What we love it’s easy to see that multicultural women are receiving the right opportunities at this consumer products company. In a rare parallel, their representation in the upper echelons keeps perfect pace with their overall numbers: multicultural women represent 13% of all employees versus 12% of senior managers and 10% of the highest earners. Inspiration comes from participation in the company’s 13 employee network groups, which foster workplace alliances and help women sharpen their skills, giving them the confidence to pursue executive positions. As one example, women in the hispanic Action network recently attended a 90-minute session called “optimize your career Brand,” which showed them how to seize control of their professional destinies. Making advancement easier is up to $10,000 in annual tuition aid, available to all employees, on which the company spent $1.5 million in 2010. Its sponsorship of organizations such as the national urban league and hispanic corporate Achievers sends the message to employees of all backgrounds that they matter; so does the fact that company executives often serve on their boards.

Chairman, President & CEO Ian Cook
Worldwide Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion Eugene Kelly

At Colgate-Palmolive, multicultural women represent…
13% multicultural women
6% of corporate executives
12% of senior managers
10% of the top earners
12% of the company hires
12% of the company promotions
12% of the company losses
Not tracked participants in mentoring programs
20% of participants in affinity groups