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Diversity
Company
Our senior leadership team has an unwavering focus on people and partnerships, which are essential to establishing, enhancing and sustaining health care value. We see diversity as more then just a strategy. It is business imperative that helps us to better understand and meet the needs of our unique communities, including our workforce.
Throughout our organization, we value each and every employee for who they are. Our commitment to inclusion fosters creativity and allows us to thrive as a company.
Our inclusive environment is defined by our cultural beliefs and our winning performance, which make Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan an industry leader today and will help us to continue to meet the needs of our customers and members in the future.
— Darrell E. Middleton
Executive Vice President
Operations and Business Performance
Featured video
BCBSM's Darrell Middleton Discusses Diversity as a Business Imperative
Diversity Leadership Council
BCBSM CEO Dan Loepp commissioned the Diversity Leadership Council, comprised of a diverse cross-section of senior leaders. The purpose of the council is to establish best-in-class diversity and inclusion practices that enhance the personal and professional potential of the individual, and advance our mission by:
- Developing a shared understanding of the current and future state of diversity and inclusion
- Serving as advocates to influence policies and practices that promote inclusion
- Behaving in ways that foster an inclusive environment that is built on mutual respect, integrity and trust
- Advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives to drive measurable business performance and positive outcomes for BCBSM and the community
The Diversity Council developed an enterprise-wide three-year diversity and inclusion strategic plan (PDF). The four key goals driving the strategy are: People, Culture, Community and Leadership.
Division champions have been appointed by each executive or senior vice president to lead the development of division-specific plans that embrace one or more of the four primary goals.
Employee Resource Networks
Employee Resource Networks are company-supported internal groups that can assist the organization in driving diversity from grassroots levels of the organization. They can enhance business opportunities, support company business objectives and assist in fostering skill development and mentoring.
Featured video
Diversity Expo
Currently we have four Employee Resource Networks:
- Multicultural Network: Celebrates many cultures by embracing and demonstrating representation of different cultural beliefs and values to support and expand BCBSM's core strategies
- POWER Network: Professional women's network that provides networking opportunities and personal and professional development to its members
- Intern/Young Professional Network: Allows interns and young professionals to learn the organization and build networks while gaining opportunities to develop personally and professionally
- Equally Blue Network: Facilitates an equitable and safe work environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and their allies
The ERNs sponsor various events to expand cultural awareness throughout the organization. Events include diversity expos, heritage month celebrations, panel discussions and other corporate diversity initiatives.
Diversity training
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion implemented diversity training for leaders to establish best-in-class diversity and inclusion practices.
The training enables participants to:
- Understand their roles and responsibility to continuously improve the diverse work environment at BCBSM
- Recognize the business case for adopting a mindset that drives behaviors supporting employee engagement and a high performance culture at all levels
- Increase awareness of, and take accountability for, how attitudes toward differences impact talent management, retention and engagement, innovation, teamwork, productivity and customer service.
- Leverage the broad spectrum of human diversity where inclusion and appreciating differences serve as a foundation for cultural change by acting now within the organization.
Our core diversity education program for leaders is called Appreciating Differences. It is a full-day workshop designed to provide leaders with knowledge and tools to encourage their teams to talk about diversity and inclusion. The Valuing Our Differences program is designed for all employees. It is a half-day, interactive workshop that educates and empowers employees about diversity and inclusion.
Awards
BCBSM is honored by the following organizations:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
2011
- Crain's Cool Places to Work — Crain's Detroit Business
- 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For — Michigan Business Professionals Association — West Michigan
- Top 125 Award — Training Magazine
- Corporate Sponsor of the Year — Matrix Human Services
- Top 10 Regional Companies List, DiversityInc
- America's Top Organization for Multicultural Business Opportunities, DiversityBusiness.com
- Top 100 Executives in America, Uptown Professional — Equilla Wainwright
- Women of Excellence, Michigan Chronicle — Bridget G. Hurd and Michele A. Samuels
- 2011 Champion Honor Roll, Race Relations & Diversity Task Force, The Community House — Ron Wood
2010
- Top 125 Award — Training Magazine
- Employer of the Year, ARC Detroit
- Corporation of the Year, Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (2007–2010)
- Corporate ONE Award for outstanding corporate partnership, MMSDC (2000–2010)
- Buyer of the Year Award, MMSDC — Ulysee Rice, Jr.
- The Jethro Joseph Advocate of the Year Award, MMSDC — Donna Strickland
- Corporate Advocate of the Year award, Women's Business Enterprise Council — Great Lakes — Donna Strickland
- Corporate Diversity Champion, National Association of Women Business Owners
2009
- Top 125 Award — Training Magazine
- Pillar Award, Women's Resource Center
- Lead Employer of the Year, U.S. Business Leadership Network
- Corporate Diversity Champion, Michigan International Chamber of Commerce
Blue Care Network
2010
- 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Michigan Business Professionals Association — West Michigan
- 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Michigan Business Professionals Association — Metro Detroit
2009
- 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Michigan Business Professionals Association — West Michigan
- 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Michigan Business Professionals Association — Metro Detroit
