AEP donated $32,000 last year to the Excel program for multicultural children, which will use it for scholarships, workshops and educational tours.

Fortunes may have fluctuated at U.S. companies recently, but this utility powerhouse has held steady through the turmoil, losing not one person and cutting not one benefit due to the recession. While its Diversity Council has been in place since 1998, the company has stepped up its efforts to recruit and retain multicultural women: Within each business unit, incentive plans now make it even more desirable for managers to hire women and people of color—and so far, company targets are being met or exceeded. Tough times mean that management is working harder to preserve current employees, too, fostering inclusiveness through mentoring and coaching, among other programs.

Multicultural Women 4%
Chairman, President & CEO Michael Morris
Director, Diversity/Culture Mary Cofer

At American Electric Power, multicultural women represent…
4% of corporate executives
2% of senior managers
1% of the top earners
4% of the company hires
5% of the company losses
13% of participants in mentoring programs
25% of participants in career counseling programs