Commonwealth Compact Releases Findings of Diversity Benchmarks Initiative
Boston (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 19, 2009 -- A report released today at the University of Massachusetts Boston finds that four in five CEOs of organizations that completed a new survey believe that workplace diversity in Massachusetts has improved in the last five years, but just over half (55 percent) say their own workforce reflects the population served, and only 49 percent say they are satisfied with the diversity of their leadership team.
Overall, people of color make up 34 percent of the workforce of the 111 organizations that participated, but most minority employees are concentrated in lower-level jobs; 23 percent of the organizations had no person of color at all on their leadership team, according to the report.
These are among the findings in "Stepping Up," a 24-page report being released today by Commonwealth Compact, the statewide diversity initiative. The report analyzes data from a detailed questionnaire containing 25 diversity benchmarks. Many of the state's largest employers, including Partners HealthCare, Harvard, M.I.T., Staples, John Hancock, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, participated in the first annual survey.
"This report marks the first phase of a unique initiative in this country," said Stephen P. Crosby, dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies at UMass Boston and the founder of Commonwealth Compact. "Nowhere else has the senior leadership of government, business, academics, and the non-profit sector committed to such a comprehensive assessment of its own diversity," Crosby said. "And nowhere else has such a broad-based commitment been made to systematically report upon and improve that performance. If we do this right, Commonwealth Compact can set a standard for our country's continuing evolution toward becoming a 'minority majority' nation, and can help cement a leadership position for Massachusetts in the global economy."
Exploring different strategies to promote diversity within organizations, the survey found that large majorities offer mentoring programs (77 percent) and advertise in ethnic media (85 percent), but only 41 percent require that people of color or women be included among those considered for job openings; only 40 percent survey their own employees on diversity issues, and only 19 percent make top managers' performance toward diversity goals a factor in their compensation.
"Stepping Up" was written by Carol Hardy-Fanta, Ph.D., director of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy at the McCormack Graduate School, based on her analysis of the data collected by Commonwealth Compact. Under the benchmarks initiative, information from individual organizations is kept confidential but analyzed in the aggregate. In its first year, enough benchmark data was collected to allow analysis of four sectors: for-profit, healthcare, education, and other not-for-profit. More detailed analysis will be possible in future years as the initiative grows.
Commonwealth Compact, which has the stated goal "to make Massachusetts a location of choice for people of color," was launched in May 2008 with the active support of Gov. Deval Patrick, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, and several hundred business and civic leaders. Its co-chairs are Dean Crosby; Ralph Martin II, managing partner of the Boston office of Bingham McCutchen and immediate past chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and P. Steven Ainsley, publisher of the Boston Globe. The initiative is located at the McCormack Graduate School.
In addition to the benchmarks initiative, Commonwealth Compact is working to create a talent source database to connect employers with talent of color for jobs, openings on boards of directors, and networking opportunities. Also planned are a diversity clearinghouse and a variety of workshops and forums.
The Commonwealth Compact mission statement is as follows: "To establish Massachusetts as a uniquely inclusive, honest, and supportive community of -- and for -- diverse people. To acknowledge our mixed history in this effort, and to face squarely the challenges that still need to be overcome, understanding that the rich promise of the region's growing diversity must be tapped fully if Boston and Massachusetts are to achieve their economic, civic, and social potential."
The full text of "Stepping Up" and other materials are available at www.commonwealthcompact.umb.edu.
About UMass Boston
With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex urban issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston's only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston's seven colleges and graduate schools serve more than 14,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.
About the McCormack Graduate School
The John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies is a world class academic and research center, dedicated to creating opportunities for students, faculty, researchers and graduates from across a broad spectrum of backgrounds to explore policy and the complex economic, social and political issues which increasingly shape diverse urban communities. For more information, visit www.mccormack.umb.edu.
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