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Executive Interview
CSR & DIVERSITY
“We work with recruitment suppliers so that when
we are looking for talent we look in as wide a
pool as possible and our workforce, no matter
where around the world, has to mirror the local
population.” When BT was looking for more
female engineers they placed case studies in
Company Magazine, a UK magazine for young
women, and a newspaper in Scotland and profiled
one female apprentice. “Basically we were
challenging stereotypes, showing that you don’t
have to be butch and macho to be one of our
engineers,” says Mary Jo.
UK Diversity Benchmarks
This approach has worked and in 2007 BT is in
the top 10 in three out of four main UK Diversity
Benchmarks. BT is also now benchmarking its
global performance via the Schneider Ross Global
Diversity Network, with the results due in March
2008. Part of BT’s recruitment approach involves
hiring MBA graduates and Janet recognises the
strengths they can bring to the company: “They
are an important resource group – with both
practical experience and theoretical knowledge.
At BT we have an open approach on skills and
Lesotho Charity Trek Mary Jo McFadden – Diversity Manager, BT Global Services
capabilities and have a real mix of people from all can’t just be passionate about the subject, but need and 36 fellow BT workers went on a sponsored trek
kinds of backgrounds. We have a special fast track to articulate this business case.” to Lesotho and raised over £60,000. “Lesotho is an
programme for people we recognise with the right BT is also heavily involved with charitable amazing part of the world and part of the money
skills and hungry to make the next move, and very work, giving £21million a year either directly or in we raised also went to Cotlands orphanage near
often these people are MBA graduates. If you have kind. Their main charity in the UK is Childline, Johannesburg. It was a very humbling experience
an ambitious streak you will have and helped me appreciate
the ability to do well at BT and we how much poverty there is
will actively encourage you.” “BT has been number one in the in the world.” It was also a
“When we employ MBA great opportunity for personal
graduates, we find they often have a telecommunications sector of the development. “The trek was
great passion, with a personal value very hard, but I did not want to
set which they are looking to realise Dow Jones Sustainability Index for give in, or be the one at the
in a working context,” continues back every day.” Their Better
Mary Jo. “They are very engaged the last seven years.” World campaign aims to give
and perceptive individuals –keen to every young person a voice and
work in CSR or diversity. But on includes a global development
the other side, sometimes they don’t understand which they have partnered for 11 years. This is a partnership with UNICEF that will benefit
that BT is a company, not a charity. The best free and confidential helpline for children and disadvantaged children in South Africa, Brazil and
MBA graduates we have are the ones who realise young adults in the UK, and BT staff help run the China.
that everything we do needs to have a business call centres having been trained by the National
model, sustainable but also responsible to our Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
share holders. They need to find the business (NSPCC) to work as counsellors. It is a charity that For details of BT’s work in CSR and diversity,
case and make it work for the business. They Mary Jo is personally involved with – last year she see www.bt.com/betterworld
TopMBA CAREER GUIDE www.topmba.com 37
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