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Eighth Edition - July 27, 2009
Zero Tolerance for Racial Discrimination
After climbing a great hill, one only agreed that management should have sources and Communications in the
finds that there are many more hills issued an early, unequivocal statement IFC, here is their communication to
to climb. that racism and racial discrimination all staff replicated in its entirety:
-- Nelson Mandela are unacceptable under any circum- "We want to update you on inci-
stances, but even more in an institu- dents of graffiti within Bank prem-
S
ome two weeks following the tion whose very mission is improving ises, of which some of you may have
appearance of racial graffiti the economic and social status of the heard already.
in the public area of the Le- global poor. "Last month, two pieces of graf-
gal VPU on the 6th floor of the MC Several staff applauded the strong fiti, written in ballpoint pen, were
building, Bank Group senior man- zero-tolerance message against dis- found in the public area of the Legal
agement sent out a strong note of crimination of any kind. One staff Department on the 6th floor of the
condemnation of the incidents to all member commented, "I am very proud MC building. One of these contained
staff via email. to be part of an organization that takes a racial slur and the other a deroga-
Some staff criticized the reaction such matters so seriously; it shows at tory remark telling all foreigners to
as belated. Chief among them were times like this that tolerance is our best go home. Such acts are hurtful to all
members of the Bank-IMF African, asset and we should encourage and of us and even frightening to some of
Caribbean, and African-American embrace difference." Another wrote, our colleagues, and we deplore them.
Societies. One member admitted to "Thank you for paying attention to "Anne-Marie Leroy, the General
being "totally disappointed that man- these issues! They are very important! Counsel, took immediate action,
agement action to denounce the acts In particular, such organizations as reported the incidents to Security
was so delayed." Another said that ours should set the highest standards for investigation, sent an email to
management "needs to give more than of conduct and serve as an example of all Legal staff, and held a follow up
lip service to these serious issues and diversity and inclusion." townhall with staff. As she wrote in
to be more proactive." Key executives Penned by Hasan Tuluy, VP of her email, "Rest assured that such de-
of the three Societies, speaking on Human Resources in the Bank, and spicable acts will neither be dismissed
behalf of their constituencies, largely Dorothy Berry, VP of Human Re- nor go unnoticed."
continued on page 2
Q & A with Anne-Marie Leroy Q: Please share a little about your
Senior Vice President and General Counsel own professional journey.
A: I have worked very hard to
SVP and GC Anne-Marie Leroy get where I am now, but the merit is
joined the World Bank in March not entirely mine. I'm the product of
2009. Most recently, she was a very supportive parents and a quality
partner of the Paris Office of Denton school system, and I was blessed with
Wilde Sapte LLP where she was in a very supportive husband.
charge of the Department of Public Q: The role of General Counsel in
Law. This is not Ms. Leroy's first the Bank serves as advisor to both the
stint at the Bank: from January President and the Board. How has your
1995 to May 1998, she served in experience been so far in this dual role?
the MNA Region as a senior public A: As you say, this is a dual function.
sector specialist, working on public I am the Counsel to both Management
management issues in Lebanon,
Morocco, and Tunisia. continued on page 3
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Zero Tolerance for Racial Discrimination (continued from page 1)
"As we have hundreds of visitors them? Could it have been a Bank
each day and there is no security staff? Was it sprayed on the wall?
camera in that area, we do not know Was it a ballpoint pen? Why did
at this time if the graffiti were writ- management not inform staff imme-
ten by Bank staff, but the investiga- diately? What caused the delay?
tion is ongoing. These questions and many more ani-
Upon learning of these incidents, mated a hundred water-cooler conver-
the leadership team discussed and sations in the days and weeks following
reaffirmed our commitment to the the incidents. Theories abounded.
Bank's zero tolerance for discrimina- Since then, senior management
tion of any kind. Bob Zoellick asked has asked managers to reiterate to
all vice presidents to follow up with staff that the Bank is a responsive
managers and staff to make it clear organization; where issues arise, the
that we will not accept such behavior. institution has policies and systems
As Zoellick said in an article on di- in place to address these challenges.
versity on the Kiosk, "We need to treat In fact, the Bank has a plethora of
every staff member with dignity and outlets where staff can seek solu- Harvard's Professor Mahzarin Banaji will
respect. We cannot and will not toler- tions. These include the WBG Office return to the World Bank in October.
ate discrimination." Since then, Ngozi of Diversity Programs; the Diversity
has been in constant communica- and Inclusion Advisory Group (DIAG) which has collaborated with the Bank
tion with the head of the Bank/Fund made up of senior managers; the Of- since 2002 on successive institutional
African Association. The Office of fice of Ethics and Business Conduct Staff Surveys. The results will be ana-
Diversity Programs has scheduled an (EBC); Mediation Services (MEF); the lyzed and used as a baseline for future
additional meeting for her with that Office of the Ombudsman (OMB); the surveys that measure progress. Most
group, the African-American Associa- new Peer Review Services (PRS); the importantly, the results will inform
tion and the Caribbean Association to Administrative Tribunal (WBT); the a series of concrete action plans for
listen to and address their concerns. Integrity Vice Presidency (INT); and implementation by senior manage-
In an organization such as ours, the Staff Association (SA). ment to address diversity and global
we value and draw our strength from The Bank's Chief Diversity Officer, inclusion gaps across the institution.
the diversity of our staff. In turn, we Julie Oyegun, put the effort into per- "The task of transforming our
expect a workplace that is inclusive, spective: "Since we are all members of organizational culture into a totally
respectful of differences and where the human race, it is extremely impor- inclusive global employer of choice
each individual is treated with dig- tant for the Bank to get this right. We is a work-in-progress," said Oyegun.
nity. We will accept no less. are a global role model, have hired and "We encourage everyone to take the
To ensure this message is clear, we managed talent from across the entire time to complete the survey when it
are asking your managers to meet with racial spectrum for at least 60 years, is launched in September as a direct
you to discuss the above issues, and to and serve a multiracial client base." and valuable contribution to bringing
reaffirm the fundamental principle that "We have done some very good about organizational culture change."
we all value our diversity. In the mean- things which gives one the confi-
time, our Office of Diversity Programs dence that we have a lot more to Where do You have bias?
will engage a broad cross-section of the offer!" she added. In October 2009, the Bank will once
organization into discussions on the The Office of Diversity Programs is again welcome Harvard Professor
wider diversity and inclusion approach launching a Pulse Survey on September Mahzarin Banaji, lead developer of
in the coming weeks." 3, 2009. The aim is to gather and assess the Implicit Association Test (IAT).
staff views on progress made on diver- During the March 2009 Diversity
Staff Reactions sity and inclusion in the institution. Month, Banaji presented the IAT in a
What exactly were the racial slurs? The confidential survey will be workshop with senior managers and
Who could possibly have written managed by the Gelfond Group, their intact management teams.
thE-Junction July 27, 2009 | page 3
The IAT assessment instrument The second session with those
itself has become somewhat of a VPU management teams that did The 12 Attributes of
global phenomenon. Nearly 20,000 not attend the March event is sched-
people per week take versions of the uled for October 26. The workshop
Inclusive Organizations
IAT, which Banaji developed in col- will once again be supported by MD 1. Demonstrated commitment to diversity.
laboration with colleagues Anthony Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and co-spon- 2. Holistic view of the employees and
the organization.
Greenwald and Brian Nosek. The sored by the WBG Office of Diversity 3. Access to opportunity.
test has been adapted by thousands Programs and the Staff Association. 4. Accommodation for diverse physical
of psychologists globally, who have "It's very easy to use constraints and developmental abilities.
5. Equitable systems for recognition,
written more than 500 published as an excuse for inaction, and hide acknowledgement, and reward.
papers on it. behind our biases," said Ngozi, dur- 6. Shared accountability and responsibility.
"People like us are the ones who are ing the March event. "We simply 7. 360-degree communication and
information-sharing.
delaying the change," Banaji stressed. have to acknowledge, then over-
8. Demonstrated commitment to
"If we are prepared--if we understand come, our biases in order to move continuous learning.
how our minds work--then [we can forward. At stake is an institution 9. Participatory work organization and
get] to thinking more creatively about that needs to respond to our clients work process.
10. Recognition of organizational
what we might do differently." and deliver." culture and process.
"I'm asking for a very different The WBG Office of Diversity 11. Collaborative conflict resolution
kind of awareness, the small decisions Programs invites you to take the IAT. processes.
12. Demonstrated commitment to
on a daily basis," said Banaji. "It is Simply type "diversity" or "inclusion" community relationships.
going to take something deeply con- in your browser for a direct link to the Source: The Workplace Diversity Network
scious to make the change we need." IAT website.
Q & A with Anne-Marie Leroy (continued from page 1)
and the Board, and it requires from me Q: How are your lawyers similar diversity of legal training and expertise.
a constant search for a balance. There to or different from typical lawyers If we want to serve both the Bank and
could be a wrong perception that the in a corporation? our clients, we need a diversity of legal
General Counsel advises only Manage- A: With the financial crisis and traditions, thinking, and backgrounds.
ment and just eventually, the Board. In the subsequent increase in the Bank's Q: Specifically, therefore, how
fact, Management meets every day, in lending operations, our lawyers are do you intend to improve on the
very different forums, while the Board working even harder. In this sense, recruitment strategy in the future?
meets twice a week. I plan to correct this we're not like a typical law firm or a A: Currently, we tend to advertise
misperception by engaging more often legal department in any company. We and recruit from the top-notch univer-
with the members of the Board and have are embedded in the Bank's activi- sities in the United States. This helps
a constructive exchange of views in ties and when operations expand, our us attain a wide diversity in national
areas of common concern. work increases proportionally. origin as well as a high level of legal
Q: You served a three-year stint Q: What is the status and future expertise. However, it also narrows our
in Bank Operations in the mid- path for Diversity and Inclusion pool--our hires tend to be Anglophone,
1990s. How did that equip you for (D&I) in the Bank's Legal VPU? for example. I believe that if we are
your current post? A: Generally, we have good diver- able to reach out more to European
A: I was a senior public sector spe- sity in terms of country origin and and Canadian universities, then we will
cialist working on public management gender, but one of the biggest issues get a broader diversity of candidates
issues in MNA. I enjoyed my time there in my opinion is women and Part 2 and broaden our legal culture. There is
enormously. I could not have imagined country citizens at the Managerial also a strong tradition of quality legal
how much it would help me in this po- level. This needs to be addressed. training in S�o Paolo, Cairo, Johannes-
sition, understanding Bank culture and Q: What are some other D&I issues burg, Istanbul, and elsewhere. We need
the reality of Bank Operations as they you'd like to address in the future? to expand our recruitment outreach to
are carried out in the field. A: I'd like to focus more on the those parts of the world.
thE-Junction July 27, 2009 | page 4
Fels: Paternity Leave is Primary Policy Tool for Gender Parity
W
hen President Zoellick some of our most basic institutions-- be a priority for our male employees.
announced a goal to child care, elder care, and the shape For new fathers, we expect business
attain gender parity of marriages... the shape of the work- as usual." (The Bank currently offers
among managers by 2012, it set off place itself." "up to five days" of paternity leave
a firestorm of dialogue and analysis. In the World Bank, for example, for each childbirth or adoption.)
What is the best framework, the prin- the pressures are particularly acute. "It perpetuates an outdated and
cipal obstacles, and the optimal path The average age at which women largely unviable paradigm," said Fels.
for the World Bank? have their first child is 37, which
To address these issues and more, represents "significant possible risks For work, life, and balance
the Staff Association's Family Issue to themselves and their plans to have Fels proposed options to improve both
Working Group joined the InfoShop a family." the bottom line and gender parity in
to host Dr. Anna Fels--the topic: When they do have children, the the workplace, including improved
"Gender Parity in World Bank Group lack of better organizational policies programs in housing, daycare, and
Management: Creating an Environ- leaves women struggling to balance health. Employees could opt to pay
ment for Success." both their careers and their new fam- for the services that appeal to them.
Fels is the author of Necessary ily responsibilities. One such option is more housing
Dreams, which delves into ambi- available near the office, which re-
tion in women's changing lives. A Paternity leave or bust duces commutes and permits spouses
practicing psychiatrist, she is on the "What can organizations do at a to see family more. During a lively
faculty of the Weill Medical College practical level?" asked Fels. "How can give-and-take after the keynote, it
of Cornell University and the New they create a culture that convincing- became obvious that this sort of op-
York Presbyterian Hospital. ly shows it is taking care of families?" tion would be particularly impactful
During the past 100 years, Fels First, there should be more trans- in the Bank's country offices, where
said, almost every aspect of a wom- parency that staff who take advan- many staff commute long distances.
an's life has been transformed. Work tage of reduced work schedules or Another is daycare, which has been
policies, however, have failed to keep leave options are not punished. [Only proven to reduce staff missed days
up. Although women represent 50 two percent of Bank employees take by up to 30 percent and dramatically
percent of the workforce, they do advantage of flexible work programs, reduce costly staff turnover.
more childcare than their husbands. other than AWS.] A workplace "sniffle room" allows
What is more, because organiza- But that's not enough. Work-life a parent (usually the mother) to stay
tions have failed to update their poli- balance committees should comprise when a child is too sick to go to
cies accordingly, they are complicit 50 percent men. To prove her point, school, but not so ill that she re-
in the resulting imbalance. Fels gestured to the capacity crowd. quires a parent's undivided attention.
"How is our society going to take Of more than 100 participants, maybe Finally, dedicated physicians (ei-
care of families?" asked Fels. three or four men were in attendance. ther at work or nearby) reduce com-
Prior advances, both legal and "It is shockingly apparent that mutes and improve organizational
cultural, meant minimizing gender women alone are supposed to man- health. This increases both work
roles and ostensibly ignoring differ- age this balancing act!" said Fels. efficiency and time with family.
ences, said Fels. But today's solu- The kicker: unless organizations The choice is clear: a business
tions require that organizations--and offer a strong program of paternity culture that continues to place "a
society at large--openly acknowledge leave, they are complicit in the soci- firewall between work and home
biological differences and accommo- etal imbalance. powerfully privileges male over fe-
date them. In the absence of a strong pro- male employees," concluded Fels.
"We're dealing with a stage in life gram of paternity leave, organiza- Ultimately, the rewards are mani-
for women during which pregnancy, tions send a powerful message to the fold. "In this transformation," urged
childbirth, and lactation have to be employee: "A child is the wife's re- Fels, "you can provide an interna-
acknowledged," emphasized Fels. sponsibility. We do not expect father- tional example of gender equality in
"We're talking about reconfiguring hood to interrupt men's work, or to the workplace."