OneTen has announced that Wells Fargo and Synchrony are the two newest members of its coalition, which aims to hire, upskill and advance Black and African American talent in the US.
The coalition of US companies aims to create one million family-sustaining careers for Black Americans over the next decade; and foster more diverse and inclusive corporate cultures. Established in December of 2020 by leading executives, OneTen works with coalition members on a skills-based approach to both source talent for open roles; and upskill/promote existing talent within company organisations, as reported. It encourages companies to identify roles that pay a living wage; have a low risk of being automated; do not require a four-year degree; and focus on the applicant’s skill set demonstrated experience; and ability to execute the role.
DRIVING MEANINGFUL CHANGE
Synchrony’s participation in OneTen is part of the company’s ongoing commitment towards building a more just and equitable society. “Diversity and inclusion are foundational to who we are,” stated DJ Casto, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Synchrony. “Yet, despite our achievements, we know there is more to be done to realise true equity and inclusion in our workplace and in our communities. We look forward to working with other corporate leaders in the OneTen coalition to drive meaningful, long-term progress.”
All coalition partners agree to develop, retain and advance diverse and underrepresented talent with an explicit commitment to hire or promote Black talent without degrees; focusing on reducing exclusionary hiring practices; identify robust and new talent sources; and ensuring adequate and equitable career pathways for advancement.
IDENTIFYING A BROADER TALENT POOL
“Joining this coalition gives Wells Fargo another great resource and partner to reach diversity and inclusion goals in our workforce,” commented Carly Sanchez, Head of Talent Acquisition of Wells Fargo. “OneTen brings a unique approach to sourcing talent. We are looking forward to working with the team to expand employment opportunities; and identify a broader pool of talented candidates who are a great match for Wells Fargo positions.”
Adding to his comments Kleber Santos, Head of Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion at Wells Fargo, stated: “As we continue to drive change at Wells Fargo, we are excited to join the OneTen coalition, which can play a significant role in our efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the company and in the communities we serve. We are looking forward to working with OneTen to find ways to alleviate some of the barriers that hinder advancement.”
TOP COMMITMENTS
OneTen’s mission aligns with commitments set by Wells Fargo to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce at the company. These commitments include:
- Increasing recruiting staff for outreach to diverse communities.
- Partnering with senior leaders to enhance focus on recruiting, promotion and development programmes for diverse talent.
- Expanding participation in national diversity events, along with a commitment to potentially interview and hire on the spot.
- Requiring senior leaders to identify and engage with external diversity-focused organisations related to their line of business or function.
- Increasing focus on skills-based hiring.
- Factoring DE&I metrics into senior leader compensation.
“We are thrilled to have Wells Fargo join the OneTen coalition and embrace our mission to catalyse opportunities for Black talent to grow the United States economy, specifically in the financial services sector,” stated Maurice Jones, Chief Executive Officer of OneTen. “At OneTen, we believe that connecting Black talent with family-sustaining careers will transform the prospects of those families, companies and the American project. We look forward to working closely with Wells Fargo to achieve our common goals.”
Sign up for our newsletter
