In June 2012, Northern Trust asked employees who took part in its Global Diversity & Inclusion Fair (hosted in 18 locations) to write down just one thing they could do to promote the event’s aims. In two days, they got 2,000+ responses.

Women and/or people of color occupy 4 of the 14 spots on the board of directors at this financial services firm, where there is a definite focus on promoting multicultural employees into key positions. Every business unit tracks and reports on the racial and ethnic composition of its workforce, monitoring how diverse employees fare in its succession plans; managers participate in a development program that helps them motivate employees of all backgrounds. Mentoring is available through internal business resource councils (including those for African American, Asian and Latino, and female employees); their chairs are sponsored to attend the Diversity Best Practices’ Network & Affinity Leadership Congress, through which they improve their offerings. Under a new policy, all employees get two paid days off annually to volunteer with a charitable, service or educational group. Busy parents balance their lives by utilizing the firm’s flexible schedules, backup dependent care and day care (for employees only, at the downtown Chicago HQ).

Chairman & CEO: Frederick Waddell

SVP & Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer: Mark Welch

Multicultural women represent…

22% of total employees

0% of corporate executives

5% of senior managers

5% of the top fifth of all earners

14% of all promotions to manager, senior manager or corporate executive in 2011

8% of the board of directors in 2011
 

What percentage of multicultural women employees participated in mentoring in 2011? 17%

What percentage of multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups in 2011? Not answered