Building on a tradition of inclusion

Kaiser Permanente leader tapped for diversity award

The health care profession isn't just a job, it's a community—a community where everyone should feel welcomed and appreciated.

From the very beginning, this philosophy has guided Kaiser Permanente's leadership in creating an organization that strives to be diverse and inclusive.

Continuing our long tradition of forward-thinking leaders, Kaiser Permanente's chief executive officer, George C. Halvorson, was awarded the Diversity Leadership Award in November 2007.

The award, given by Diversity Best Practices, recognizes those CEOs who exhibit a deep commitment to inclusion. Halvorson was one of eight business leaders to get the award.

"[Halvorson] leads diversity by example," said Ronald Knox, Kaiser Permanente vice president and chief diversity officer, "[He] holds himself and his senior executive colleagues accountable for results. He has raised the bar for CEO diversity leadership."

A tradition of openness

From the start, Kaiser Permanente leaders have pushed against barriers to inclusion. Co-founder Henry J. Kaiser championed merit-based hiring and non-segregated health care facilities. His son Edgar J. Kaiser broke through the iron gender wall by hiring the first female shipbuilder during World War II, and pioneered the hiring of people with disabilities.

And while diversity thrives at the top, it is also woven into all aspects of our organization. For over a decade, Kaiser Permanente has followed a National Diversity Agenda. The agenda outlines our commitment to a diverse workforce and to meeting the needs of all our members.

"Simply put," explained Knox, "diversity is how we achieve our mission and grow the business."

LGBT staff organization

As part of that agenda, Kaiser Permanente supports multicultural staff associations. These consist of racial, ethnic, disability, and sexual orientation affinity groups, also called networking groups, which provide forums for employees to gather socially. They are a rich source of cultural expertise and a primary link to communities.

KP Pride, our group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees, promotes understanding of LGBT issues within Kaiser Permanente. In California, KP Pride maintains a referral service for members to find LGBT-friendly practitioners. They also develop brochures on LGBT health issues and provide cultural sensitivity training for the workplace and for practitioners.

A record of recognition

On top of Halvorson's award, Kaiser Permanente has received numerous recognitions over the years.

For three years in a row, Kaiser Permanente has made DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. Also for three years in a row, we've gotten a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index supporting LGBT rights in the workplace.

Looking forward

But even with its history of inclusion, Kaiser Permanente isn't resting on its laurels. In the future, we'll continue striving to open doors by promoting our National Diversity Agenda and working toward ending disparities in health care.