By Melissa J. Anderson

Evolved Employer has had quite a year – and we are taking a few weeks off to prepare for our big 2011 launch. A few upcoming articles include incentive-driven diversity programs, the cost of the closet, how a progressive flexwork policy is today’s business imperative, and more – so stay tuned!

The goal of Evolved Employer is to enable people to learn more about the their employers’ (and potential employers’) efforts toward building a more progressive workplace – the kind of workplace that, studies show, today’s high performing employees want to work for. A workplace that reflects their values. A workplace that respects them and treats them and their coworkers like people. A workplace that is compatible with today’s dual-career households, technologies, and global focus.

It is also our vision that global business leaders are inspired by the best practices described on this website, and find ways to incorporate evolved talent management approaches, sustainable (in every sense of the word) business practices, and business innovation in today’s new economy. By doing so, they can hope to attract, engage, and retain top talent – our most valuable resource.

If you have some spare time over the next few weeks, take a minute to read some of our stories from the past year – here are a few favorites:

• Accenture Launches New $100 Million Commitment to Provide 250,000 Individuals with the “Skills to Succeed”
• M.A.C Cosmetics’ World AIDS Day Efforts Boost Employee Engagement
• Symantec on Human Rights, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Coca Cola vs. PepsiCo: Who Takes the Title for Sustainability?
• PwC’s GLBT Diversity Initiative: “I am Open”
• How Far is Too Far? Whole Foods Offers Employee Healthcare Discount Based on Body Metrics
• SEC Changes Encourage Diversity in the Boardroom

We aim to help our readers find inclusive, progressive, evolved employers – and to help those truly evolved employers hold on to their top talent. Keep reading, and here’s to a great 2011!

By Melissa J. Anderson

• Linklaters is Named the UK’s Most Diverse Law Firm
  According to the the Black Solicitors Network (BSN) Diversity League Table, Linklaters is the top ranking UK firm in terms of disability, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.
• Outgoing Barclay’s Bank CEO John Varley Discusses Diversity and Disability
  Varley tells HR Magazine why he’s worked to champion job equality for the disabled. He says, “I’ve had the conviction that disability has no correlation with capability.”
• Where Philanthropy and Literacy Meet
  This year, a number of companies are giving to literacy charities – and giving books. Marketplace examines the trend.
• Tech Firms Hampered By Talent Recruitment
  A new Accenture study reveals “53% of COOs of enterprise communications and consumer technology companies say developing and managing human capital is critical to delivering distinctive customer value.”
• Forbes Survey Says Employees Will Leave Company If It Has the Wrong Values
  According to Forbes, “83% of employees would seriously consider leaving their job if their employer used child labor in sweatshop factories” and “65% would seriously consider leaving their job if their company harmed the environment.”
• Forget Green – What about Human Capital Sustainability?
  In an age of skeleton crews, increasing workloads, and long hours, TriplePundit explores the mental, emotional and psychological sustainability of the workforce.

By Melissa J. Anderson

• New Group Aims to Improve Gender Balance on Boards with 30% Women
  The New York Times covers the 30% Club, a new group founded by Asset Management maven Helena Morrisey, CEO of the money manager Newton, in an effort to improve gender representation in the boardroom, without resorting to quotas.
• Employee Engagement at the Core of IBM’s Diversity Metrics
  DiversityInc. covers a speech given by IBM’s vice president of global diversity and workforce programs Ron Glover, in which he says that diversity comes from more than metrics – it has to come from the hearts and minds of employees as well.
• Inside Cause Marketing
  TriplePundit investigates cause marketing. How charitable – and profitable – is it?
• Gen Y Women Most Engaged
  A new study shows that across demographics, Gen Y women are most loyal to their organizations.
• Has CSR Failed?
  According to JustMeans, a new book will be released in February 2011 outlining why CSR isn’t working.
• How CEOs Can Leave a Legacy of Sustainability [PDF]
  A new report released today by the Network for Business Sustainability outlines how company leaders can work to embed sustainability within their company’s culture.

By Melissa J. Anderson

• Push for Women Execs Not Simply Diversity for Diversity’s Sake
  The Financial Times discusses the strategic benefits of corporate gender diversity at the top – and throughout the entire talent pipeline.
• 100 Diverse Board Candidates
  CFO Magazine covers a list produced by Agenda [PDF], a publication by the FT, of 100 highly skilled diverse, up-and-coming board candidates – 100 women and minority individuals, the majority of whom have never served on a board.
• FedEx’s Approach to Corporate Philanthropy: Capability and Team Focused
  The New York Times talks about corporate philanthropy with FedEx’s CEO and Chairman Frederick W. Smith. Smith says, “The biggest trends we see is team member engagement.”
• How Diversity Impacts Employee Engagement
  DiversityInc discusses how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s concept of “beloved community” can impact the way companies develop diversity and inclusion programs.
• Weber Shandwick’s Own CSR
  EverythingPR discusses how PR firm Weber Shandwick approaches CSR – pro bono clients, free workshops for non-profits, employee volunteering opportunities, and more.
• Mentorship to Foster Green Business
  Triple Pundit proposes green biz mentorship to help foster the next generation of green entrepreneurs.

By Melissa J. Anderson

• The Benefits of Women at the Top
  Business Ethics Magazine provides a nice overview of the research showing that boardroom gender diversity is one key to success.
• The Importance of Leadership in Bulding a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce
  The Montreal Gazette discusses why the wrong leadership can turn workplace diversity efforts into “PR fluff” – and how to avoid going wrong.
• PSEG Awards 16 Employees with $30,000 toward Charity
  According to DiversityInc., PSEG, a New Jersey energy company, is engaging its workforce and community by awarding employee volunteers with $30,000 to put toward local NJ charities.
• Why Employees React Negatively to Change
  In the Harvard Business Review, James R. Bailey and Jonathan Raelin discuss why changing employee expectations can often produce a disproportionately negative response.
• CSR and Social Media
  The Guardian discusses why companies need to better utilize social media when getting their CSR message across. One reason? “The philosophies of social media and sustainability have a great deal in common. Both are built on the pillars of transparency, ethics and innovation, and both can help secure a company’s bottom line.”
• November is Native American Heritage Month
  What is your company doing to promote the attraction and retention Native American/ American Indian employees?

By Melissa J. Anderson

• “Sweet” Job Perks at Canada’s Candy Corporate Offices
  The Globe and Mail discusses the employment benefits offered by Mars Canada and Hershey Canada – one benefit: pets are allowed at the Mars corporate offices.
• Starbucks Will Now Recognize MLK Day with Holiday Pay
  According to an article on the Starbucks Workers Union webpage, the company’s employees will now receive time and a half pay for working on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a federal holiday.
• Six Ways Leaders Can Fuel Excellence At Anything
  Tony Schwartz, President and CEO of The Energy Project, relates some says leaders can inspire excellence in their employees – one way: “Create and protect periods of uninterrupted focus.”
• Corporate Sustainability Grows Despite Recession
  Nathaniel Gronewold writes for the NY Times, “Slashing energy use and streamlining production in hard times, businesses learned that being green made a positive difference in their bottom lines and made a positive impression on Wall Street analysts and investors.”

By Melissa J. Anderson

• US Airways Partners with NAACP to Improve Workplace Diversity
  Aviation Online Magazine reports that US Airways is enlisting the NAACP to help “enhance the airline’s diversity and equal opportunity programs, training, personnel, policies, and procedures, will take joint efforts to promote diversity and equal opportunity, and will maintain a direct dialogue concerning these issues in the future.”
• GM Names New US VP for Diversity
  Eric Peterson, GM’s director of industry dealer affairs, will “co-chair a diversity team of 12 GM executives,” work to increase minority-owned dealerships and suppliers, and improve diversity in advertising and in the workforce at large.
• Matel’s LGBT Program
  Peter Gandolfo, a senior marketing manager at Mattel, discusses OPEN, the LGBT organization he started at the company – he says, “Leading our ERG has given me exposure to senior leaders within our organization; these and other relationships I’ve built with peers throughout the company help me succeed in my job.”
• What is Ethical Investment?
  Nick Sturge writes, “If you avoid a certain product on a supermarket shelf because you know it has been tested on animals you should really consider asking your bank who it lends to – as it might just be helping to finance such testing.”

By Melissa J. Anderson

• Employee Engagement Boosts Operating Incomes
  The Huffington Post discusses the results of a study which indicates that operating income increases with employee engagement.
• NIH Funds Science Workforce Diversity Projects
  The NIH has awarded a total of $12 million for 6 projects intended to improve diversity in the sciences.
• Still Not Enough Women in Leadership Roles
  The NY Times discusses a study showing that 56 the S&P 100 “did not have female or minority employees in their ‘C-Suite.’ or most senior positions.”
• Corporate Giving Up Last Year, Despite Hard Times
  A new report shows that corporate philanthropy increased last year – reaching the highest value in 4 years.

By Melissa J. Anderson

• Accomodating Muslim Clothing at Disneyland
  An interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about Disneyland’s clothing policies and how they are being modified – or not – to accommodate Muslim employees. “Has Disney made these accommodations because they’re the morally right choices, or because there are profits to be made in appealing to new markets? At a certain level, the answer is: As long as the correct outcome is achieved, who cares?”
• Google Championing Green Infrastructure Projects
  The HBR discusses how “the tech giant and some other investors are proposing a $5 billion “transmission backbone” for offshore wind farms along the East Coast,” even as the government balks at spending on infrastructure projects.
• Measuring Green Business Employee Engagement
  Ante Glavas, assistant professor of management at the University of Notre Dame is working on a project to measure how green business policy impacts employee engagement.
• The MAC AIDS Fund – Philanthropy or Business?
  Triple Pundit discusses MAC’s $180 million donation (so far) to HIV and AIDS related charities – driving sales in the process. Modern CSR campaigns are craried out with a careful eye to ROI – but not this one. And yet it’s been extremely successful in raising funds sales.