Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Recognized for Diversity & Inclusion Programs
Brianna Neace
| 3 min read
2017 has been a banner year for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Diversity & Inclusion programs. As a result of our initiatives and policies, partnerships across the company, employee and leader engagement, and Blue Cross' Employee Resource Networks in promoting an inclusive culture, BCBSM continues to make great strides in furthering a diverse and inclusive culture. In fact, 97 percent of BCBSM's workforce has received cultural competency training. Throughout the last year, 78 various learning sessions were hosted across the company with 3,500 employees attending. “Sharing and learning about diverse perspectives is good for Blue Cross as a whole - it just makes good business," said Bridget Hurd, Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "It's positive for our employees' communities and those we serve, and ensures we’re not limited in our viewpoints where product development and marketing efforts are concerned. It helps us do our jobs better and promotes a culture of inclusion where everyone can come to work and fully represent who they are and be respected and appreciated." This year, BCBSM is the proud recipient of esteemed recognition and prominent awards related to its Diversity & Inclusion efforts including:
- 2017 Corporate PACEsetter Award
This is the second consecutive year BCBSM has been awarded the Corporate PACEsetter Award. The award assessed performance in promotions and tenure, leadership development and advancement, community outreach and supplier diversity. Other recipients included Wells Fargo and State Farm Insurance Company.
- 100 Percent Score on the Disability Equality Index
Scoring 90 out of 100 in 2016, BCBSM put a focus on improving IT capabilities and functionality within its mobile app and webpage, and implementing a new Employee Resource network, BrightBlue, which caters to those who are differently-abled. The Disability Equality Index is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities and the US Business Leadership Network. It is a national, transparent, annual benchmarking tool that offers businesses an opportunity to receive an objective score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, on their disability inclusion policies and practices, and identify opportunities for continued improvement.
- #1 Ranking on the DiversityInc Top 11 Regional Company List
This is the third consecutive year BCBSM has ranked as number one on the DiversityInc Regional Company List. The DiversityInc benchmarking survey assesses a company’s performance versus all competitors overall and in four key areas of diversity management - Talent Pipeline, Talent Development, Leadership Accountability and Supplier Diversity.
- Increased Ranking to #12 from #15 on the DiversityMBA Benchmarking Survey
Blue Cross moved up three spots from number 15 in 2016 to number 12 this year on DiversityMBA, a national benchmarking survey. The ranking is part of DiversityMBA's 50 Out Front “Best Places for Women & Diverse Managers to Work.” DiversityMBA’s methodology consists of a multi-tiered process: 1) registration of participating organizations, 2) completion of a survey, 3) rating of participants with the highest scores, and 4) secondary research to determine the Top 50. While more than 500 companies registered to participate in the survey, only 310 qualified for the competitive rating to be selected as part of the top 50. Companies are selected based on scores for representation, board diversity, recruitment, workplace inclusion, retention, succession planning and accountability. “So often, when we think about diversity, we stop at race and gender," said Hurd. "At Blue Cross, we consider so many different facets of diversity. Understanding different cultures, work styles, ethnicities and upbringings are important to our ability to work together effectively and efficiently. Everyone has a story that brings value to our workplace. Everyone brings some type of diversity to our workplace and communities. Our program continues to grow, reaching employees at all of our locations so that we can inform and promote a culture of inclusion."
