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,” explains Mickey Parsons, pres-hamber of Commerce.
Atlanta’s young, diverse adults are also highly educated: 36 percent
have four-year college degrees, versus 30 percent elsewhere. Nearly
50 four-year colleges, technical schools and world-class research universities span the region. Atlanta University Center is the nation’s largest
consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including
Morehouse and Spelman. The emphasis on higher education is backed by the state: Proceeds
from Georgia Lottery sales have provided $5 billion in funding for public and private institutions.
George Bandy
Interface Lays a Strong
Foundation to Diversity
At Interface, Inc., diversity plays an important role in the company’s mission to
engage in ecologically responsible business strategies. What is the connection?
It’s all about sustainability, explains Vice
President of Diversity Strategy for Interface Americas George Bandy. “The environment and the economy are the two
that people talk about, but it’s the third
piece, the social component—the people
and their strengths—that is the most
important.”
Atlanta-based Interface is a global leader in the manufacture of
environmentally responsible floor coverings and other textiles.
Through business units Bentley Prince Street and InterfaceFLOR
Commercial, Interface applies a simple philosophy to its products and
processes—less is more. Mission Zero TM, its sustainability journey, is
designed to eliminate any negative impact its companies may have
on the environment by 2020. Social sustainability comes through
“how and who we hire, and in our choice of suppliers,” Bandy says.
“Bringing diversity to our work force brings diversity to our thinking
about how to capture market share and align with our environmental
goals. We need to understand our customer base, and in 2020, a
majority of our customers and suppliers will be minority- and women-owned businesses.”
At Interface, sustainability is built into every business decision:
from the wide choice of Earth-friendly and environmentally preferable product-certified carpet it makes and sells to the way the company reclaims customers’ used carpet products. The company was
included in the Global Finance list of the “World’s Most Socially
Responsible Companies” in 2004. The company has increased its business with minority partners 42 percent in the past two years. Its commitment includes socially focused programs that support families
through affordable housing and disaster relief, and through environmentally focused youth-education programs. In metro Atlanta,
Interface-funded programs have developed nature trails and an environmental center and have taught students about water purity. “We
understand the need to educate the next generation about sustainability. As our future work force, they will be able to provide solutions
for our customers if they understand their needs,” Bandy says.
Joe Cooke
Creating Jobs: A Top Priority
Atlanta’s long-term job growth rate—nearly three
times higher than the national average—is another
one of its competitive advantages. That’s partly
because efforts to stimulate business and recruit
expanding corporations have concentrated on the
area’s major industries: logistics, advanced communications and biosciences. The city offers a
variety of tax incentives for capital investment
and headquarters relocation. Moreover, Atlanta is
the seventh least-expensive place to do business
among major U.S. cities. Unemployment insurance costs, for instance, are among the lowest in
the country.
“We’re interested in companies that respect and value a highly educated work force,” says Sam Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce (MACOC). “We’re not looking for smokestack
industries and low-wage-paying jobs that will migrate to the next country.”
