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TURNER BROADCASTING
No. 7
No. 9 Top 10 Companies for African Americans
Business Type: Media (part of Time Warner)
Corporate Headquarters: Atlanta, Ga.
Number of U.S. Employees: 8,400
Annual Worldwide Revenues: $9.1 billion
Turner Broadcasting has made a business decision to
integrate diversity into every operating unit.
CEO and Chairman Philip I. Kent holds every leader
responsible for the company’s diversity efforts. “So the head
of the news organization, the head of the entertainment
organization both know there’s an expectation from Phil,
Philip I. Kent
CEO and Chairman
Loretta Walker
Senior Vice President of
Entertainment, Human Resources
the chairman, that diversity is
weaved into the way they do business,” explains Loretta Walker, senior vice president of entertainment,
human resources. “We treat it just
like any other business initiative …
Knowing your culture and what
works for it is important.”
Walker directs recruiting and
other diversity programs while Kent
drives the message through the company from the top. He leads Turner’s
top-level diversity council (each
division has its own). When his
communications, such as quarterly
company updates, are released, they
always address diversity. And he
made diversity one of the company’s
five guiding operating principles.
Kent also interacts directly with
employee-resource groups, which
usually are led by senior vice presidents and which receive financial
support from Turner. The groups,
whose charters must include a business goal, aid the company in developing programming, provide a pool
of mentors and protégés and take
the company’s values outside its
headquarters through community
volunteerism. The resource groups
have to make annual presentations
to Kent and his team to show what
they have accomplished.
Kent’s hands-on approach has
helped the company retain employees of all races, ethnicities and genders at consistent rates ( 92 percent
for whites and blacks, 91 percent
for Latinos and 90 percent for
Asian Americans and women).
“If the CEO is saying something
is important but is not seen being
involved, it sends a mixed message,” Walker says. “If it doesn’t
start [at the top], it doesn’t truly
become part of the organization.”
Kent acknowledges his company’s long-term achievements while
working toward future goals.
“It’s gratifying to be seen as a
leader in diversity. What’s more
important to me is continuing our
work toward the goal of shaping
Turner Broadcasting to respect our
differences, and celebrate the values
we share and reflect in our people.”
