Winner: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport serves more than 63 million customers annually to 149 domestic and 58 international nonstop destinations worldwide. As a major economic generator for the North Texas region, DFW produces over $37 billion in economic impact each year by connecting people traveling for business or leisure.
These results derive from the core competency to embrace diversity and inclusion by leveraging the unique talents, perspectives, and experiences of individuals in the organization, benefiting stakeholders and customers. DFW believes that the airport succeeds when disadvantaged, minority and women-owned businesses receive equal access to a level playing field.
In terms of its diversity efforts, DFW has five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). The inaugural group, Women’s Initiative Networks, was established in 2005 to encourage retention and advancement of women, followed by Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans and Millennials.
The ERGs help attract the best talent while cultivating and retaining top-performing employees. They support DFW’s diversity and inclusion efforts by mirroring a growing and changing customer base; creating an inclusive workplace environment; supporting community partnerships; implementing supplier diversity initiatives and partnering to develop specialized marketing strategies.
With the launch of service to Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2014, DFW’s Asian American employee resource group collaborated with the marketing team to provide valuable assistance in creating presentations with a Mandarin voiceover and reviewing Chinese scripts and pamphlets.
Community outreach is a key strategic goal for each ERG. For example, the ERGs support low-income students with an annual school supply drive. In 2014, the ERGs donated more than 860 pounds of school supplies to Community Partners of Dallas and more than 1,150 pounds of school supplies to United Way in 2015.
In addition, DFW’s African American ERG (AACTION) co-sponsored the annual Jethro Pugh Golf Tournament to raise $60,000 in scholarships for Dallas/Fort Worth area low-income students.