Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Detroit, MI
7,170 employees
CEO: Daniel J. Loepp
CDE: Equilla Wainwright
www.bcbsm.com
Diversity mission: At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we are committed to ensuring a workforce as diverse as the communities we serve. This assurance creates a high-performing and inclusive culture that impacts positive business results. Our goal is to encourage and support multiple perspectives and to respect the talent and input of all employees. This will prove to be our greatest strength.
BCBSM President/CEO, Daniel Loepp believes, “The successes we’ve had are attributable to commitment at all levels of the company, starting with our board of directors. We have created positive momentum behind diversity and inclusion at BCBSM, thanks to contributions from employees across the company. There remains much progress to be made, but we are proud that our diversity and inclusion initiatives are receiving national recognition. Our top team leadership and Blues employees are dedicated to continuing the journey.” Loepp commissioned BCBSM’s Diversity Leadership Council in 2009. It’s comprised of a cross-section of senior leaders whose task is to establish best-in-class diversity and inclusion practices to enhance the personal and professional potential of the individual and the BCBSM’s mission. The council develops a shared understanding of the current and future state of diversity and inclusion, serves as advocates to influence policies and practices that promote inclusion, behaves in ways that foster a respectful, inclusive environment and advances diversity and inclusion initiatives to drive measurable performance and positive business outcomes. The council developed a company-wide three-year strategic plan with people, culture, community, and leadership being its four primary goals. Division champions were appointed by each executive or SVP to lead the development of division-specific plans that embrace one or more of the four goals. BCBSM is proud of its track record and continues to strive for a competitive diversity advantage, allowing it to retain its leadership position in creating a healthier Michigan. Awards received by BCBSM in 2011 include 3rd place ranking on DiversityInc’s Top 10 Regional Companies list, making it the only company in the state to receive top regional honors on the list. BCBSM was also named to the Champion Honor Roll by the Race Relations & Diversity Task Force and ranked among the Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities by DiversityBusiness.com. Equilla Wainwright, vice president of the office of workforce diversity and inclusion notes, “We are very proud of our efforts here at BCBSM to more deeply embed diversity into the fiber of our enterprise. We realize that today more than ever it is important that we build an inclusive, culturally competent organization to competitively position us in the marketplace. We still have lots of work to do, but it’s rewarding to know we’re on the right track, and aligned with Best practice companies across the country”.
