There are plenty of interpretations of this concept. Here’s how Boeing sees it—and is getting the most out of its diverse work force

With more than 157,000 people across the world—including those shown here—it’s no surprise that Boeing is a company composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds. And Boeing has worked to use these differences to the company’s advantage. As one diversity consultant told Boeing Frontiers, “intercultural literacy is a competence that one cannot function without.”

This package of stories shows how Boeing is executing the integrated global diversity and compliance strategy on a daily basis. It looks at how diversity has evolved into what it is now—“a way to enhance business outcomes,” according to Lew Platt, non-executive chairman of Boeing—as well as a look at what it does not entail, through the explanation of some myths and realities of diversity-related concepts. It feature explains how employee coaches in Wichita, Kan., are helping people leverage the work force’s diversity, as well as what Global Diversity & Employee Rights, along with the Boeing Leadership Center, is doing to communicate the critical role diversity plays in leadership. It also looks at Boeing’s technical affiliations with historically black colleges and universities, and efforts to pull the different qualities of Boeing people into a single unit.

Evolution

• We’ve come a long way, everybody

The meaning of diversity

• Myths and realities

Blueprint

• What is your diversity profile?

In action

• Coaching for a difference
• A diverse school of thought

Making connections

• HBCU/MIs help engineer the future
• Networking Boeing diversity