color hold 26 percent of those roles (up from 21 percent in 2003), the magazine reported. Multicultural women represent 5 percent of the retailer’s corporate executives, 8 percent of senior managers, 11 percent of the top earners, 21 percent of the company hires and 19 percent of participants in mentoring programs.