Building a culture for inclusion at Whirlpool

Approximately 60 percent of the employees of Michigan-based Whirlpool Corporation, the

world's largest manufacturer of home appliances, are located outside of North America. Even
within North America, the company has a rich multicultural mix of employees. Diversity and
inclusion are central to Whirlpool Corporation's goal of placing its appliances in "every home,
everywhere" - a vision that guides its employees worldwide. Whirlpool believes that
acknowledging its diversity and practicing inclusiveness allows it to utilize all employee's unique
strengths to increase Whirlpool's productivity, profit, and performance.

"At Whirlpool, we best serve the unique needs of our customers through diverse, inclusive, and
engaged employees who truly reflect our global customer base," says Jeff Fettig, chairman, and
CEO. Because diverse employees help provide a keen understanding of its diverse global
customer's needs, diversity and inclusion are encouraged throughout the organization. Whirlpool
views diversity as being different and inclusion as the respectful involvement of all people and
using everyone's talents. Whirlpool believes that differences create value, and they practice
inclusion because it enables the company to best respond to the needs of its diverse customers.

Senior leaders make inclusion a top priority. A diversity council oversees the efforts of the
corporate diversity network, and a diversity network mentoring program addresses the needs of
new hires. The company also hosted a diversity summit to discuss building a culture of inclusion.

Whirlpool understands that its leaders must first understand and be interested in diversity before
becoming part of the company culture. To involve dynamic senior leadership and middle
management in its diversity efforts, it creates short five-to-ten minute podcasts that report on its
diversity initiatives. It gives iPod Shuffles to upper management to listen to these programs
while on the go. Executives can also print them out as short, two-page papers. A diversity and
inclusion "lunch and learn" series, hosted by the employee-based diversity networks, offers a
comfortable environment for discussion among peers. The engagement of Whirlpool's leaders
has stimulated positive change throughout the organization.
Whirlpool integrated diversity and inclusion into its business in three phases.

1. Awareness building: Whirlpool began by building the business case for diversity in a changing
consumer marketplace and then delivered that message along with diversity training to the
company's approximately 18,000 employees.

2. Building competency and capacity: Next, it developed tools to enable senior managers to
manage a global workforce and build employee engagement effectively

3. Embedding best practices: After training managers and employees, Whirlpool wove best
practices into the organization's fabric. It began by reviewing the company's diversity strategy
for new employees and continued by developing an educational development curriculum that
prepares senior managers to manage a multicultural workforce effectively.

Whirlpool's slogan even reflects its culture of diversity. "The only thing more diverse than our
products…Are the people who create them." Whirlpool was among Diversity Inc's Top 50
Companies for Diversity in 2011. In addition, Whirlpool has received a 100 percent rating in the
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index.

Briefly answer the following questions:

1. Do you agree that Whirlpool can realize competitive advantage through its diverse employees?

2. How else can technology be used to enhance Whirlpool's culture of inclusion?

3. Do you feel that Whirlpool's efforts to create a culture of inclusion are worthwhile? Explain
your answer.