More than just numbers: Latinos making an impact in corporate diversity.(LATINOS IN DIVERSITY)

JUST A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO, SOME CEOS SAW DIVERSITY AS SIMPLY A COMPLIANCE ISSUE THAT ENTAILED FILLING IN THE NUMBERS.

HOWEVER, SAVVY CEOS RECOGNIZED EARLY ON THE POTENTIAL THAT THE PUSH FOR DIVERSITY PRESENTED. THEY NAMED EXECUTIVES WITH SUCH TITLES AS CORPORATE DIVERSITY OFFICERS TO IMPLEMENT AND OVERSEE THEIR INITIATIVES.

RICHARD RODRIGUEZ, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE LEARNING AT KAPLAN UNIVERSITY AND AUTHOR OF THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK LATINO TALENT, SAYS NOW IT'S RARE IF A COMPANY DOESN'T HAVE SENIOR LEVEL EXECUTIVES OVERSEEING DIVERSITY. MANY OF THESE EXECUTIVES, HE SAYS, COME FROM BUSINESS BACKGROUNDS AND THAT ENABLES THEM TO ARTICULATE WHY DIVERSITY MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE.

RODRIGUEZ PREDICTS THAT IN THE NEXT DECADE, THE TREND OF MORE LATINOS IN SENIOR POSITIONS WILL CONTINUE.

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Robert Abreu

Vice President, Office of Global Leadership & Diversity

Goldman Sachs Group

* Why is your company committed to diversity?

"Goldman Sachs is committed to diversity because it is important to the firm, our people and our clients. We believe in providing an inclusive environment. Our diversity committee is chaired by our CEO; our employee affinity networks are very active and open to all; our managers in all divisions are held accountable regarding diversity, which is why we view this as a top-down approach. We feel that for us to be successful, our men and women must reflect the diversity of the communities and cultures in which we operate. Being diverse is not optional; it is what we must be."

Contact: Goldman Sachs, (212) 902-1000

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Marcela Perez de Alonso

Executive Vice President of Human Resources

Hewlett-Packard Company

* How does diversity make your company stronger?

Having an …