Building an Equal Opportunity Workforce

“IBM is a true leader in global diversity through its training, employee groups and strong cultural values across all boards.”

“When you come to work at IBM you immediately get labeled. There is no avoiding it. This label is not about whether you are a person with a disability, whether you are male or female, not even what color you are or where you call home. The label you wear is that you become an IBMer—it’s simply that. All of us in the company wear this label regardless of how we look or where we live. And that is welcomed as a great sign of respect worldwide.”

“IBM applies a laser-like focus to creating an inclusive environment for its employees and vendors. The company continues to get high marks in the area of board representation.”

“The total design of IBM’s approach to diversity challenged a basic company cultural premise that differences were supposed to be suppressed as opposed to magnified. Many people talked about the creation of the task forces and how they seemed to counter IBM’s culture. But people saw this as a signal that there was a real culture change occurring within the corporation.”

“You always hear the comment that diversity is paid attention to seriously only during the best of times. And here was IBM, an organization that paid attention to diversity as a business driver at the same time they were moving themselves into the future.”

“We are all familiar with the fact that women do far more buying of goods and services than men. And leaving out the whole question of freedom and rights for women, is it not simply a matter of sound business policy to have in management a substantial number whose impressions, reactions and emotions are most like those of the majority of your customers?”

“I feel strongly that there are some priceless ingredients in this business which we will never change—things such as our concern for the individual, our sense of fair play and our belief in services. For our fine reputation as a company is based on nothing more and nothing less—than respect for the individual, integrity and personal values of our people. You are, in fact, the IBM company.”

“In IBM, we have made progress in our commitment to equal opportunity for all, but the crisis the nation faces in race relations today demands that we make good on that pledge to the fullest extent with the least delay.”

“I cannot stress too strongly the importance of IBM’s employment practices. They are based on the conviction that it is fair and right that all employees have the opportunity to make of themselves whatever they can. … Ladies and gentlemen, our goals can be achieved, but we will all have to work to make it happen. And we must make it happen, for IBM simply cannot accept less than equal and fair treatment for all its employees.”

“In addition to looking to the disability community as a talent pool, IBM also understands the viability of the market for all of its products. This has led to extensive research and development of products the firm aims specifically to assist people with disabilities in daily life and in the workplace. Over the years, IBM has consistently given practical statement to its commitment to people with disabilities as employees, and customers for the general and special markets.”

“In order to serve markets, we have to understand them, reflect their diversity and build a work place in which every individual knows their opportunity to contribute is gated only by the quality of their ideas and job performance and the integrity of their work.”

“People must be comfortable in their own skin. If you can’t do that, how can you be effective at anything else? How can you lead? At IBM, we recognize that the contribution our employees make is derived from who they are and where they come from. We encourage people to be themselves and to express themselves freely no matter what their background. And we promote to leadership positions those people who are comfortable with who they are.”

“I don’t think it’s beneficial for businesses to hire people with a disability. I think it’s beneficial for businesses to hire talented people. And yes, there are talented people who happen to have a disability, but they are also talented. They’re going to be good programmers; they’re going to be good engineers; they’re going to be good salespeople. … And if I’m open-minded to that, then I’m going to have access to talent that I would not previously have had access to because my biases would have prevented me from seeing that which was right in front of my face. Our goal is to have IBM have the most diverse, most talented work force worldwide.”

“We’re not your father’s IBM anymore. We’re trying to create an environment where people can be as creative as they can be. Having to hide in the closet for any reason impacts a person’s ability to create. IBM’s diversity imperatives are allowing us to succeed as who we are.”