|
Mary
Barra,
CEO,
General
Motors
and Rev.
Jesse L.
Jackson,
Sr.,
President
and
Founder,
Rainbow
PUSH
Coalition
relax in
the
green
room
prior to
a panel
discussion
– on the
positive
effects
of an
all-Inclusive
ethnic
minority
business
environment
during
the 15th
Annual
Rainbow
PUSH
Global
Automotive
Summit.
(Photo
by
William
Sanders/Sanders
Studios
International) |
|
15th
Annual
Rainbow
PUSH
Global
Automotive
Summit
puts
major
focus on
ethnic
inclusion
DETROIT
- The
Rainbow
PUSH
Automotive
Project,
offered
up an
impressive
parade
of
speakers
for the
15thAnnual
Rainbow
PUSH
Global
Automotive
Summit.
This
year’s
theme
was
“Driving
Ethnic
Inclusion
in the
Global
Automotive
Expansion.”
The
Summit
was held
at the
MGM
Grand
Detroit
Events
Center.
The
Rainbow
PUSH
Global
Automotive
Summit
is the
only
conference
that
delves
deeply
into the
automotive
industry
as it
relates
to
people
of
color.
Rainbow
PUSH
founder
Rev.
Jesse L.
Jackson
stated,
out of
19,000
auto
dealerships
in the
U.S.,
only 272
are
African-American
owned.
And that
represents
a
decline
of about
500 from
nine
years
ago.
"That is
despite
the fact
that the
automotive
industry
has been
rebounding
since
the
Great
Recession,"
said
Jackson
In a
global
marketplace,
a
company
that
employs
a
diverse
workforce
is
better
able to
understand
the
demographics
of the
marketplace
it
serves
and is
better
equipped
to
thrive
in that
marketplace
than a
company
that has
a more
limited
range of
employee
demographics.
Companies
that
leverage
diversity
will
have a
competitive
advantage.
Without
a strong
corporate
strategy,
that
inherently
promotes
the
integration
of
diversity
and
inclusion,
many
companies
are
doomed
to fail.
Marc
Bland,
head of
diversity
and
inclusion
for
Polk,
cited
numbers
from the
international
market
research
firm,
saying
that of
all
automakers,
the top
selling
brand to
“ethnic
consumers,”
or
African
American,
Asians
and
Hispanics,
was
Toyota
with a
volume
of
286,586
cars.
Honda
was a
distant
second
at
196,950
units,
followed
by
Nissan
at
138,922
and Ford
at
136,550.
The
figures
were
based on
2014
sales
through
June.
Top
automotive
leaders,
manufacturers,
suppliers,
dealers,
government
officials,
community
leaders,
advertising
agencies
and
media
outlets
will
assemble
at the
Summit
to share
expert
insight,
strategies,
trends
and
solutions
regarding
the
automotive
global
expansion
and the
many
benefits
of an
all-inclusive,
ethnic
minority
business
environment.
Reverend
Jesse L.
Jackson,
Sr.,
president
and
founder,
Rainbow
PUSH
Coalition,
hosted
Mary
Barra,
CEO,
General
Motors;
and Dave
Zuchowski,
president
and CEO,
Hyundai
Motor
America
at the
Business
and
Education
Awards
Luncheon.
Award-winning
journalist
Ed
Gordon
will
serve as
panel
moderator.
Barra,
who
received
a
standing
ovation
upon
being
introduced
as the
first
female
CEO of a
major
automaker,
said
that
diversity
was key
to GM
delivering
what its
customers
want.
The only
way to
make
good on
such a
delivery
is
inclusion
of all
people,
regardless
of race
or
gender,
she
said.
“Each
time
minority
consumers
purchase
vehicles
they are
creating
a
socio-economic
paradigm
with the
auto
industry
that
cannot
be
ignored,”
says
Rev.
Jackson.
“Automakers
must
institutionalize
diversity
practices
throughout
their
companies
in order
to
attract
and
retain
talent,
pay
closer
attention
to its
suppliers,
distributors
and
dealers;
share in
the
billions
of
dollars
spent on
advertising
and
marketing
and
respect
the
African
American
consumer.”
The day
ended
with a
Networking
& Awards
Reception
honoring
Living
Legends
and
Emerging
Leaders
in the
automotive
industry. |