What started as a diversity initiative has evolved into a corporate strategy for Pitney Bowes

Pitney Bowes: 2009 Immigrant Success Award Co-Winner: RBC Immigrant Advantage Award

At Pitney Bowes they like to keep track of things. Whether it’s the mail and document mailstream technologies they create, the customers they serve or the employee talent they develop, measurable results must be achieved.

As part of the company’s commitment to diversity, Pitney Bowes has developed a Talent & Inclusion (T&I) plan to align with key business priorities. The plan focuses on attracting, retaining and developing talent into leadership positions and succession planning. This plan is a blueprint to build diverse talent capabilities to sustain and grow the business.

The company’s results against T&I objectives are measured for performance ratings and compensation. That commitment extends to everyone, including Deepak Chopra, President, Pitney Bowes Canada and Latin America, whose performance is measured against the successful implementation of the T&I plan, among other business objectives.

“Pitney Bowes strives to be positioned as employer of choice for diverse and skilled talent,” says Chopra, who is an immigrant himself. “Attracting new talent is integral to the success and competitiveness of our company, and in future, we see a workforce that is increasingly comprised of skilled immigrants.”

Fostering a diverse workforce has provided numerous benefits for the company. Pitney Bowes has witnessed firsthand the power of “diversity of thought” and collaboration to solve business issues and create solutions.

Immigrant talent have been successful at front lines and up to executive levels. Several sales representatives are immigrants, who have been selected to the “President’s Club” for their stellar sales performance. They have also been able to secure new business opportunities with the diversifying local communities in which the company operates. One senior-ranking, internationally trained IT professional has leveraged outsourcing knowledge and international best practices, driving critical cost savings for the company. And there are more examples.

“What started as a diversity initiative has evolved into a corporate strategy, embedded within business plans,” notes Guilherme Dias, Director Strategic Talent Management, who is also one of the company’s immigrant success stories. “We track the progress of the T&I plan every quarter.”

More than half of the company’s high potential leaders are diverse employees, while 15 per cent of senior leaders are immigrant talent. Measurable results, indeed.