"Diversity is at the core of who we are"

In an effort to become a more fully diverse organization, St. Louis-based SSM Health Care (SSMHC) implemented a plan called "Strategic Goals for Diversity for 1998 to 2004." The plan called for Increasing diversity among SSMHC employees. Improving support to, and alliances with, organizations that pursue fairness and equality for all people. Establishing a work environment that rewards and recognizes excellence and attracts and retains the best people, regardless of factors like race, religion, disability, and gender. Increasing business partnerships with minority and women suppliers. Having established strategic goals, SSM launched a Diversity Forum: a corporate-sponsored gathering designed to develop the careers of people of color, of different ethnic backgrounds, or with disabilities. Diversity Forum participants suggested that mentoring minority employees would help SSM reach its goals. In 2000, the system launched its Diversity Mentoring Program, designed to last four years. The program had two main purposes: To increase the number of people of color, of different ethnicity, or with disabilities in the system's professional and managerial ranks. To prepare these minority professionals and managers for upward mobility by pairing them with executive leaders. Along with the focus on SSM's employees, the system looked outside as well, to its relationships with local communities. The organization worked toward expanding its commitment to purchase from local, small, and minority-owned businesses. In 2005, to help SSM entities meet new goals for 2005-2010 (with a new emphasis on minority patients and customers), the system introduced a new measurement tool, the Diversity Scorecard, which is a comprehensive measuring tool that allows SSM leaders to benchmark their efforts.