Talk about what diversity means to you. And explain how valuing and championing diversity will help you in your career.
To me, diversity is not only embracing but utilizing the different characteristics of different people. Everyone is different, and everyone has different and unique experiences to contribute and share with each other. Embracing diversity allows us to build off of the broad range of others' experiences rather than only interacting with people we are similar to and/or most comfortable around. As our guest speaker pointed out, we have a propensity to associate with people who are "like us" and avoid those who are different. This behavior isolates us from entire realms of thought associated with people from different life experiences.
Post the diversity statements from 5 companies or organizations in your field of interest, comment how they are similar and/or different. How do each of these fit with your own diversity values?
3M: Vision:To be a company reflecting the diversity of 3M’s global customers, building on each employee’s capabilities through inclusive leadership in order to accelerate business and professional growth.
DuPont: In DuPont we will have an organization in which people of all backgrounds can contribute and achieve their full potential in pursuit of personal and organizational excellence.
Dow Chemical: Inherent in the human element that drives Dow, diversity is viewed as a source of advantage. We value the differing experiences, backgrounds and perspectives among our employees, and draw from those differences to fuel innovation. We are committed to building a vibrant, diverse and talented employee base – and helping each employee grow and develop as part of Dow's inclusive global community.
Johnson & Johnson: vision: To maximize the global power of diversity and inclusion to drive superior business results and sustainable competitive advantage
Bristol-Myers Squibb: At Bristol-Myers Squibb, having a diverse team of employees and an inclusive culture is vital for innovation and successfully executing our BioPharma business strategy. We are committed to fostering a globally diverse workforce and a companywide culture that encourages excellence, leadership, innovation and a balance between our personal and professional lives.
All five of these companies embrace diversity. One thing I noticed they all mention in their diversity statements is that not only are they interested in the way diversity benefits employees, they are concerned with the way it benefits their business. One thing that has resonated with what we have been learning all semester is that companies are driven by money - clearly these companies are interested in diversity for several reasons, but one of them is definitely money.
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