Tuesday, February 19, 2002

David Coates / The Detroit News Rodney Williams was among those who believed business and government leaders should form an economic development plan for Metro Detroit to promote the region.

Business
Companies can assume lead in diversity
Mentor programs, blended workforces can help ease segregation, forum members say

By Charles E. Ramirez / The Detroit News

David Coates / The Detroit News Linda West of the National Conference for Community and Justice, and Jerald Rosenfeld join the business workshop. Concrete suggestions were offered to ease the cost of segregation on businesses. Business excerpts    Rod Gillum discussed why it is important for the business community that Detroit and its suburbs move toward greater integration. Rod Gillum, vice- president of corporate relations and diversity for General Motors Corp.    * "The business community, very selfishly, is interested in providing products and services to a broad range of customers. That population that we see, our customer base, has really changed significantly over the last 25 years. It's become increasingly more diverse."    * "If the census data is accurate, by the year 2050, there will not be a majority population in this country. You will have African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans all moving up in terms of their prominence. And the challenge becomes ... to develop strategies that allow you the ability to access that diverse customer base."    * "From a business standpoint, segregation is limiting. It limits your access to customers, access to employees, and oftentimes even economic development because businesses tend to locate in areas where the broader market is available to them."    * "What we want in business as we begin to grow, as we begin to flourish not only in Detroit, but around the world, are individuals who are willing to take their place in the marketplace with perspectives that say that 'I respect who you are, I value our differences, but we have a common objective.' And segregation works against those perspectives." The role of business leaders Should businesses hold company executives accountable for not working toward ending segregation? Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

   A mentor program for minority businesses is one way the local business community can help break down the barriers to integration, according to a panel that met Monday as part of the Detroit News/WDIV town hall forum on segregation.
   Company executives also should be held accountable for their organization's diversity efforts, and business and government leaders should form an economic development plan for Metro Detroit and promote the region. Those were the key sentiments among a group of more than two dozen who discussed the business community's role in addressing segregation.
   "I think the forum was a great first step for Metro Detroit," said Rachel Evans, 48, who runs a consulting firm in Clarkston.
   "I was very pleased with it and I hope people keep talking about the subject."
   The issue is critical for businesses in Metro Detroit. Some say segregation has hurt business investment in the city of Detroit and has prompted other businesses to move out. Others add that it makes it difficult for companies to recruit workers to the area and find highly skilled employees.
   "This is an important issue to business," said Rod Gillum, vice-president of corporate relations and diversity for General Motors Corp., who gave opening remarks on business' role in integration.
   "And business can provide leadership in the dialogue on the subject and demonstrate the value in developing a diverse workforce."
   A mentor program for minority entrepreneurs and minority-owned companies could help foster diversity in Metro Detroit, said Gail Simpson, a Southfield resident.
   Also, companies and their executives should be held accountable when they don't boost spending with minority-owned firms, said Gwen Thomas, a businesswoman from West Bloomfield.
   "Companies brag all the time about how much they spend with minority-owned companies," she said.
   "But it doesn't always trickle down and I'd like for it to be more than the usual public relations thing."
   Some Metro Detroiters also said the area needs an economic development plan.
   "There needs to be a bridge between the city and the suburbs," Thomas said.
   "They have to come together with the city because Detroit can't grow without the help of the suburbs and they can't grow without Detroit."
   Paul Gugel, 45, of Rochester Hills, said the forum showed him how potentially difficult it will be to find a solution to the problem -- and also how easy it could be.
   "I think we came up with some great, useful ideas," he said.
   "But the steps for doing these things may prove somewhat elusive."

Key points
   * The business community should create a program that lets established companies mentor minority-owned and small businesses.
   * Businesses should hold company executives, business owners and government officials accountable for not working toward ending segregation.
   * Metro Detroit leaders should develop an economic-development plan for the tri-county area and create a marketing campaign to promote the region.
   * Business organizations, civic groups and the media need to get more involved in the segregation issue.
   

You can reach Charles E. Ramirez at (313) 222-2401 or cramirez@detnews.com.