Roundtable discussion on diversity does not go in circles

House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and syndicated columnist George Curry chaired a roundtable discussion on the challenges and experiences in achieving model diversity initiatives. Representatives from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Verizon Communications, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and other companies offered their opinions on how to create a more inclusive work environment.

Ellie Hollander, Chief People Officer of AARP, said that AARP had taken a holistic approach to maximize the engagement of all their employees. Hollander attributed this level of involvement to AARP’s several human resource groups that cater to the needs and concerns of diverse individuals such as minorities and disabilities.

Verizon Communications was named number one this year by Diversity Inc. According to Emilio Gonzalez, vice president of strategic alliances for Verizon, 25 percent of the Verizon board of directors are from minority groups and 95 percent of the workforce is within the U.S. Gonzalez attributed the success to four core concepts which are employment, procurement, philanthropy and governance. The GAO representative aptly said that America ‘has not arrived’ but remains committed to the inclusion of diversity initiatives.