Diversity Executive - November 2008 - (Page 63)

THE DOMINO EFFECT continued from page 25 standing of how each outside law ﬁrm is doing in the diversity space. First, Accenture’s legal group developed the Outside Counsel Diversity Survey to audit the diversity efforts of U.S. law ﬁrms with which it works. Then the company required meetings to discuss ﬁrms’ responses. These diversity meetings became an opportunity to open a dialogue with legal service providers, monitor progress and encourage change. “Ultimately, we decided collaborating with our key suppliers would enable us to make the call to action something besides words,” said Joel Stern, associate general counsel and director of Accenture’s Legal Services, Americas. “Our approach requires ideas that effectively leverage the particular relationship between supplier and client, and build mutual trust.” In an effort to promote the entrepreneurial spirit of minority- and women-owned law ﬁrms, Accenture’s legal group also works closely with the National Association of Women & Minority Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Accenture has become a corporate partner with NAMWOLF, committing at least 5 percent of outside counsel spend to minority- and women-owned law ﬁrms. “By providing an efﬁcient way to connect with a talented pool of minority- and women-owned law ﬁrms through NAMWOLF, we have a powerful tool to help us accelerate our journey,” Stern said. “As attorneys, we’re just one facet of the team working for our clients. In addition to good legal counsel, however, it’s important that we add a diversity of perspectives in resolving their issues. Supplier diversity initiatives lead the way.” A member of NAMWOLF, Joan M. Lebow of Lebow, Malecki & Tasch LLC, said, “With a client like Accenture in our portfolio, we are positioned to draw the trust of others. Building our own client base then allows us to create opportunities for other members of the legal community, through jobs we wouldn’t have been otherwise able to offer.” Ongoing efforts to maintain a strong and effective supplier diversity program require an organization to track and report diverse purchases made by primary suppliers. Supplier diversity activities also should be incorporated into individual procurement manager’s performance goals, alerting preferred suppliers that diversity is a priority for the host company. A robust supplier diversity program will help grow the capacity and talent of suppliers; nurture internal, intangible workforce assets such as motivation; and create a broader and more diverse network, a deeper talent pool, higher performance and higher levels of employee pride. To be an employer of choice and exceed people’s expectations, the golden rule for organizations that care to make a difference in their communities is to meet employees’ cultural, career and life needs. Creating this environment allows powerful teams of committed people on both sides of the equation to compete, grow and innovate, as well as recruit, retain, encourage and advance a diverse workforce. An inclusive, diverse culture acknowledges each individual’s uniqueness, values the skills and contributions of everyone involved and promotes respect, personal achievement and employee and supplier stewardship. It also allows everyone involved to better serve clients and communities. « Armelle Carminati is global managing director of human capital and diversity, and Douglas G. Scrivner is general counsel and secretary at Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. They can be reached at editor@diversity-executive.com. DIFFERENCE continued from page 55 is the right time to upgrade employees’ knowledge and skills. Innovative companies such as IBM are mobilizing to put differences to work in online communities. The Greater IBM Connection is a business and social collaboration network for IBMers, past and present. Multiple platforms give people choices in how they get involved, including Xing, Facebook, LinkedIn, Second Life, as well as Greater IBM gatherings, online events and other Web 2.0 technologies. There is opportunity to network, look for a job or get involved in an array of activities. These communities don’t just offer nice-toattend events or provide platforms on which to post a personal proﬁle. The different methods to connect reveal that collaboration’s value goes far beyond knowledge transfer and making friends. Currently, the worldwide membership is nearing 50,000 people and growing. As new ways to get involved and stay connected are tried and tested, the unlikely meet-ups — many times between people who don’t know one another — are creating new avenues for learning, skill-building, practicing and reﬁning virtual communication skills, global awareness and social media capability. This produces valuable know-how for anyone searching for ways to fully participate in today’s global market. Even small events of 20 people produce meaningful beneﬁts while exchanging ideas with people from ﬁve or 10 countries, inside and outside of IBM. Putting differences to work requires new skills to work together across cultures, distance and differences. It calls for a deeper knowledge of the many dimensions of diversity that are essential to generate new ideas, new innovations and increased business success. Technology will continue to reshape and reveal advantageous ways for leaders to build partnerships, tap into new talent sources and develop new alliances that will make organizations thrive. The call to action is to remain open and perhaps to trust in the power of the unknown and different. Diversity executives should welcome the unexpected, be willing to chart a new path with others and then lead the way. « Debbe Kennedy is the author of Putting Our Differences to Work and is the founder of the Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions. She can be reached at editor@diversity-executive.com. November/December 2008 | www.diversity-executive.com | Diversity Executive 63 http://www.diversity-executive.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity Executive - November 2008

Diversity Executive - November 2008 Editor’s Letter Contents Leadership Connections Guest Editorial Diversity Executive Online Middle Management Roadblock ‘Hidden Winds’ Hinder Progress The Domino Effect Supplier Partnerships Unlock Economic Opportunities Measuring Diversity Special Section: Who’s Who in Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of Difference Overcoming Language Diff erences Business Intelligence: Combating Subtle Discrimination Case Study: Shifting Diversity Into Overdrive Advertisers’ Index Editorial Resources Strategies

Diversity Executive - November 2008

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