Report Reveals Lack of Diversity in Nation’s Most Powerful Roles

By Macy Salama, INSIGHT Into Diversity

The New York Times published an article Monday that reveals diversity statistics of the most powerful people in American culture, government, education, and business. Of the 503 most powerful people in the country, only 44 are from racial or ethnic minorities.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Diversifying a Discipline (The Chronicle of Higher Education - requires paid subscription)
• Gender pay gap to remain for thousands, says Conservative MP (The Guardian)
• The best—and worst—places to be a working woman (The Economist)
• Among NFL Coaches, a Lack of Diversity Trickles Up (The New York Times)

National Science Foundation Launches Million-Dollar Initiative To Improve Diversity in STEM

By Laurel Raymond, Think Progress

The lack of diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields has been a persistent problem for decades. White men currently take up 51 percent of all STEM jobs despite making up only 31 percent of the population — which means women and most minority groups are underrepresented and underserved. Not only does this contribute to race and gender wage gaps — STEM workers typically have higher salaries and currently enjoy a lower rate of unemployment than the general working population — but it also critically shortchanges the STEM community, since it means there are likely talented minds that haven’t been reached, and important perspectives that are missing.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Universities Ramp Up Black Students' Interest in STEM (U.S. News & World Report)
• Why Tech Degrees Are Not Putting More Blacks and Hispanics Into Tech Jobs (The New York Times)

Whites, Asians, males see more rewards from business school degree

By Natalie Kitroeff, Bloomberg

For most people, going to business school leads to bigger paychecks. But you'll likely get the most out of the degree if you're a white or Asian man, Bloomberg data show.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• What's Holding Back Women in Corporate America (FORTUNE)

Why tech companies support affirmative action

By Katie Lobosco, CNN

Some big companies are making the case for affirmative action as the Supreme Court hears arguments on the issue Wednesday.

Tech giants IBM and Intel, as well as chemical maker DuPont, say that colleges and universities should be allowed to consider race when admitting students as a way to increase diversity.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Universities Collaborate to Attract Females, Other Minorities to STEM (U.S. News & World Report)

Police Chiefs, Looking to Diversify Forces, Face Structural Hurdles

By Matt Apuzzo and Sarah Cohen, The New York Times

INKSTER, Mich. — When William T. Riley III became the police chief of this small city west of Detroit this summer, he found a department that bore little resemblance to the city it served.

Nearly three-fourths of Inkster’s 25,000 residents are black. Its mayor and all six City Council members are, too. Yet in a newly released Justice Department survey, it was listed among the nation’s least representative police forces, with 21 white officers and five black officers.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Black Police Applicant Frustrated by Opaque Hiring Process (The New York Times)

KPMG: Workforce Diversity for Competitiveness

Business Wire
February 15, 2011 03:00 PM Eastern Time

HR Summit 2011
GOLD COAST, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
“Having a diverse workforce does not just happen; the organisation needs to have a specific strategy and stated goals and metrics. There needs to be strong sponsorship and accountability from senior leadership who are actively engaged in the diversity agenda.”

HR Summit 2011
Gold Coast, Australia, 6 - 8 March

Interview with: Susan Ferrier, Head of People, Performance & Culture, KPMG
In today’s globalised world there is a competitive advantage in being able to put different perspectives on the table, says Susan Ferrier, Head of People, Performance & Culture, at KPMG. A speaker at the marcus evans HR Summit 2011 at the Gold Coast in Australia, 6 - 8 March, Ferrier shares her thoughts on diversity, employee engagement and how Human Resources (HR) directors can capitalise on what motivates their people.
How important is diversity in the workforce and how can organisations capitalise on it?
Susan Ferrier: “In today’s workplace, having a diverse population is incredibly important. The benefits of a diverse workforce include innovation, increased engagement and economic growth. Organisations are often operating in an international or multi-faceted national context, and to service customers well, they need to attract and retain people from the full range of demographic segments. Having a diverse workforce brings a range of useful perspectives to the table and there is a significant competitive advantage if organisations are able to optimise these differences in their people.”

Full Story: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110215006625/en/KPMG-Workforce-Diversity-Competitiveness

US Labor Department Office of Disability Employment Policy announces National Disability Employment Awareness Month theme

News Release
ODEP News Release: [05/13/2010]
Contact Name: Clarisse Young or Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-5051 or x4667
Release Number: 10-0630-NAT
2010 theme celebrates workforce diversity and workers with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today unveiled the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month: "Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers With Disabilities." The theme serves to inform the public that workers with disabilities represent a diverse and vibrant talent pool for hire.
Early announcement of the theme helps communities nationwide plan a series of events, some of which will continue throughout the year beginning in October, such as proclamations, public awareness programs and job fairs that showcase the skills and talents of workers with disabilities.
This theme epitomizes Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis' commitment to "good jobs for everyone."
"The solutions and innovations applicable to the successful employment of workers with disabilities impact the entire workforce, including aging workers, injured workers, at-risk youth, women, people of color, and unemployed and underemployed workers," said Kathleen Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.
As background, Public Law 176, enacted by the Congress in 1945, designated the first week in October each year as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." President Harry S. Truman designated the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to carry out the Act. In 1962, the word "physically" was removed from the week's name to acknowledge the employment needs of all Americans with disabilities. Congress expanded the week to a month in 1988 and changed its name to "National Disability Awareness Month," which eventually evolved to its current name. The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy took over responsibility for National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 2001.
Members of the public with questions related to the theme should contact Carol Dunlap at 202-693-7902. Members of the press should contact the individuals named above.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20100630.htm

Four Critical Global Workforce Diversity Strategies

The Linkage Leader - August 2008
by Ted Childs

For the past century, our discussion about equal opportunity-which has evolved into a conversation about workforce diversity--has been limited to race and gender. In the United States, those are the historic issues that have been the cornerstone of our civil rights debate.
[To read the entire article, go to:
http://www.linkageinc.com/company/news_events/link_learn_enewsletter/archive/2008/TLL-TALENTMGMT-CHILDS-0808.PDF?CC=TLL08-EM8 ]

Former VP, Global Workforce Diversity, IBM and Founder of Ted Childs, LLC, Ted Childs is a keynote speaker at Linkage's Best of Talent Management Summit.

Mr. Childs was a recent panelist on global diversity and affirmative action at AAAA's 34th Annual Conference in Falls Church, VA.

Execs Key to Recruiting Diverse Workers

Workforce Management
May 28, 2008

Nearly seven in 10 say the responsibility rests with top brass.
By Garry Kranz

Varied Workforce: Diversity efforts are doomed to fail unless top executives set the tone. Nearly 70 percent of executive recruiters say corporate leaders need to spearhead direction of diversity projects. Only 13 percent think diversity is the responsibility of boards of directors, while 11 percent believe human resources departments should take the lead. Those are the conclusions from new research by Korn/Ferry International, a Los Angeles-based talent management consulting firm. It’s apparent that diversity also isn’t confined to the rank and file. Korn/Ferry says nearly half of all recruiters include minority candidates in at least one-quarter of their executive searches. Globalization continues to drive “increased visibility around diversity issues” according to 49 percent of recruiters, while 30 percent believe it’s because of the “increased presence of women and minorities” in the workplace. http://www.workforce.com/section/quick_takes/55505_1.html