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Winter
2002 Vol. 11 No. 1
Inspiring
Terrific Talent
In
the words of DuPont General Counsel Stacey Mobley, diversity
provides strategic business advantage
"The face of our nation has been changing
rapidly-and minorities are the fastest-growing segments
of the U.S. population. This increased diversity has
transformed not only who we are, but also those with
whom we do business, both nationally and globally. The
concept of 'diversity', itself, is far broader now than
race or gender; it also encompasses age, ethnicity,
physical condition, sexual orientation, and both cultural
and national origin. Things aren't just black and white
anymore; as Tiger Woods has taught us all, 'multi-racial'
is a perfectly appropriate descriptor.
"Today, the word 'global' represents a
potential marketplace of diverse, talented people who-in
the past decade alone-have become true 'communications
junkies', linked across oceans and continents by cell
phone, internet and e-mail. The similarities among the
peoples of this world are becoming far more apparent
than their differences. So in this time when the white
majority in the United States is moving toward a new
role as the white minority, when there's a greater respect
for all races, and when our world is becoming smaller
and more similar, are we sufficiently visionary to get
ahead of the curve?
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mission to seek and retain people with diverse ethnicity,
experiences and skills begins with senior management.
In the words of DuPont Senior Vice President and
General Counsel Stacey Mobley, diversity provides
a strategic business advantage. From recruiting
top talent to attracting new customers around the
world, the company that welcomes diversity finds
it has a winning advantage over the competition. |
"The
concept of 'diversity', itself, is far broader now than
race or gender; it also encompasses age, ethnicity,
physical condition, sexual orientation, and both cultural
and national origin. Things aren't just black and white
anymore." -Stacey Mobley
"Change is difficult because it requires us to get out
of our comfort zone. The reality is that we are still
far from Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of a society where
people are judged by the content of their character rather
than the color of their skin.
"One important step is for companies to
be more creative-and inclusive-in their recruitment,
hiring, development, and retention processes. No company
can successfully retain people unless its work environment
is conducive to valuing diversity. The leaders on this
issue have adopted diversity as a strategic business
initiative that will impact how-and with whom-they do
business. Diversity is not just another popular term
for affirmative action, but the reality of our population
. . . and as such, it is a business imperative that
corporations must embrace to succeed in the new economy.
If we were further along in embracing all components
of diversity, we would see the benefit in our business
results.
"I am a committed optimist. I believe
these are great times to be a lawyer, and I believe
these are great times to be an African American. But
I believe just as fervently that, if we act wisely and
creatively today, the future will hold far greater opportunities
for all minorities than our imaginations can envision
today."
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