Learning the ropes from leading executives helps many diverse women accelerate their careers at this food-manufacturing company. While all salaried employees begin their tenure with professional development plans, multicultural women entering their second or third year on the job can participate in the yearlong Diversity Mentoring Program, which allows them to explore with partners the ways in which age, race, gender and networking can factor into their success (for better or worse). Formal sponsorship initiatives in engineering, manufacturing and IT further pair diverse women with the company’s vice presidents, directors and officers, who provide valuable guidance and increase the speed with which their advisees move into key positions. New in 2011: the Hispanic Plan to Win, an initiative spearheaded by 15 directors and officers of Hispanic origin that is devoted to significantly improving recruitment, retention and advancement among employees of that ethnic group over the next 10 years.

Chairman & CEO: Ken Powell
VP, Diversity & Inclusion: Kenneth Charles

Multicultural women represent…
7% of total employees:
4% of corporate executives
5% of senior managers
5% of the top earners
14% of the company promotions in 2010
15% of the board of directors in 2010
 
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in mentoring? 38%
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups? 48%