Diversity Programs

In support of our diversity objectives, we have established programs, initiatives and resources to help all associates feel welcome and engaged at work, better connect and communicate with their peers and further develop their professional skills.

Associate Resource Groups expand to new geographies

Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) are a tremendous asset for diverse associates who are seeking to develop strong networks and hone their professional skills. At the same time, ARGs provide a mechanism for Staples to more deeply engage with associates and, in turn, increase the retention rates of diverse employees. ARGs also serve as important tools for the business, helping Staples to gain insights into our diverse customer segments. ARGs offer members mentoring, skill development and internal and external networking opportunities. Group members themselves identify, select and pursue those activities they view as priorities.

Since 2010, we have increased our total number of ARGs to 11. In our Framingham, MA corporate headquarters, we have groups for women, LGBT, Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians & Asian Americans, and Young Professionals. We also have a women’s group in our Broomfield, CO, Maitland, FL and Ontario, Canada locations and a Young Professionals group in Lincolnshire, IL. Additionally, we have a Hispanics/Latinos group in La Mirada, CA. Throughout the year, these groups have launched several initiatives for associates, such as:

 

• Sponsoring National Coming Out Day for our LGBT associates and allies
• Creating Parenting Network and Caregivers Network groups to meet the needs of our associates
• Holding several high-visibility events to celebrate some of the various heritages of our associates, including African American, Asian American and Hispanic/Latino
• Creating awareness around generational issues in the workplace, most specifically around working successfully with Millennials

We also launched our first international group in 2011, called Gender Balance, which is focused on gender equality. Through Gender Balance, we have established a formal community of committed associates, both male and female, who support our global diversity strategy, Staples business results, a winning place to work and associate engagement. These associates join together on a quarterly basis in support of improving our gender balance across our management team.

Our groups continue to provide members with a collective voice, a formal community, a sense of empowerment and decision-making, deeper engagement in the company, a focus on commonalities and a forum to celebrate differences. Staples Associate Resource Groups are key business partners that support our Company of Choice strategy and commitment to global inclusion and diversity.

Mentoring program gains momentum

In 2011, we continued to develop and expand the mentoring program we launched in 2010 to pair senior leaders with high-performing female and ethnically or racially diverse associates in close professional development partnerships. In the U.S., we expanded our program to include associates in our Broomfield, CO office, and piloted a very successful group mentoring format to provide a less traditional approach to mentoring.

Also in 2011, Staples International kicked off a Women’s Mentoring Program, aimed at allowing our associates new development opportunities with the support of mentors from our senior management team, with 15 women participating in the initial test launch of the program. One of the central aims of the program is to assist women in mid-management move up in the organization and overcome any barriers that might exist when progressing into the higher management positions of the company. By helping mentees to perform within our current working culture and practices, we hope to increase the number of women at the top of Staples and be more representative of our customers and society as a whole, thus producing a more dynamic working culture for the future. By allowing our senior management team to work closely with women mentees and develop emerging talent, we also create a better company-wide understanding of diversity issues and expose management to new ways of thinking and acting.

“Business Woman of the Year” award expands to North America

The Staples “Businesswoman of the Year” contests are intended to recognize and appreciate the talented women at Staples who positively impact our company, our customers and our communities. As well as focusing on leadership development for all our associates, we are conducting initiatives such as this to help address the current under-representation of females in management. This year, Staples expanded on the very successful gender diversity initiative first launched in Australia and New Zealand in 2010 to include the U.S. and Canada. The program has been a great success for all female participants and has contributed to an increase of women in leadership roles.

Associates are invited to nominate a woman in the business who they think deserves to be recognized. A summary of our three awards is provided below:

• Within Staples Australia, 111 women were nominated, with 15 continuing to the finalist program during which they received three days of training on presentation, self-belief and negotiation skills. Katia Holland, who is an Account Manager in Newcastle, was announced the 2011 Business Woman of the Year. Katia received a tailored training program, was assigned a mentor from the Executive Leadership team and leads the Business Woman of the Year finalist alumni group in Australia.
• In the U.S., 41 women were nominated by their colleagues, recognizing their outstanding impact on our business, associates and culture. Six finalists were selected by a panel of Staples leaders to visit the Framingham corporate headquarters and participate in a 2-day development program and make a presentation to a judging panel. Lisa Frasier, Marketing Manager, Division 3, USR Field, received the 2011 Staples U.S. Business Woman of the Year award in the U.S.
• Staples Canada had 90 unique nominations for its first Business Woman of the Year Award in 2011. Candidates were judged based on their impact on our business, and on their contributions to our workplace and culture, with a special emphasis on company-wide initiatives. Ultimately, Staples awarded five honorable mentions, two finalists and a winner. Michelle Micuda, Regional Sales Director, was awarded 2011 Staples Canada Business Woman of the Year.

Staples International launches disability inclusion and awareness programs

Staples is committed to offering a diverse and inclusive environment, which has led our operations in Argentina and Italy to begin disability inclusion and awareness programs.

In Argentina, where it is estimated that 75 percent of people with recognized disabilities are unemployed, Staples initiated the “Yo Tambien” initiative to raise awareness among associates and to successfully prepare our local operations to accommodate visually impaired associates. In 2012, Staples Argentina has been working with NGOs to increase the scope of the program.

Meanwhile, Staples Italy has launched a training program with a local charity to educate young people with physical and mental disabilities and improve their employment skills. The program also offers several internship placements through a government program and will be expanded in the coming years.

Diversity Alliances

Staples is a member of and supports a wide range of diversity-focused professional organizations. For example, we have been a member of the MetroWest Alliance for Workforce Diversity (MAWD), an organization local to our Massachusetts headquarters, for seven years.

As part of its activities, MAWD:

• Facilitates the sharing of best practices, mentoring and coaching among member organizations
• Helps member organizations hire and retain diverse candidates
• Supports the assimilation of diverse employees and their families into the community

One of our Human Resources associates currently serves on the MAWD’s board of directors, and we have hosted MAWD meetings and supported its diversity job fairs and other events.

Staples also has an ongoing relationship with Simmons College for Women in Boston, MA. Staples associates regularly attend professional development conferences and other events for working women at the College.

In addition, through our partnership with Bottom Line, a Boston-based organization that helps disadvantaged youth get into and graduate from college, Staples participates in and sponsors various events including career fairs and mock interviews. In addition, a member of Staples’ recruiting team serves on an advisory board for the organization. We have also established a process for considering Bottom Line students for employment in our stores.

We believe that strengthening diverse businesses contributes to the overall economic success in the communities where we live and work. Staples’ Corporate Supplier Diversity Program’s mission is to promote and increase the inclusion of the following diverse businesses in our supply chain: Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Disabled Business Enterprise (DIS), Veteran-Owned Businesses (VBE) and HUBZone Businesses. In 2011, Staples spent nearly $300 million with diverse suppliers.

By including and supporting diverse businesses in our supply chain, we create jobs, opportunity and growth for the diverse customers and communities we serve. As described by Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter in a 2010 article on Inner City Business in Bloomberg Businessweek, large corporations have a lot to gain by investing in the local communities where they operate. Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees create 60 percent of the jobs in the U.S., and corporations can play an important role in supporting and growing these enterprises — which produce value for owners and employees — through their sourcing decisions. These partnerships can increase a corporation’s own productivity while also benefitting the local community.

According to Catalyst, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating workplaces that enable women and their employers to succeed, the buying power of women and minorities has increased dramatically since 1990 and is projected to continue climbing. With increased buying power comes an increased expectation on the part of consumers. It's important that the companies they buy from support not only employee diversity but also the diversity of their supply chains. Staples' continued efforts to increase supplier diversity promote diversity across the company's entire value chain.

In 2011, we saw continued program growth and achieved significant milestones. For example, we:

• Mentored small, independent, diverse office products companies and helped them grow their revenues by more than 21 percent in 2011
• Were recognized for our supplier diversity program’s exceptional support of certified women-owned business enterprises — awarded “Corporation of the Year” from the Center for Women in Enterprise (CWE Boston) and one of “America’s Top Corporations” from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
• Joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) as a corporate member in support of its Supplier Diversity Initiative

In 2011, the Staples Supplier Diversity program continued to engage with diverse suppliers, organizations and the larger community in several ways.

• We continued the Staples Diverse Mentorship Program, originally launched as a 12-month pilot in 2010, to promote professional and business development among diverse business enterprises. Currently, the Staples Legal Department is partnered with a minority-owned law firm in a mentoring relationship.
• Staples utilized a minority-owned global securities firm for the implementation of our share repurchasing program in 2011.
• We also partnered with the Babson University Master of Business Administration (MBA) program to leverage the talents of a student consulting team. The students developed environmental sustainability plans for Staples Diversity One® suppliers, while Staples provided the students — future business leaders — with real-world business consulting experience.

To learn more, please visit our Supplier Diversity Web site.