Diversity, in the corporate world, means more than just having a mix of ethnicities and genders in the work force. For four Atlanta companies, the concept of diversity means a stronger bottom line.

Employees who value each other’s differences play a big part in the success of the operation, said Richard Holmes, senior vice president of corporate services for Georgia Power Co.

“We’re trying to get 100 percent of our employees 100 percent of the time,” he said. “We want to unleash the potential of everybody on board. The best way to do that is to change the culture of our company: the way we as employees value each other, how we work together, even how we live together.”

At Georgia Power, keeping tabs on how well that’s happening is done through several systems.

“It is not a single algorithm where you put in X and it gives you Z,” Holmes said. "We use hard, empirical data as well as data from assessments, focus groups and interviews. We do it by having senior management talk to employees,” Holmes said. “We have a management council that conducts focus groups with employees throughout the year. We send out an annual diversity survey each year to all employees so they can provide feedback on their perspectives. We have specific training for leaders on how to manage differently in a diverse environment.”

For Gloria Nutt, who heads the community affairs, diversity and urban business development programs for Rich’s-Macy’s, diversity goes well beyond what you see at first glance.

“It’s really about how we leverage the different perspectives in our organization so you walk away from the table with better solutions,” she said. “If everyone is the same age, same gender and same ethnicity, you don’t reflect the marketplace you’re serving.”

Rich’s-Macy’s has successfully approached the topic of diversity by creating a 24-member council, with representatives from every cross section of the company.

“It’s been around for about three years and most of that time a big part of our focus has been on awareness and communication,” Nutt said. “We look at how we heighten the awareness of what we’re trying to do; how to keep it simple and inclusive.

“This year, we’re focusing on developing a report to communicate the progress were making. We’re also developing a recognition program that will identify diversity behavior and recognize it the same way we recognize other achievements in the organization.”

The primary objective of the chief diversity office at BellSouth Corp.oration is to create a culture where every employee feels included.

“We want their ideas to be solicited and valued and their differences cherished,” said Valencia Adams, a 35-year BellSouth veteran who took over the lead diversity spot 15 months ago. “When that happens, business grows and prospers.”

For Adams, measuring diversity’s impact cuts across several lines, from hiring to customer programs.

“We look at the workplace, the work force and our impact on the community at large,” she said. “We also consider retention and our ability to attract some of the best and brightest. We look at the impact of diversity on the community, on where we spend our money – with sponsorships and contributions. We’ve also done extensive work with employee networking groups.”

The exciting part of the job is seeing results, Adams said.

“The training and the behavioral changes take time, but we have seen an improvement in employee satisfaction,” she said. “We’ve also increased the amount we spent with diverse suppliers last year.”

Making the link between diversity and the bottom line means going beyond the employees and into a company’s customers base as well, said Gloria Johnson Goins, vice president of diversity and inclusion for Home Depot Inc.

“It’s about fostering an environment where our employees and customers alike feel supported and respected,” Johnson Goins said. “And it goes beyond race and gender. It’s about all the things our associates bring to the table that can be a competitive edge for the organization.”

Getting that message across is what Johnson Goins plans to do with the upcoming “diversity road shows” she is designing. She also receives feedback from regular town-hall meetings the company holds and through a quarterly dinner hosted by company CEO Bob Nardelli, where a cross section of employees discussing diversity and inclusion.

“We also send out a survey to our 315,000 associates with specific questions about diversity,” she said. “From those, we take information and create action plans.”

Plans that capitalize on a company’s diverse profile lead to accomplishing business goals, Holmes said.
“At the end of the day, what it comes down to is how successful we are at putting the right people at the right place at the right time to carry out our business responsibilities,” he said. “If we do that, then we’re satisfying our customers and that means a profitable business enterprise.”