LATINA Style recently inserted a category of recognition for top performing companies in America for Latinas to work for. New this year, the 2010 LATINA Style Employee Resource Group (ERG) of the Year yielded great best practices and a lot of new voices in corporate Latina leadership for our audience. Corporate commitment to the needs of its employees is critical for career success. This recognition is designed to showcase the best practices in corporate America where employee resource groups are making an impact in career outcomes and overall diversity accomplishments for respective companies. The top ERGs were selected based on the criteria of corporate involvement and commitment to the success of the ERG, the ERG’s involvement and inclusion in corporate business strategies and solutions, and overall involvement of the ERG to serve a broader community, internally and externally. In our inaugural year of this initiative, nearly 30 submissions yielded some truly dynamic leadership models of success. The ERGs are used for a myriad of reasons including but not limited to diversity recruitment, retention, diversity in management, talent development, to reach customers and clients in the community, as well as supplier diversity. Of this year’s LATINA Style 50 top Companies for Latinas to work for in the U.S., nearly each and every one has some sort of ERG actively working to promote opportunities for their employees. We applaud the LATINA Style 50 Companies for their diversity and inclusion work and look forward to showcasing more best practices to our corporate Latinas in the coming year. Our selection for 2010 recognizes State Farm’s Hispanic Resource Organization (HERO) as the LATINA Style ERG of the Year.

STATE FARM’S Hispanic Employee
Resource Organization (HERO)

State Farm is dedicated to the shared values of quality service, relationships, mutual trust, integrity, and financial strength. State Farm’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have emerged as valuable partners in these endeavors, and among State Farm’s ERGs, the Hispanic Employee Resource Organization (HERO) exemplifies its name with the leadership and vision it has provided. HERO serves as a resource in the recruitment, development, and retention of Hispanics to help State Farm meet future needs for a more diverse customer base and employee workforce. HERO does this by integrating the invaluable skills of Hispanics with State Farm’s goals, mission, and aspirations with a primary focus on Hispanic cultural and business issues. Founded in 2002, HERO currently has 1,000+ members and 15 chapters nationwide. All HERO chapters have the support of State Farm senior leaders providing guidance and ensuring that collaborative relationships exist. Per HERO structure, each chapter is assigned executive leaders and advisors. Each of the leaders assigned are members of the senior leadership team. These roles are a key component of the overall strength and effectiveness of HERO. They provide strategic advice and guidance to the elected chapter leaders to align activities of the group with company goals. HERO is committed to employee development, providing opportunities such as the professional development program, a one year course focusing on topics such as learning tactics, mentoring, coaching, interviewing, succession planning, as well as educational summits to increase understanding of the Hispanic culture for leadership, employees, and the sales force. ERGs are arguable one of the best training platforms for leadership development, and HERO, as well as State Farm, is proud of the fact that more than half of their current chapter leaders are women!

LATINA Style’s Top Employee Resource Groups 2010

KRAFT FOODS
Latino Council

For over 15 years, the Kraft Foods Latino Council (KFLC) has been focused on developing Latino talent, fostering a sense of community, and creating linkages to support the business on Latino consumer initiatives. The Council supports the personal and career development of Latino and Latina employees via mentorship, training and networking, as well as fostering a sense of community and inclusion at all levels of the company. Being open and inclusive is woven into how Kraft Foods does business every day. The company requires diversity and inclusion training for every employee at key career stages to sustain a culture that welcomes and values individual differences. Kraft Foods’ 10 diversity-focused employee councils align their objectives with the company’s business strategies to enhance their impact – including the Kraft Foods Latino Council. The company also links the diversity goals of each business unit and function to executive compensation to strengthen accountability. The KFLC has chapters across the company’s main sites and has extended its reach to Latino employees across their plants, distribution centers and sales offices.

CITI’s Hispanic Heritage
Network (the Network)

Founded in 2003, the Citi Hispanic Heritage Network (the Network) is one of Citi’s 53 employee networks. Their mission is to identify growth opportunities for Hispanics within and outside of the corporate world. The Network partners with corporate leaders across Citi to organize initiatives that promote the professional advancement of its employees. The Network operates under the Citi’s Office of Diversity guidelines and principles. It is provided with an annual budget, a senior executive sponsor, and a human resources liaison to deliver on its core mission and goals. The Network is closely aligned with Citi’s management and their mission to execute on the four pillars of Citi’s diversity strategy: management accountability, attracting talent, focus on career mobility, and promoting an inclusive work environment. In addition, the Network partners with various community organizations to help improve quality of life for its community and its clients. This includes partnership with the following efforts: “Tu Corazon Latino� to monitor improving cardiovascular health; Habitat for Humanity to improve the housing condition of people in need; the Hispanic Federation to deliver toys to children in need in the NY tri-state area, to name a few.

MCDONALD’s
Hispanic Employee Business Networks (HEBN)

McDonald’s Hispanic Employee Business Networks (HEBN) began in the early 1980s, with the first Network located at their corporate headquarters. Today, the HEBN is a National network with chapters in 20 of their 22 regions, including global headquarters. HEBN has the support of McDonald’s leadership with each of the three Divisions with an Officer Sponsor. Both Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Officers of the Company are engaged with the HEBN. The HEBN not only strives to develop internal Latino and Latina talent, but also works to help McDonald’s capture the growing Hispanic market both in sales and talent acquisition. McDonald’s does this by ensuring that they understand the culture, tastes, and values of the diverse Hispanic community. The HEBN also has a Hispanic Business Vision, a multi-year plan bringing together Hispanic employees, franchisees, and suppliers to develop strategies to capture the Hispanic market and enhance the workplace for Hispanic employees. HEBN in the community includes HACER Scholarships of $100,000 each actively promoted at regional and national conferences; “Succeed in High School and Go to College� workshops delivered to Latino parents; support of the Dallas “Parents Step Ahead� Program; and Holiday toy drive for children with disabilities at “Casa Esperanza.�

NOVARTIS’ Hispanic
Leadership Network (HLN)

The Hispanic Leadership Network (HLN) at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is one of 14 Employee Resource Groups. The HLN was established in 2001in order for Novartis to better serve a broader community, both internally and externally. The HLN leadership engages in ongoing discussions on how to best leverage diverse talents and perspectives and provide input to help shape business strategy in terms of reaching untapped markets. Novartis Diversity & Inclusion has established programs such as the Disability Mentoring Day, Empowering Women to Impact Novartis/Women in Leadership (WIN/WIL) conference, supplier diversity mentoring programs, internal mentoring programs and webinars. Specifically, the HLN has engaged the employees by providing tools to enhance their career development. HLN has also engaged the community by offering opportunities to young professionals, from local high schools, to participate in a mentoring program supported by Public Affairs. HLN has sponsored multicultural events such as giving inspiring young high school artist the opportunity to display their art work at a local Museum. HLN’s corporate sponsors are key in helping HLN interact and engage senior corporate management in discussing cultural insights, and provide recommendations regarding better ways to access specific populations such as the Hispanic community.