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Q. There's been a business evolution in the U.S. regarding EO and diversity. What have been the major outcomes in the marketplace and IBM in particular?
A. I think you first have to look back at the evolution of equal opportunity in the marketplace. It began in the 30s and 40s as a moral discussion of human rights, then shifted to individual rights during the 50s through the early 70s. Through the last quarter century, businesses were primarily responding to government compliance and legislative rights. Today, equal opportunity has evolved into a business imperative that impacts every aspect of the global marketplace.
At IBM and other U.S. businesses, the concept of equal employment opportunity really came into focus around the time Black military personnel returned from WW II and began looking for jobs outside the previous roles Blacks held in business. IBM had a long, moral history of fairness in the workplace and focussed on all Blacks being treated fairly. Mr. Watson's 1953 EO letter, which stated IBM would hire people "regardless of race, color or creed" was a reflection of what was going on at this time in the U.S. When the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, and the federal government stepped in, requiring affirmative action and compliance with government laws, IBM was already there.
During the 1970s and 80s, the focus shifted to broadening the marketplace, which mirrored the time when IBM was seeing real competition in its industry.
In the 90s, IBM's business focus shifted to providing more global services offerings, which meant talented people were more important that hardware and technology. Equal opportunity also became more of a business imperative because the talent, skills, and face of both employees and customers were changing. People were becoming the "face of IBM" and were helping us maintain our competitive edge in the marketplace.
Q. Is EO becoming a global issue?
Absolutely. In 2000 and beyond, other countries around the world began to mirror the market structure in the U.S., and, as a result, equal opportunity has become a global issue. What started as equal employment compliance in the U.S., has evolved into compliance regulations by the European Union, Canada, South Africa and even the Asia-Pacific region. Because of the open market and open trade trends, the focus on cultures and individuals being accepted and doing business across borders is vital to businesses that want to be competitive. Governments are also becoming more active in addressing businesses compliance with applicable legislation.
Today, IBM is competing in a global space with a talent team that it has been cultivating for the past century. People who represent IBM in the workplace actually reflect the marketplace - from sales to product development to services offerings - and the diversity of thought and ideas that our team brings to bear on any engagement is a competitive advantage. We've always been the platinum standard, and maintaining that standard remains our challenge.
For example, when we go into a country, we should be careful not to import what is perceived as our U.S.-centric culture. We are a global enterprise and must leverage the synergies available to us in those countries. Regarding our employment activities, IBM is ensuring that everyone is provided a fair chance at opportunity, and everyone is treated fairly according to the norms of that culture. In the end, IBM will attract the best talent because we will be the employer of choice.
Q. What are the key focus areas of EO today at IBM?
The key focus areas for the Equal Opportunity group are addressing affirmative action requirements in the U.S. and getting a handle on the burgeoning compliance issues around the world in the 26 countries whose governments require reporting. For example, in South Africa, we report on Historically Disadvantaged South Africans; in Japan, on women and people with disabilities; in Canada, Visible Minorities and women; and in Brazil, people with disabilities.
A major focus area for IBM today is global sourcing - how we strategically make use of our global workforce to provide products and services in a global workplace and marketplace. Aside from the compliance issues, there is the need to focus on the accessibility of our products. For example, there are many of disabled individuals in Asia-Pacific, and our challenges continue to focus on how we make our products accessible to them. Through our IBM Research Accessibility Center, we can continue our leadership in making information technology more accessible to all people.
Earlier this year we made important changes to our global workforce diversity policy letter to reflect the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and People with Disabilities presence in our workforce around the world. Basically, the changes address IBM's global commitment to providing accessibility to our work locations, and reasonable accommodations in meeting job requirements for employees with a disability. The terms "gender, gender identity or expression" were also added to our global letter. The new language communicates IBM's global workforce policy regarding people in terms of sexual orientation, what they look like, how they act, and how they dress in terms of gender characteristics.
Q. Going forward, what's your look ahead?
Equal opportunity is no longer a U.S. issue, it's a global imperative. IBM is competing in a global marketplace and we must continue to create opportunities for our company and our employees to win in that marketplace, no matter where we compete or where IBMers work. Because we work for IBM, we have a headstart in this space. We just need to continue to focus on what was set forth 50 years ago in Mr. Watson's letter to ensure we keep true to the spirit imbued in his words and strive to maintain our competitive edge. Equality is a cornerstone of IBM and in an on demand world, individual differences, skills, and backgrounds aren't just important, they're invaluable.
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