New York Urban League to Honor Four Local Corporations for Diversity Efforts at 9^th Annual Diversity Breakfast
 

New York, NY (January 31, 2012) – Earlier today the New York Urban League (NYUL) announced Kraft Foods Inc., McDonald’s Corporation, Nielsen and Time Warner Cable as the 2012 honorees for its 9th annual Champions of Diversity Awards Breakfast. The breakfast will be held on Wednesday, February 8^th, 2012 at 7:30am at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City.   

Honorees are selected from a pool of nominations each year by a judging Committee of seven corporate executives representing various industries.  Each corporate entry is judged on their commitment to diversity as it relates to four key areas of commerce - corporate citizenry, employment policy, supplier relations, and philanthropic practices. 

“Those companies that best reflect the ever changing face of America and the community-at-large are most strongly positioned for long-term sustainability. The companies we are honoring this year have made diversity part of their corporate DNA,” observed Arva R. Rice, President and CEO of the NYUL.  “Kraft Foods, McDonald’s, Nielsen and Time Warner Cable are shining examples of what success looks like when corporate values align with business practices. “

Each of the four honorees has made strong commitments to diversity in every aspect of their corporation. In 2011, Diversity Inc magazine ranked Kraft Foods, Inc. and Time Warner Cable among the nation’s top 50 companies for diversity practices.  At McDonald’s Corporation, women and people of color make up approximately 73% of McDonald’s total workforce, 43% of all franchise staff, and 55% of suppliers.  Back in 2010, Nielsen promoted long-time executive Susan D. Whiting as Chief Diversity Officer—leading the charge for all diversity initiatives.

The NYUL established the Champions of Diversity awards ceremony in 2004, inspired by corporate America’s outpouring of support for the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the basic principles of affirmative action.  Previous honorees include Major League Baseball, The New York Times Company, Con Edison, and more. 

Frank Ahimaz, Chief Investment Officer of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), will deliver the keynote address and Darlene Rodriguez, anchor of WNBC’s “Today in New York,” will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies. Distinguished guests include former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins and his wife Joyce Dinkins; Bill Lewis, Lazard; Ray McGuire, Citibank; Mort Zuckerman, Boston Properties; Dr. Bettye Fletcher Comer, Fletcher Foundation and Nina Wells, former Secretary of State of New Jersey. This year’s event Co-Chairs are Valerie Difebo, CEO of Deutsch Inc., and Tig Gilliam, CEO of Adecco Group North America.

For more information about the 9^th Annual Champions of Diversity Awards Breakfast and other NYUL programs, please visit www.nyul.org/diversity.

About New York Urban League (NYUL)

For more than 90 years, New York Urban League has advocated on behalf of underserved New Yorkers to ensure equal opportunities in education, employment and civil rights. With a presence in all five boroughs of New York, the League seeks to eliminate those barriers that hinder people from improving their social and economic conditions. Since 1971, NYUL has provided more than $20M in scholarship funds to help college hopefuls pursue higher education.  New York Urban League is one of 98 local affiliates of the National Urban League, a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

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