emerging as a leader in diversity hiring. Minority employees total more than 61,000, of which 20,707 are black. Moreover, 25% of the company’s officers are minorities and 24% are women. Don Thompson, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and William Lamar Jr., chief marketing officer — both of McDonald’s USA — were included on BE’S 75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America list. The company is no slouch in minority procurement either. McDonald’s spent more than $3 billion with women- and minority-owned suppliers. And more than 40% of McDonald’s U.S. franchise operators are women and minorities, a factor that plays a major role in the company’s success.
Advertising Diversity Rating: 5 Stars
STRENGTHS: Supplier Diversity, Senior Management, Employee Base
MERRILL LYNCH Location: New York. Type of Business: Financial Services. Diversity Contact: Thomas Mulligan, FVP, Multicultural Careers & Inclusion. One of the world’s leading financial management companies, Merrill Lynch is a strategic adviser to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals. Under the stewardship of Chairman and CEO E. Stanley O’Neal, a former BE Corporate Executive of the Year, Merrill Lynch posted revenues of $22 billion. “Enhancing people’s differences is a tremendous asset and is the foundation behind my belief that unleashing the creative energy of our people is what will enable our company to realize its full potential,” says O’Neal.
Advertising Diversity Rating: 1 Star
STRENGTHS: Board of Directors
MGM MIRAGE Location: Las Vegas. Type of business: Hotels, casinos, and resorts. Diversity Contact: Debra Nelson, VP, Corporate Diversity, Community Affairs, & Communications. Four years after creating a department dedicated to diversity, MGM Mirage remains committed. With 23 properties, the company facilitates a plethora of educational initiatives for its 70,000 employees; 56% are minorities. Among its endeavors is its Supplier Diversity program. Through this program, the company spent $77.4 million with minority-owned businesses, up from $24.3 million in 2001. Lorenzo Creighton,
president and COO of its New York-New York Hotel & Casino, is the first and only African American to lead a property on the Las Vegas strip.
Advertising Diversity Rating: 1 Star
STRENGTHS: Supplier Diversity, Senior Management, Board of Directors
PEPCO HOLDINGS INC. Location: Washington, DC. Type of Business: Utilities. Diversity Contact: Joy Dorsey, Director, Diversity & HR Strategies. One of the largest energy companies in the mid-Atlantic region, Pepco Holdings delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 1.8 million customers. Diversity ensures that Pepco reflects the community it serves. “We have a melting pot of employees and we want to tap into the talent they bring,” says Carolyn Lomax, senior human resources analyst. A commitment to diversity is evident in the company’s recruitment efforts and programs it created to foster acceptance and understanding of cultural differences. Some of its initiatives include mentorship, interactive workshops, and executive accountability scorecards.
Advertising Diversity Rating: 1 Star
STRENGTHS: Supplier Diversity, Senior Management, Board of Directors, Employee Base
PEPSICO Location: Purchase, NY. Type of Business: Convenience Foods & Beverages. Diversity Contact: Maurice Cox, VP, Corporate Development and Diversity. PepsiCo began its foray into diversity more than 60 years ago, hiring minorities in professional positions after World War