Page 108 - Forbes - USA (October 2019)
P. 108
Lowe’s: CEO Marvin Ellison’s
New Blueprint For Diversity
The 190,000 full-time and 110,000 part-time associates who about purchases in our stores, so this BRG just makes business
work at home improvement giant Lowe’s serve more than sense,” he says.
18 million customers every week. And since Marvin Ellison Lowe’s hosted a two-day Women’s Leadership Summit that
took over as CEO in the summer of 2018, there’s been a brought together 500 women employees, including many store
renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion across the managers, in August. “The group included women of all ethnici-
entire operation. ties, and they had the opportunity to collaborate with women
-DQLFH /LWWOH /RZHŖV FKLHI GLYHUVLW\ RIŻFHU DQ (/& PHPEHU they did not know, from across the entire business,” says Frie-
and one of Black Enterprise’s top 35 women in corporate diver- son. “One young woman said to me, ‘This is what I like about
sity, says the impact can already be felt. “We started from ground the new management team. You are listening to us.’ We’re on
level, and we’re now racing up the maturity curve,” she says. the right track.”
“Partnering with ELC has been a wonderful resource for Quonta D. Vance, a Lowe’s division president who joined the
our associates and leaders,” says Little of creating a busi- company this year, is part of the leadership team that runs the
ness model with diversity and inclusion at its core. “Speaking black BRG. “It’s really refreshing to have leaders like Marvin and
with our associates who attended ELC’s Leadership Devel- the rest of his team giving us the push. It comes from our store
opment Week or Mid-Level Managers Symposium, they state associates also, who tell us, ‘Hey, we like to see you guys doing
how proud they are to work for Lowe’s, who is investing in more to celebrate diversity and inclusion.’” Associate feedback
their development. Associates return from programs with a plays a key role in planning for key programming for future
renewed commitment to Lowe’s and ready to contribute at events like Black History Month 2020, he says.
a higher level to help us achieve our mission. That’s a really As CEO, Ellison feels strongly about the role of the BRGs
strong business tie.” in advancing the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy.
Lowe’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) — executive- “I’d have done anything to have one when I started out, just to
sponsored, associate-led groups — were launched by Ellison answer simple questions like, ‘Where’s the nearest barber?’
and Little and are more than just employee get-togethers. “We $QG DOVR KDUGHU TXHVWLRQV OLNH ŕ+RZ GR , ŻQG D PHQWRU"Ŗř KH
call them ‘business’ on purpose,” says Little, “because we want says. BRG executive sponsors report directly to him. “They have
our business to rely on them to help us shape our customer large functional budgets,” says Ellison, “so they can properly
commitment.” Lowe’s BRGs are both for associates who iden- fund their BRGs.”
tify with a particular culture and those who want to learn about Frieson adds, “ Marvin often says we have only two types
that culture, and each BRG is purposely assigned an execu- of associates here, those who directly serve customers and
tive sponsor from a different background to promote broader those of us who serve associates who serve customers. We’re
cultural competency and gain visibility among company all together moving our company from good to great.” With that
leadership. in mind, Ellison has shared his direct email address to 300,000
Donald Frieson, executive vice president for supply chain associates, and he answers all the questions he receives from
and the executive sponsor of the Lowe’s women’s BRG, joined them. “And believe me, they ask!” says Ellison. “I want them to
Lowe’s with Ellison a year ago. “Women make most decisions hear directly from me. We’re going to respect everyone.”
18 | DIVERSITY
