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Employee wellness

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Job safety

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workplace diversity

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Diverse organisations perform better. We're always saying it, but there's a very good reason why. In our E-Book on How to Increase Diversity Through Improved Hiring and Recruitment Processes , we uncovered some very interesting insights on the benefits of embracing diversity, including:

Most studies surrounding diversity in the workplace have found that for every 1% increase in gender diversity, company revenue increases by 3%.

Higher levels of ethnic diversity increase revenue by a whopping 15%.

According to Glassdoor, 67% of active and passive job seekers say that when evaluating companies and job offers, it is important to them that the company has a diverse workforce.

So, we're going to take a closer look at the companies around the world that are excelling when it comes to diversity hiring. You'll notice that they vary from industry to industry and all of them are embracing diversity in different ways. However, as a recruiter, you can stand to learn something from every company on the list to develop your own diversity and inclusion strategy.

1. Sodexo

Industry: Quality of Life Services

# of Employees Worldwide: 460,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: Although gender, generations and sexual orientation are all part of the diversity hiring strategy at Sodexo, they state that "gender balance is our business", and their mission is to make it everyone else's business too. 55% of all staff members in Sodexo are women - that's up from just 17% in 2009. 58% of the members on the board of directors are female and the company runs 14 Gender Balance Networks worldwide. What they have found is that when there is an optimal gender balance within an organisation, employee engagement increases by 4 percentage points, gross profit increases by 23% and brand image strengthens by 5 percentage points.

2. Johnson & Johnson

Industry: Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical and Consumer Packaged Goods

# of Employees Worldwide: 132,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: J&J have pumped a lot of resources into ensuring that all employees help to create an inclusive environment. The organisation's Global Diversity and Inclusion vision is "to maximise the global power of diversity and inclusion, to drive superior business results and sustainable competitive advantage." How they're making this happen is through employee resource groups, mentoring programmes and 'Diversity University', which is a dynamic website that helps employees to understand the benefits of working collaboratively. The Chief Diversity officer also reports directly to the CEO and Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, meaning that the whole operation is being overseen by top-level management. Various rewards and recognitions the company has received include being recognised by U.S. Veterans Magazine as the "Best of the Best" for strides made in diversity efforts, and being one of only two companies that have been on the Working Mother 100 Best list for the past 28 years.

3. Mastercard

Industry: Financial Services

# of Employees Worldwide: 13,400+

Diversity & Inclusion: Mastercard consistently makes it into the Top 10 of DiversityInc's 50 Best Companies for Diversity list. They believe that "diversity is what drives better insights, better decisions, and better products. It is the backbone of innovation". A particularly unique project that Mastercard has executed over the past few years involves getting older employees in the company more active when it comes to social media. To address generational barriers, "YoPros" BRG (the Young Professionals Business Resource Group) offers a one-on-one 'Social Media Reverse Mentoring' program to older employees who want to become familiarised with the platforms.

4. Accenture

Industry: Professional Services/Consulting

# of Employees Worldwide: 513,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: Accenture believe that "no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion or sexual orientation." Diversity training within the company is broken into 3 different categories:

1.) Diversity Awareness - to help people understand the benefits of working with a diverse organisation.

2.) Diversity Management - to equip executives to manage diverse teams.

3.) Professional Development - to enable women, LGBT and ethnically diverse employees to build skills for success.

The organisation also hosts a company-wide celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities as well as endeavour to help their employees with various supports, like assistive technology, flexible work arrangements and additional training.

5. Kaiser Permanente

# of Employees Worldwide: 217,828+

Diversity & Inclusion: As the largest managed care organisation in the USA, the Kaiser Permanente labour force reflects no racial majority, with nearly 60% of the staff comprising of people of colour. Additionally, three-quarters of all employees, nearly half of the executive team, and more than one-third of their physicians are women. Part of the diversity agenda is to provide culturally-acceptable medical care and culturally-appropriate services to all of the 140 cultures currently represented in the population of the US. The company also ranked in the Hall of Fame on DiversityInc.

6. EY

Industry: Professional Services

# of Employees Worldwide: 280,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: At EY, they believe that "only the highest-performing teams, which maximise the power of different opinions, perspectives, and cultural references, will succeed in the global marketplace." The organisation was the first of the Big Four to assign full-time, partner-level leadership to diversity recruiting. Ever since, the number of women in top executive management positions has increased by more than 20% and programmes such as EY Launch have begun, which is for ethnically diverse college freshmen, sophomores and transfer students, and builds awareness of accounting as a major and professional services as a profession.

7. Coca-Cola

# of Employees Worldwide: 86,200+

Diversity & Inclusion: At Coca-Cola, diversity is seen "as more than just policies and practices. It is an integral part of who we are as a company, how we operate and how we see our future." Diversity education programmes include Diversity Training, a Diversity Speaker Series and a Diversity Library. In 2017, a new parental benefits policy was implemented, whereby 6 weeks of paid leave is extended to all new mothers and fathers. The move was championed by 'Coca-Cola Millennial Voices', a group of young employees tasked with making sure there is a healthy level of employee retention in millennial consumers and staff members.

8. Marriott International

Industry: Hospitality/Tourism

# of Employees Worldwide: 174,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: Named as one of the 'World's Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work', the world's largest annual study of workplace excellence, Marriott International extends their commitment to creating an inclusive guest experience to their workforce around the globe. Women-owned business enterprises make up approximately 10% of Marriott's supply chain and they vow to spend $1 billion with diverse-owned businesses by 2020. LGBT inclusion is also a top priority for Marriott International. They received that 'Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality' accolade when they earned a perfect score on the HRC's 2016 Corporate Equality Index, a widely recognised benchmark for diversity and inclusion.

9. Novartis

Industry: Pharmaceuticals

# of Employees Worldwide: 125,000+

Diversity & Inclusion: Novartis believe that diversity is integral to their success, because it helps them to understand the unique needs of their patients and find innovative ways of addressing those needs. Within the organisation, the word 'disability' has been replaced with 'diverseability' because they don't view people living with disabilities as having a lack of ability, but rather having diverse skills and proficiencies. Human Resources professionals in the company are also educated on topics such as unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, disabilities/accommodations and compensation/pay equity in order to improve their diversity hiring methods.
Want to take a leaf out of these companies' books and hone your diversity hiring skills? It's time for you to improve diversity in your company!

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9 Companies Around the World Embracing Diversity in a BIG Way

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Diverse organisations perform better. We're always saying it, but there's a very good reason why. In our E-Book on How to Increase Diversity Through Improved Hiring and Recruitment Processes , we uncovered some very interesting insights on the benefits of embracing diversity, including: Most studies surrounding diversity in the workplace have found that for every 1% increase in gender diversity, company revenue increases by 3%.

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Environmental protection

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More companies are shifting priorities by using business intelligence to not only save on costs but to also become environmentally aware. Business intelligence's ability to keep track of performance, as well as alert decision makers on behavioural changes, make it a complementary approach as demonstrated by the desire by many companies to become more eco-friendly. Even then, there is need for a clear roadmap that will tie in business intelligence with green initiatives.

Why Going Green is Important

The continued depletion of natural resources has led corporations that have large energy requirements to become more environmentally aware than ever. This is because not only do green initiatives save on costs, reuse resources and meet compliance requirements, but they also help to create brand recognition among customers.

Companies that are seen as being environmentally sensitive tend to create a vision of care. This provides the benefit of perceptions and practicality with the broader effects going beyond the organisation. However, the ability to save money by lowering the use of energy and power is more important. Besides lowering the consumption of energy, the technology adoption organisations also invest in R&D efforts and support social action initiatives that are geared towards environmentally friendly products as well as internal processes. This has broader effects on the environment at large.

List of Companies that Have Great Environmental Initiatives

1. Ford Motor Company

Automotive companies are known to be among the heaviest polluters. However, Ford Motor Company is changing this narrative through their ten-part environmental policy that they have implemented for years. The company uses sustainable fabrics in its vehicles while 80% of both its Focus and Escape vehicles are recyclable. The company also focuses on fuel efficiency, particularly on the six-speed transmission, offering a clean diesel heavy duty pickup truck. Furthermore, the paint fumes in the company's plant in Michigan are recycled as fuel.
Ford's factories also use Geothermal cooling systems while the Crown Victoria Interceptor that is distributed to the police has a fuel capacity that is flexible, making it able to run on either ethanol or gas. Additionally, Ford owns the world's largest green roof and is the only company to have won the EPA Energy Star Award twice in a row.

Disney is determined to please companies that have made it a giant by using zero net direct greenhouse gas emission policies within all its facilities. In addition, it is working at reducing the indirect greenhouse gas emissions through the reduction of electrical consumption. Disney also has a zero waste policy meaning that there is nothing that would end up in landfills. The entertainment giant also uses technology that saves water and is working on lowering the footprint of its product manufacturing and distribution. This is tied up to the company's policy of having a net positive environmental impact that has made Disney a leader in environmental responsibility.

3. Fisher Investments

The company has initiated the Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative that is aimed at contributing towards the preservation of California's native Redwoods through cutting down on emissions and gasses that threaten their existence. More specifically, the company employs a plethora of ways in helping the environment through materials, as well as adjustable thermostats. Ultimately, the company's commitment to reducing their footprint is unwavering.

4. Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard is one of the first companies to have reported its greenhouse gas emissions, after which they have initiated plans that are aimed at reducing emissions and cutting back on toxic substances used in manufacturing its products like cartridges. The company also has an aggressive recycling program that ensures most of the manufacturing waste does not end up in landfills. Furthermore, it has taken the lead in spreading word on the importance of environmental responsibility in its ads that promote green initiatives.

5. Johnson and Johnson

For more than 20 years now, this company has taken the lead in manufacturing personal care products that are environmentally responsible. It also has initiatives that reduce waste in the course of manufacturing and distribution through use of sustainable products and packaging methods where possible. The company also owns a fleet of hybrid vehicles that it also operates.

Nike is keen to highlight the value of green initiatives through its advertising in addition to putting the great ideas into practice. Its line of sustainable products is made using environmentally preferred materials like recycled polyester. The company also uses renewable energy sources in manufacturing. Moreover, Nike has pressed 650 of its suppliers in 52 countries to develop and implement written environmental policies.

7. eBay Eco-Initiatives

This company has its focus on environmental sustainability. This company has made it possible for people to exchange or reuse goods instead of throwing them away; thus not only increasing the lifespan of these products but also keeping them off landfills. The company also has a classified section where users are able to sell or buy used furniture, household appliances as well as other items that are hard to ship within the local community. The company has also partnered with United Stated Postal Service (USPS) to ensure green supply when it comes to shipping. Together, these two entities are co branded in environmentally friendly Priority Mail packaging that has earned them Cradle-to-Cradle certification.

8. Starbucks Stores Go Green

This company embraces principles of environmental sustainability across the board. The company not only purchases Fair Trade Certified and Certified organic coffee but also focuses on achieving LED certifications for its new outlets. By creating 'green' stores, the company is able to reduce operating costs as well as minimize the impact of business practices on the environment. In addition, the company has a green building strategy that includes adjusting temperatures for its air-conditioned stores from the standard that is 72o to 75o F and purchasing cabinetry that is made using 90% post industrial materials while incorporating low-flow water valves.

9. Google Environmental Innovations

This business innovator is another leader in embracing a greener future with its green supply chain management practices and environmental sustainability. The company demonstrates its commitment to going green through initiatives like powering its facilities with renewable energy sources, hosting farmers' markets as well as sustainable cooking seminars and bringing goats to trim grass. Google also has in place an environmentally aware corporate culture, solidifying its reputation of being one of the world's most forward thinking companies.

Overall, regardless of the initiatives that a company may embrace, businesses will do well to monitor these initiatives and identify ways of becoming more efficient over time.

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9 Companies with Great Environmental Initiatives | Smart Cities Dive