Walmart today announced a new Office of Diversity, led by Charlyn Jarrells Porter, an 11-year company veteran. The office, reporting to Walmart Vice Chairman Tom Coughlin, will serve as a focal point for all of Walmart's diversity initiatives, including employment practices, supplier relations, and community outreach.
Porter, an attorney, began her career prosecuting crimes against women and children. She later joined Walmart's legal team and during that time managed a wide variety of labor and employment cases. She most recently led the People Division (human resources) for all U. S. Walmart stores. Here she initiated structures and programs that greatly strengthened that business's ability to identify and develop talent through recruiting, training programs, and formal mentoring.
"Diversity doesn't just happen," said Walmart CEO Lee Scott. "Success in this area requires us to approach it the same way we run our stores -- with focus, energy and enthusiasm. Just saying we are committed to diversity is not enough -- we must put in place the right systems, processes and leadership to make it happen."
Walmart also announced that Esther Silver-Parker will join the company as Vice President of Diversity Relations, effective December 1. She is currently AT&T's Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Citizenship. In this role, she leads AT&T's Foundation and corporate social responsibility programs, including diversity, philanthropy, community affairs, and employee volunteerism. She is a past recipient of the annual Catherine Clearly Award, the highest recognition AT&T gives to a female employee.