Local business leaders sound off
By K. Michael Jones
Of the St. Louis American
When it comes to diversity in business in St. Louis, while progress has been made, most feel we still have a long way to go. Workforce diversity doesn’t just happen. It takes a commitment, targeted methods and persistence. And, the commitment starts at the top of the organization. Here’s what some local business leaders have said regarding diversity and its importance for the benefit of the entire region:
“We’ve found that with a more diverse organization we can make better decisions, because we have more input from various points of view.” Schnucks can now better identify and satisfy “the needs and wants of our customers” and now has “more access to products and some services that we didn’t have available to us before and that are important to our customers.”
—Craig Schnuck, Chairman, Schnuck Markets, Inc.
“Business diversity is the right thing to do and is just good business. It broadens our base to technologies that are new and innovative that can give us a competitive advantage in our field. We have very diverse companies that come in from all over the country to provide presentations on their products and services.”
—David Steward, Chairman and CEO, World Wide Technology, Inc.
“ To be sure that we provide the highest quality, most compassionate care, we must have a diverse workforce of people who are committed to quality and service. We now know our communities are becoming more diverse…..if we don’t understand their health needs, we are not going to be able to help them.”
—Sister Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, President and CEO, SSM Health Care
“It is important as an employer to have a diverse group of people organized around a common objective. A diverse group will out-perform in creating and developing solutions when compared to a homogeneous group every time. When diverse people come together, the result is better quality service.”
—Arnold Donald, President and CEO, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
“For companies like ours, as well as for others throughout the region it’s also very important that the community itself be the kind of place that is appealing to talented people of all backgrounds. Some cities have a jump on us in this regard—such as Atlanta—but if each of us, working within our own spheres of influence, works to make a difference, we can effect change.”
—Andy Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Enterprise Rent-A-Car