Childs credits the programs and open communications with improving IBM s racial profile. During the same period, women of color, predominantly African American and Hispanic, have increased from 17 to 54. Overall, African Americans hold 5 percent of our executive positions. Holding Managers Accountable Carrier Corp., the Syracuse, N.Y.-based heating, air conditioning and refrigeration firm led by CEO John Lord, also is making race a top priority. Each of Carrier s seven business units formed diversity councils.
Members run the gamut, from non-exempt staff to executives.
The councils developed diversity business cases for their units, weighing the needs of customers, employees and other stakeholders. Carrier developed its program with the assistance of John P. Fernandez, president of ARMC Consultants in Philadelphia. The program requires each business unit to develop and monitor its own diversity plan. Business unit presidents and their direct reports will sit down quarterly with Lord and Rejeana Pendleton, manager of staffing and workforce diversity, to check progress. Currently seven of the 176 top executives, or 4 percent, are black.