Corporate America’s Commitment to Professional Development Initiatives and Impact
By Gloria Romano-Barrera
Across Corporate America, a new momentum is building—one focused on developing careers, opening pathways to leadership, and ensuring that employees have the resources, training, and opportunities needed to excel.
Companies across industries are investing in initiatives that strengthen skills, accelerate career growth, support re-entry into the workforce, and equip their employees to take on the challenges of a rapidly evolving professional landscape. Accenture, Avery Dennison, CBRE, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, JPMorganChase, Marriott International, Northern Trust, Stellantis, and Travel + Leisure Co. are leading the way with forward-thinking programs designed to guide their employees at every stage of their careers.
These are companies that understand that advancement is essential to their employees' long-term success—and they’re backing that understanding with real action. These companies are redefining what career success looks like —by investing in growth, creating structured development models, supporting re-entry and advancement, and offering the tools and connections needed to thrive.
Accenture
Accenture is a leading solutions and global professional services company that helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed across the enterprise, bringing together the talent of approximately 779,000 people, proprietary assets and platforms, and deep ecosystem relationships.
Accenture’s strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for its clients and to be the most AI-enabled, client-focused, great place to work in the world. At the heart of Accenture’s business is 360° value, delivered through innovation, inclusion and a commitment to helping our clients continuously reinvent.
Accenture hires and develops people who have different perspectives and experiences. These differences ensure that Accenture has and attracts the cognitive diversity needed to deliver a variety of perspectives, observations, and insights, which are essential to drive the innovation required to reinvent.
Accenture’s employee networks are open to all. The Hispanic American Employee Resource Group, like all of its employee networks, creates a sense of belonging, celebrates cultural moments, and nurtures trusted relationships, benefiting participants across all career levels and fostering community and inclusion at both the global and local levels.
Externally, Accenture partners with an array of organizations that are built on a shared commitment to innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison is a leading global materials science and digital identification solutions company with locations in over 50 countries and approximately 35,000 employees worldwide. For more than 90 years, the company has demonstrated a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and spirit of giving, which can be traced back to its founder, Stan Avery. Avery Dennison is committed to being a force for good in the global community, guided by their company values.
One of those core values is diversity. Being open to every voice, every day, brings this value to life and makes Avery Dennison a vibrant and engaging workplace. This commitment to diversity drives the company’s reputation as a great place to work, attracting talent to join a team where employees can grow and be productive, innovate, and make a meaningful difference to our organization.
The company is committed to fostering an inclusive environment through a variety of programs, initiatives, and policies, including:
Comprehensive recruitment: Avery Dennison utilizes a collaborative and comprehensive approach to recruit diverse talent from across traditionally underrepresented groups, including Lantinx/Hispanic women. This involves internal employee resource groups, external partnership organizations, and active sourcing across talent platforms.
Upskilling Talent Acquisition: The North America talent acquisition center of excellence is continuously upskilled to identify and eliminate recruitment barriers and enhance inclusive recruitment marketing.
Continuous Education: Avery Dennison offers 100 percent reimbursement for approved continuous education programs to all employees.
Ongoing Commitment: The company maintains an ongoing commitment to improving the representation of Hispanic/LatinX individuals at the manager+ level.
Avery Dennison's holistic DEI strategy includes several key initiatives:
1. Women Leaders: This global DEI pillar aims to increase the representation of women in leadership roles across diverse talent pools.The goal is to achieve 40 percent female representation in manager and above positions by 2030.
2. Elevate (Women’s ERG): The Elevate ERG is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. They offer programs, resources, support, and advocacy to connect, develop, and advance women throughout North America. Elevate also serves as a crucial sounding board for actions related to the DEI pillars.
3. Voz Latina (Hispanic/Latinx ERG): This ERG focuses on amplifying Hispanic and Latin voices within the company to promote diversity, inclusion, and a stronger sense of belonging. Voz Latina also serves as a sounding board for our DEI pillar actions.
Avery Dennison also offers the AWE Accelerator program, designed to benefit Hispanic Women employees, is a facilitator-led, highly interactive, cohort-based program. It provides a framework for career acceleration through eight 90-minute sessions that focus on professional branding, networking, and the importance of mentors and sponsors.
Avery Dennison believes that diversity is not just a value, it’s a strength that propels us forward. Collectively, our team has received more than 30 awards and recognitions worldwide, which highlight our progress and achievements in diversity, equity, and inclusion. engaged and productive workforce. The company has 22 Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) with thousands of members worldwide. For example, in the Americas, the Hispanics Organized to Leverage Our Advantage (HOLA) and Women’s Network EBRGs provide networking, professional development, mentoring and leadership opportunities for members at all career levels. While embracing a shared cultural passion, HOLA also engages in the Hispanic community in both business and philanthropic endeavors.
CBRE
CBRE, a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2024 revenue). CBRE serves clients through four business segments:Advisory (leasing, sales, debt origination, mortgage servicing, valuations); Building Operations & Experience (facilities management, property management, flex space & experience, digital infrastructure services); Project Management (programmanagement, project management, cost consulting); and Real Estate Investments (investment management, development).
CBRE holds the #1 global market position across many of its businesses. It leverages deep market knowledge, an extensive trove of data, proprietary technology and a commitment to collaboration to help clients succeed.
Culture: CBRE maintains a culture of excellence that gives every employee the opportunity and support to succeed and rewards top performance. The company offers a full range of programs to help its employees, from benefits that support physical, mental, emotional and financial health to talent development, skill-enhancement and relationship-building programs.
Talent: CBRE insists on an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and heard—and they belong—which results in a more engaged and productive workforce.
The company has 22 Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) with thousands of members worldwide.
For example, in the Americas, the Hispanics Organized to Leverage Our
Advantage (HOLA) and Women’s Network EBRGs provide networking, professional development, mentoring and leadership opportunities for members at all career levels. While
embracing a shared cultural passion, HOLA also engages in the Hispanic community in both business and philanthropic endeavors.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Since 1932, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has offered quality health insurance products and services to New Jersey families and businesses. With a mission to empower its members to achieve their best health, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey takes
pride in its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels
valued and respected.
Horizon BCBSNJ continues to look for ways to support a workplace culture
where all employees feel a sense of belonging. The company has established a Pledge to support its employees, members, and those in the communities it serves by creating fair and inclusive practices. One way Horizon BCBSNJ has demonstrated its continued commitment
to the growth and development of all its employees is through the delivery of its annual Personal Excellence Program, focusing on personal and professional learning and development opportunities over a two-week timeframe. The Personal Excellence Program is designed to celebrate learning and demonstrate the Company’s commitment to the value and importance of its employees by providing the option to put daily job functions on hold and take advantage of opportunities to participate in learning and development sessions.
The Achievers "Step It Up" program is the name of Horizon BCBSNJ’s employee internal recognition platform to create a more consistent recognition system. Its key features include:
• Peer-to-peer recognition: Employees can recognize one another, moving beyond a top-down, manager-only system.
• Points-based rewards: Employees earn points through recognition, which can be redeemed for prizes, gift cards, or experiences from a global marketplace.
• "Boosting" recognition: Managers can add points to an employee’s "everyday recognition" to further show support and reinforce desired behaviors.
• Company values alignment: The program allows managers to link recognition to specific company core values, reinforcing those values across the organization.
• Increased engagement: Companies that have adopted this model have seen a significant increase in employee engagement scores.
• Everyday and milestone recognition: The platform is used for both daily peer-to-peer praise and for celebrating larger achievements and service milestones.
JPMorganChase
JPMorganChase aims to be the employer of choice and bank for all customers, clients and communities. Committed to creating a workplace where employees feel like they belong, JPMorganChase is an Equal Opportunity Employer that strives to build and foster an inclusive
work environment where its employees are respected, trusted and empowered. When teams are more diverse, they generate better ideas and outcomes, and help contribute to a stronger
corporate culture. The firm seeks to attract and retain the best talent. JPMorganChase is dedicated to building a culture that enables employees and leaders to grow and succeed throughouttheir careers while encouraging them to uphold a standard of excellence.
The firm’s global Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion (DOI) organization and its seven Centers of Excellence (COE) — including the Office of Hispanic & Latino Affairs — foster inclusion and belonging across all communities. TheDOI organization focuses on enhancing
employee engagement, providing governance to the firm’s aligned Business Resource Groups, Affinity Groups and Executive Forums, and building trust within all communities. The firm’s 10
Business Resource Groups and three Affinity Groups are open to all employees, connecting them around common interests and fostering leadership and networking opportunities while also promoting an inclusive environment. JPMorganChase serves over seven million small businesses nationwide, offering tools, resources, and expert guidance to help owners achieve their goals and strengthen their communities.
Through programs like Coaching for Impact, the firm provides one-on-one mentorship and practical support to help entrepreneurs overcome challenges and grow their businesses.
Marriott International
Founded by J. Willard and Alice Marriott, and guided by family leadership since 1927, Marriott International’s core values remain embedded in the company’s culture and in everything they do today. At Marriott International, inclusion isn’t a program, it’s a core part of how the business operates and how leaders are developed. The belief is simple: every associate, regardless of role or background, should have access to opportunity and feel a genuine sense
of belonging. That belief is brought to life through leadership development programs that
include Elevate by Marriott International. This program combines personalized learning, coaching, and mentorship to help associates grow, advance, and build meaningful careers. In
parallel, Marriott’s nine Associate Resource Groups—open to all associates—connect more than 22,000 members across over 100 countries. The ARGs strengthen community and
capability through cultural activations, mentoring circles, and professional development, while reinforcing an inclusive, connected culture. This commitment to developing talent continues with the Emerging Leaders Program, a year-long experience designed for high-performing Senior Managers with the potential to grow further. The program blends immersive workshops, practical consulting tools, and a capstone innovation project to help participants maximize impact in their current roles and prepare for future opportunities. With a focus on strengths-based leadership, personal brand, inclusive leadership, business acumen, and consulting skills, the program builds a connected pipeline of leaders equipped to navigate complexity, inspire teams, and deliver results. In addition, Marriott’s Global Inclusion Council—chaired by senior
executives, including its CEO—maintains the focus on the Company’s overarching strategy of welcoming all and providing access to opportunity for all.
Northern Trust
Guided by its founding principles of service, expertise, and integrity, Northern Trust employees are passionate experts from around the globe who turn ideas into action to help the world’s most successful individuals, families, and institutions achieve their goals.
At Northern Trust, inclusion is embedded in their culture and business strategy. The organization fosters an environment where employees feel welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute fully. Its approach centers on three core areas: evolving the
workforce to reflect its clients and communities, developing talent through robust resources and programs, and advancing culture by aligning behaviors with its corporate values. Northern Trust’s commitment extends globally, supporting initiatives like the UK Women in Finance Charter. Central to the organization’s inclusion efforts are 14 global Business Resource Councils (BRCs) and three regional BRC inclusion teams that connect employees, support
development, and influence business outcomes. In 2024, Northern Trust introduced global BRC objectives and refreshed its framework to align with industry, people, culture, and
community. The BRC Advisory Council ensures strategic alignment and has earned recognition for six consecutive years among the Top 10 Strategic Enterprise-Wide ERGs by The Global
ERG Network.The organization also invests in inclusive education through Northern Trust University, offering programs like Inclusive Leadership training. Its talent acquisition strategy prioritizes casting a wide net to find the most qualified candidates, employing best practices for successful recruitment of a broad talent pool.
Northern Trust values the experiences and perspectives of all employees, creating opportunities to listen, collaborate, and learn from one another. In 2024, the organization launched a global self-identification campaign, enabling employees to voluntarily and confidentially share information such as disability status. This initiative promotes a wider range of ideas, creativity, and innovation. In a rapidly changing world, Northern Trust’s progress is rooted in trust, resilience, and purpose, guided by enduring principles and a long-term perspective— building an inclusive workplace that drives innovation, engagement, and
business success.
Stellantis
Stellantis, a global automaker dedicated to giving its customers the freedom to choose the way they move, champions workplace inclusion through demonstrated leadership, collaborative partnerships, a focus on employee engagement, and respect for all individuals. Stellantis'
approach to Diversity & Inclusion is built on three pillars: Opportunity for All, Inclusion at the Core and Belonging. These three pillars anchor Stellantis' approach to talent, expectations for leadership, and how Stellantis cultivates an environment where every individual feels like they belong. The North America Diversity & Inclusion Council, made up of C-suite leaders, leads initiatives supporting inclusion, belonging, and equal opportunity for all employees. From a global perspective, Stellantis aligns its efforts with standards such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, embedding these values into global HR policies and training programs.
Employee-led Business Resource Groups (BRGs) foster allyship and cultural awareness, encouraging participation of all employees with the motto “you don’t have to BE to Belong.” Stellantis BRGs consistently collaborate and partner with each other to promote shared activities that purposefully bring together a wide variety of individuals and perspectives
to celebrate, connect, and learn from each other. Stellantis offers a wide range of development opportunities designed to support employees at all stages of their careers. Examples of the variousopportunities include an Executive MBA program and a multi-month Leadership Development Program that offers tailored mentorship, skill-building, and actionable learning
projects that enable participants to propose solutions affecting real-time critical business needs. In addition, several functionally-oriented Leadership Development Programs create pathways for participants to rotate through various areas to gain exposure and experience in
multiple business disciplines to elevate their understanding and practical skills. Workshops and multi-day Leadership Summits with expert speakers, immersive exercises, and exposure to timely leadership challenges and trends provide attendees with relevant tools that can be immediately applied to their day-to-day work.
Travel + Leisure Co.
At Travel + Leisure Co., a leading leisure travel company, inclusion is a cornerstone of its culture and a key pillar of its corporate responsibility strategy, referred to as Full Circle. With hospitality and responsible tourism at its heart, the company’s more than 19,000 dedicated associates around the globe provide more than six million vacations to travelersaround the world every year.
Guided by its mission to “put the world on vacation”, there is a strong commitment
to cultivating an inclusive environment where its associates, customers, suppliers, and communities feel appreciated, respected, and valued. The Full Circle strategy is anchored by these tenets:
• Hospitality and responsible tourism bring out the best in people and places.
• Environmental sustainability and a spirit of inclusion thrive together.
• Philanthropy, ethics, and human rights guide their actions.
Through these commitments, Travel + Leisure Co. fosters a workplace whereevery associate feels empowered to thrive, and where inclusion is not just practiced, but lived.
Key practices under Full Circle include:
• Diversity Resource Groups (DRGs): Six associate-led DRGs, each sponsored by a member of the company’s Executive Committee, focus on professional development, education, and community engagement. These groups foster cross-cultural understanding and amplify underrepresented voices.
• Education & Global Awareness: Year-round programming includes cultural heritage celebrations, allyship panels, and global inclusion dialogues that deepen awareness and connection.
• Inclusive Benefits & Development: Inclusive benefits supporting the diverse needs of its workforce, including mental health resources, family-building support, and flexible work options. Leadership development programs ensure equitable access to growth opportunities across all levels.
Leadership Development & Retention: Associates participating in learning and development programs, including those offered through DRGs, contribute to a 94 percent retention rate, demonstrating the value of inclusive career growth opportunities.
Community & Responsible
• Women’s Initiatives: Formal and informal groups focused on addressing women’s issues in the workplace. TheSenior Women’s Roundtable, led by Chief Human Resources Officer Kim Marshall, discusses organizational issues affecting women. Women in Travel (WIT), one of the company’s DRGs, gathers feedback and works to address concerns or barriers. Both groups establish annual objectives aligned with the company’s inclusion and diversity strategy, tailoring efforts to meet the needs of their members and reflecting the company’s diverse demographics.
Together, these efforts create a workplace where every associate feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Tourism: Inclusion is part of the company’s broader commitment to responsible tourism, aiming to bring out the best in people and places around the globe.