LATINA Style, Inc. is proud to present the 8th Annual Employee Resource Groups of the Year Award recognizing the top Hispanic Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in the nation. Since 2010 we have seen an increasing number of new ERGs emerge. ERGs play a vital role within a company and this year, LATINA Style, Inc. continues to recognize the top 15 ERGs that have made a significant impact in the workplace by creating opportunities for new and existing talent. The ERGs mission is to develop a connection between the company and employees by empowering, nurturing and retaining talent. ERGs have also proven to be essential in business impact by building a relationship with the consumer and providing valuable insight on cultural appeal and cultural generalities to business units including Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resource, Public Relations, Multicultural Marketing and more. This recognition is designed to showcase best practices in corporate America where employee resource groups are making impact in career outcomes and overall diversity accomplishments for their respective companies. The top 15 ERGs are selected based on business impact, excellence in corporate leadership, mentorship, and dedication to working with our communities. The final winner of the LATINA Style Employee Resource Group of the Year will be announced at the LATINA Style 50 Awards and Diversity Leaders Conference on February 8, 2018 in Washington D.C.
UPS
Crecer, the Hispanic/Latino BRG was established in 2012 to empower individuals through leadership and professional development, and to accelerate business growth for UPS. Its vision is to make UPS the company of choice for Latinos. Crecer has grown to over 1,500 members across 17 chapters globally with members ranging from entry level to Vice Presidents. Crecer has logged more than 22,000 volunteer hours this year. Members also serve on boards, participate in career fairs and mentor Latino youth in the community. In partnership with the UPS Foundation, Crecer has contributed to grants of $2.7 million to Hispanic organizations. Crecer’s biggest accomplishment was to support the launch of the Spanish version of UPS MyChoice and UPS.com. In 2017, they conceived the “The Latino Link” which connects UPS sales and marketing resources to build B2B relationships in the Hispanic community. Members also work closely with UPS Supplier Diversity to increase Hispanic diversity spending. In 2016, Crecer was recognized by LATINA Style, Inc. as a top 15 Latino ERG and most recently earned the 2017 #1 ERG title from the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
JONHNSON & JONHSON
The Johnson & Johnson Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement (HOLA) was established in 2001 to create new opportunities for employees and community members through the Hispanic culture. Named Employee Resource Group (ERG) of the Year by LATINA Style, Inc. in 2016, HOLA boasts over 1,100 members across the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico. HOLA members enjoy opportunities for leadership training, networking, recruiting, mentoring, and exposure to senior leaders across Johnson & Johnson. Yearly, they support over 100 community activities. Their signature program, “Project Perfect, Just the Way You Are” promotes wellness by addressing childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and bullying. As part of the Johnson & Johnson Multicultural Marketing team, HOLA provides cultural insights for Spanish marketing campaigns and strategies. Members also conduct training to increase Hispanic participation in the company’s Supplier Diversity Program. HOLA proudly shares Johnson & Johnson’s brands with more than 7 million people annually by providing sample products, coupons and media advertisement at the NYC Hispanic Day Parade, in partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Walmart, prompting scholarships for Hispanic students and incremental revenue for Walmart and Johnson & Johnson.
HACEMOS translates to “We Do,” and accurately describes this Employee Resource Group [ERG]. Originating in 1988 with a mission to foster an environment where people support and encourage each other to succeed professionally, personally, and in the community, today HACEMOS is a 11,000-member organization with 42 chapters across the country. HACEMOS awarded $131,000 in college scholarships in the past year and over $3 million in scholarships since its founding. The HACEMOS mentoring programs are noteworthy, particularly the group’s flagship event ‘High Technology Day’, which is geared to attracting youth to careers in STEM. This nationwide event simultaneously hosts 2,300 high school students across 32 AT&T facilities. HACEMOS promotes and participates in other youth technology programs including Kids Big Data Coding Camp. In addition, HACEMOS aligns their efforts with AT&T’s marketing and professional development needs with initiatives like Mesa En Español, a program to increase the skills of AT&T’s bilingual employees – a significant component of the company’s expansion into Latin America. Through its contributions to the community, education and mentoring, LATINA Style, Inc. has ranked HACEMOS as a top 10 ERG in 2015 and in the top five in 2016.
ACCENTURE PLC HISPANIC AMERICAN EMPLOYEE GROUP (HAERG)
Founded nearly two decades ago, Accenture’s Hispanic American Employee Resource Group (HAERG) has flourished into an active, growing community. With approximately 2,100 members across 23 states and Puerto Rico, Accenture’s HAERG engages members in a multitude of ways, ranging from building and strengthening cultural awareness in the workplace, to offering professional development opportunities, to providing a forum to discuss today’s most pertinent issues. Accenture’s HAERG thinks nationally and acts locally. It partners with several influential organizations across the U.S. to help build and strengthen the pipeline of Hispanics in technology – including the Association of Latino Professionals for America, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Hispanic IT Executive Council and Prospanica. Recently, and with support from Accenture’s North America CEO, Julie Sweet, and Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, Ellyn Shook, the ERG launched a ‘Building Bridges’ event – Accenture’s town hall-style national initiative, which facilitates open, brave conversations in the workplace around topics including race, religion and other current events. The group focused on issues pertinent to the Latino community, such as the U.S. election and restrictions on immigration.
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
“The JPMorgan Chase employee resource group Adelante was established more than 10 years ago with the goal of providing opportunities for employees of Hispanic and Latino descent to increase their professional networks, meet mentors, learn about job opportunities, attend events with senior management, volunteer for community events and improve leadership and communication skills. Since its establishment, the organization has garnered thousands of members across the United States, United Kingdom, Chile, and Brazil. In 2017 alone, Adelante hosted more than 170 events throughout the U.S., U.K., and Latin America. Adelante also supports various external groups and provides strategic guidance, in-kind resources, mentorship, venues, speakers and other resources to assist these organizations with their mission and goals. Adelante leaders and members have also participated in pilot programs that help the business including one that helped launch the Chase En Español website. Additionally, Adelante recently partnered with various teams within the firm to create a lobby exhibit in its headquarters during Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate the contributions made by Hispanics and Latino Americans.
In its 26 years of existence, Kaiser Permanente Latino Association (KPLA) has accumulated over 1,000 members of Latino physicians and employees. KPLA was established in 1991 with the goal to actively support Latino employees and physicians through recruitment, engagement, development, promotion, retention, and recognition opportunities. KPLA benefits its members through employee wellness programs, graduate medical education, recruitment and career advancement, and their leadership and professional development opportunities. KPLA is represented in eight regions, with a budget allocated regionally and governed by the Regional ERG Governance Council. KPLA engages in strategic business focus areas, including People, Care Delivery, Marketplace, Community/Supplier Diversity, and Internal Engagement. KPLA’s focuses on creating healthy communities by supporting health and wellness organizations such as Child Health Program (CHP), the American Diabetes Association, Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP), to name a few. Additionally, they have awarded over $600,000 in scholarships to undergraduate students in nursing, junior college, and medical school students.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Established in 1997, the Latin Diversity Network Employee Business Resource Group (LDNEBRG) of American Airlines is comprised of over 1,700 employee members from all areas of the company and in eight states and two chapters in Mexico. Their mission is to promote an environment that facilitates the hiring, professional development and opportunities of Latin employees while enhancing American’s global image in the Latin community. The LDNEBRG hosts career mixers, lunch-and-learn sessions, promotes leadership opportunities, and shares knowledge with new employees at orientations. Members provide counsel on cultural appeal to the Diverse Segment Marketing, giving input on onboard menu design, inflight public announcement scripts and cultural generalities in conjunction with routes to Latin American countries. LDNEBRG supports various organizations such as donating 250,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles towards Medical Wings International and volunteer work with Ronald McDonald, Mission Mexico, Healing Hands Ministries and many more. The LDNEBRG was named a top 15 ERG by LATINA Style, Inc. in 2016, top 10 Prism Award from 2008 to 2017, and a top five ERG by the United Stated Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2015.
GENERAL MOTORS
General Motors’ Latino Network (GMLN) is celebrating 18 years of supporting the community and education. With over 1,200 members, GMLN’s mission is to attract, engage, and develop Latino employees in support of GM’s strategic priorities. This year, its governance and initiatives were redefined in an effort to deliver measurable value to the company as well as the membership, driven by attention to three strategic pillars: Customers, Relationships and Excellence. GMLN puts customers at the center of everything it does, acting as ambassadors within their circle of influence, promoting safety and quality as foundational commitments. GM’s success depends on the relationships inside and outside the company, it serves and improves the communities in which its members live and work. GM is driven by innovation with integrity, GMLN members are committed to building and educating the next generation of Latino talent. GMLN’s annual budget provided by GM Global Diversity is supplemented by local chapter fundraising and volunteerism to support community engagement and STEM education. LATINA Style, Inc. recognized GMLN among the top 10 ERGs in 2016 as GM HIT.
Founded in 1999, with over 1,300 members across nine chapters, Conexión members benefit from professional development opportunities such as career coaching, access to Latino leaders at Cisco through webinar sessions, and opportunities to attend trainings and summits. Cisco supports the ERG through executive sponsorship, allotment of funds, and board engagement. Conexión focuses on three pillars; Professional Development, Talent Pipeline and Community Development. In 2008, Conexión established Stretch Assignments that provides members the opportunity to take on a project outside of their normal job duties to learn new skills, gain exposure and experience. Conexión serves the Latino communities through student outreach to promote STEM. Conexión’s flagship “Program Escuela”, partners with multiple Title 1 School Districts across the U.S. to build STEM related programs. Conexión has also contributed to the recruitment of Latino talent since 2009 when Cisco developed the Developing Local Talent though Technology (DLTT), training program to help grow technical talent in key regions across the globe. Conexión has volunteered for the program in Costa Rica (2016), Chile (2015), and Peru (2014). In 2016, Conexión was recognized by LATINA Style, Inc. a top 15 ERG.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON
Latinos for Engagement, Advancement & Development (LEAD) was founded at Southern California Edison (SCE) in 1992 to celebrate Latino contributions. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, LEAD serves as a trusted resource for its members and the company in the areas of culture, commerce, careers and community. LEAD provides its nearly 800 members with training and development, mentorship and guidance from executive sponsors, networking, and a sense of community and cultural awareness. This roadmap allows LEAD board members to have a 90 percent job promotion success rate within their two-year terms. LEAD serves the community through philanthropic efforts, including supporting grade school students in STEM fields by supporting a robotics expo and presenting a $10,000 grant on behalf of Edison International to a local nonprofit for future STEM programs, mentoring high school students undergoing the college application process and organizing a leadership conference to educate and train at-risk youth. LEAD plays an integral role in SCE’s business through partnerships with Diversity & Inclusion, Government Affairs, Human Resources and other departments to advance SCE’s contributions both within and outside of the company. Recently, LEAD helped engage and educate customers on transportation electrification and electric vehicle options, which are key strategic initiatives for SCE.
Northern Trust. LATIN HERITAGE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (LHLC)
The Latin Heritage Leadership Council (LHLC) at Northern Trust was established in 2005 to address the needs of Latin heritage staff. The Business Resource Council (BRC) has approximately 300 members across the U.S. and in their European offices. The Latin Heritage Leadership Council’s initiatives are based on the operating pillars for Northern Trust’s BRCs: People, Culture, Business, and Community. LHLC assists members by raising awareness, facilitating trainings and development opportunities through workshops, networking, community events, and mentoring programs. The LHLC assists in creating a presence in the Hispanic Community and promotes Northern Trust’s brand to the Latin market. The LHLC has received Northern Trust’s 2012 and 2017 Chairman’s Diversity & Inclusion Award and the HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement) ERG of the Year Award in 2016.
HISPANIC ERG
Fannie Mae’s Hispanic ERG has been increasing cultural awareness and providing members with professional development opportunities for more than 20 years. The Hispanic ERG is one of 12 Employee Resource Groups (ERG) at Fannie Mae. Today the Hispanic ERG comprises approximately 200 members from every level of the organization. Fannie Mae ERGs are funded annually by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which also supports the ERGs’ strategic planning to further drive the corporate diversity and inclusion strategy. These efforts enable members to do their best work, and help the company achieve its vision of becoming America’s most valued housing partner. In addition, the Hispanic ERG annually supports and volunteers at various community-based events, such as robotics seminars with local high schools, Career Enrichment days with the Latino Student Fund, Access to Capital programs through Fannie Mae’s Housing Fair, and language translation services to help families understand the path to homeownership.
Established in 1987, the Hispanic Support Organization (HSO) at Verizon Communications is the voice of the Hispanic employee committed to increasing opportunities for professional and personal development of all Hispanic Verizon employees. The HSO has over 1,500 members across 40 U.S. states and four international locations including France, India, Mexico, and Peru. Verizon’s Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion allocates an annual budget to HSO’s initiatives, all of which are anchored around four strategic pillars; Employee, Business, Community, and Workplace Culture. The HSO offers many benefits to its members including skill and leadership development, networking, mentoring, motivational programming, and community outreach. Partnering with a number of local and national organizations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Latinas in STEM, Youth Consultation Services (YCS), and more. HSO encourages volunteerism, philanthropy, and mentorship. The ERG serves the company by providing volunteers at consumer events who can communicate and relate with their Hispanic customer base and by providing feedback and input on marketing campaigns to the Multicultural Marketing department. They also partner with their Diversity Recruiting group to help with college campus recruiting and contribute to the company’s diversity mix. In 2014, HSO received honorable mentioned for Employee Resource Group of the Year from LATINA Style, Inc.
HISPANIC ORGANIZATION FPR LEADERSHIP AND ACHIEVEMENT (HOLA)
Established in 1999, Freddie Mac’s Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement (HOLA) is dedicated to providing an inclusive environment and promoting the diversity of the Hispanic/Latino culture and the value that this diversity provides for the company. HOLA is funded by the Office of Diversity &
Inclusion and uses its budget to provide over 300 members with various benefits such as networking events, career development, organizational partnerships, and volunteer opportunities. HOLA fosters professional development opportunities for Latinos even outside of Freddie Mac through its support of Mujeres de HACE and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. HOLA has established connections with non-profit organizations to provide volunteer support, financial resources, and advocacy across the company. Most recently, HOLA organized disaster relief drives for Latin America. Additionally, HOLA members have been instrumental in the creation of materials to teach potential homebuyers how to effectively manage finances. They have helped Spanish translations of mortgage materials and credit trainings. HOLA also provides the company with valuable insights, and has a strong relationship with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and other Latino associations.
Established in 1992, the Ford Hispanic Network (FHN), is one of Ford’s oldest employee resource groups celebrating 25 years in 2017. With over 600 affiliate members and 170 paid members, FHN’s mission is to become Ford’s trusted go-to resource for Latinos to develop leaders, foster inclusion, connect people, and make a positive impact in our communities. FHN is sponsored by the Group Vice President of the Ford Government and Community Relations. FHN is organized into five leadership pillars: Membership, Community Outreach, Professional Development, Cultural Events & Communication and Marketing. FHN members benefit from their Executive Shadowing programs, Executive Skip Level meetings, mentoring circles, lunch-and-learns, talent pipeline development, FHN Professional Cohort, and Youth Ambassador Program. FHN partners with the community and like-minded groups in associated industries to help to support major efforts. In 2017 FHN raised $9,500 to implement summer soccer camps. They also support the annual Clark Park clean-up project, provide Spanish language workshops inside Ford, give financial well-being seminars for local high schools, sponsor Summer Engineering Programs, and more. The FHN is an essential part of the business and assists Ford Diversity Marketing understand customer behavior and develop strategies to meet Latino consumers’ needs. In 2016, FHN was recognized by LATINA Style a top 15 Latino ERG.
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