Rainbow Push Names General Motors Automotive
Corporation of the Year
The coalition again recognizes GM for its diversity efforts
DETROIT – General Motors received the Automotive Corporation of the Year Award . The Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of Rainbow PUSH, presented the award to Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and chief executive officer, Sept. 13 at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition 8th Annual Automotive Symposium
Congressman John Conyers Jr., Rick Wagoner,
Rev. Jesse Jackson
“General Motors has demonstrated a willingness to build a long-term partnership with people of color through its social and business strategy,” Jackson said. “As a result of their commitment to diversity, we are delighted to recognize General Motors as the 2007 Automotive Corporation of the Year.”
Jackson also said that Wagoner was a great friend to Rainbow PUSH and that he was “a man of sensitivity, vision and integrity.”
Wagoner cited GM’s numerous diversity efforts mentioning the corporation’s work with minority suppliers, dealerships, various communities and the fact that GM employs more African Americans in the United States than any other manufacturer.
“At GM, we’re not just talking about diversity,” Wagoner said. “We’re living it, and we’ve been doing it for a long time. And, for sure, we’ve benefited from it.”
In June, Rainbow PUSH gave its first Trade Advocate Award to Bo Andersson, GM group vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, in recognition of his efforts in assisting minority suppliers and his contributions to equity and diversity in the automotive industry.
“Everyone at GM was very proud when Bo Andersson received the Rainbow PUSH Trade Advocate Award and the entire team is equally honored today," said Wagoner in accepting the honor. (Click here to read Rick Wagoner's speech on the importance of diversity at GM)
GM Named Corporation of the Year for Minority Business Practices
DETROIT – With an impressive audience of 1,400 minority-owned businesses, major corporations and public organizations in the audience, GM was named Michigan Minority Business Development Council’s (MMBDC) Corporation of the Year. The award was presented at MMBDC’s 24th Annual Awards Dinner in Detroit on Oct. 16.
GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain Vice
President Bo Andersson (center), receives the
Company of the Year award from the MMBDC.
For more than 25 years, the MMBDC has been an advocate for both its certified minority-owned businesses and corporate members through various services and networking programs. The member companies represent $15 billion in contracts and more than 45,000 jobs. The MMBDC is a privately funded, non-profit, organization that certifies that an individual business is minority-owned, operated and controlled.
Bo Andersson, group vice president of GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain (GPSC), accepted the award on behalf of GM.
As well as accepting the Corporation of the Year Award on behalf of GM, Andersson is MMBDC’s 2008 chairperson. Andersson said “I learned a lot from being the 2002 and 2003 chairperson; and you can expect more from me this second term. You can expect clear direction, energy, and clear metrics. I expect you to be engaged and fight for what you believe in.”
Diane Freeman, GM senior manager, was also honored with the Minority Business Advocate of the Year Award for her outstanding contribution as manager of GPSC’s Supplier Diversity Program.
GM was the first auto company to have a supplier diversity program and has spent more than $60 billion with minority businesses over the last 40 years.
GM Celebrates Diversity Week
DETROIT – General Motors celebrated Diversity Week, Oct. 8-12, with a series of educational and inspiring programs for employees. This year’s corporate theme was “Driving GM Global – It’s All About Respect & Responsibility. Rod Gillum, vice president, GM Corporate Responsibility & Diversity, elaborated on the topic in a special message to employees.
During the weeklong event, GM plants, business units, work groups and employees were encouraged to plan and participate in local activities, including diversity luncheons highlighting different cultures. GM executives also were featured on a three special editions of The Diversity Show, a distance-learning program broadcast internally to GM units, discussing the importance of working together globally and strategies for success.
In addition, as a special treat to honor diversity and coming together, GM held a viewing for employees, friends and their families for the feature length film called “ONE The Movie” on the campus of the GM Technical Center in Warren, Mich.
Inspired and created by Detroit-area filmmakers Ward and Diane Powers, ”ONE The Movie” features world visionaries Deepak Chopra, the 14th Dalai Lama, Father Thomas Keating, Thich Nhat Hanh, Riane Eisler, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Ram Dass, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and Robert Thurman. In the film, they are posed 20 of life's ultimate questions, which take the viewer on a journey of transformation to seeing the world...as ONE.
The filmmakers also held an interactive discussion with viewers before and after the screening.
For a look at the movie trailer and more information regarding "ONE The Movie" visit http://www.onetheproject.com
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