Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is Committed to Diversity

CHICAGO - DiversityInc has listed Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, as one of its Top 50 Companies for Diversity® for the fifth year in a row. 

In 2009, the company ranks 22nd, up 12 spots from last year. 

HCSC is also listed among the Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity as well as the Top 10 Companies for African Americans this year. 

A total of 401 companies vied for the honor this year, underscoring the increasing emphasis on diversity management among progressive companies.

"Health Care Service Corp. has developed an increasingly inclusive work force. The company also has emerged as a supplier-diversity leader in the health insurance industry," said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc.

"Diversity and inclusion have always been business imperatives for Health Care Service Corporation," said Pat Hemingway Hall, HCSC president and CEO.  "However, having diverse and inclusive perspectives and practices in our organization will be even more crucial in the face of unprecedented economic challenges. To be as innovative as possible, we must capitalize on the talents and skills of all of our employees. At the same time, we need to continue to anticipate and respond effectively to the needs of our increasingly diverse customer base who will be facing their own unique challenges during this difficult time."

Key factors in HCSC’s success were its strong mandatory diversity-training program and the metrics used to assess its success, progressive work/life policies, benefits for same-sex partners of employees, community philanthropy and the evolving supplier-diversity program.

Rita Taylor-Nash, vice president of corporate diversity, said "We provide a culture and work environment where employees from various backgrounds are encouraged to contribute their unique perspectives. In addition, we support them in developing their full potential.  We recognize that diversity and inclusion foster a culturally competent and innovative workforce."

As the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer, HCSC operates the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. 

Methodology

The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list is a purely editorial process with no connection to business done with DiversityInc. It is determined entirely by a statistical analysis of responses to our 200-question survey. There is no fee to enter. DiversityInc Top 50 companies demonstrate consistent strength in four areas: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity. The list itself covers 19 industries, from consumer-facing companies to B-to-B's to industrial businesses. They range from small regional companies to global giants.

Other key findings from The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity:

• In the United States, the DiversityInc Top 50 hire 41% Blacks, Latinos, Asians and American Indians, compared with the U.S. work force, which is 32% Black, Latino, Asian and American Indian (BLS)
• 25% of DiversityInc Top 50 companies' managers are Black, Latino, Asian and American Indian, compared with 17% nationwide (BLS)
• DiversityInc Top 50 boards of directors are 23% Black, Latino, Asian and American Indian, compared with 13% nationally
• DiversityInc Top 50 boards of directors are 24% female, compared with 15% nationally
• One-third more DiversityInc Top 50 chief diversity officers now report to their CEOs than four years ago (28% vs. 18%)
• 88% of DiversityInc Top 50 CEOs personally sign off on executive compensation tied directly to diversity initiatives, compared with 72% in 2005
• All of the DiversityInc Top 50 companies now have employee-resource groups for their LGBT employees, 70% have groups for employees with disabilities, and 40% have generational resource groups. DiversityInc benchmarking customers seek data on employee-resource groups more than any other subject
• In 2005, less than 1% of DiversityInc Top 50 philanthropy went to multicultural groups; today, almost 25% does
• There has been a 50% increase in companies including supplier diversity in their RFPs (requests for proposals) since 2004 (60% vs. 90%)

For More Information, Contact:
www.DiversityInc.com/Top50
MaryAnn_Schultz@bcbsil.com (312-653-6701)
Carol Patterson, DiversityInc, cpatterson@DiversityInc.com, (973) 494-0562

About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and the fourth largest health insurer in the country overall, with 12.4 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. The company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. HCSC also has a rating of AA- (Very Strong) from Standard and Poor’s, Aa3 (Excellent) from Moody’s and A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best Company. For more information, visit www.HCSC.com.

About DiversityInc
Launched in 1997, DiversityInc is the leading business publication connecting diversity and the bottom line, with 1 million unique monthly visitors. DiversityInc.com includes the largest diversity job board in the nation. DiversityInc also produces events and conducts benchmarking, custom research and consulting.

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