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Print itArthur Sulzberger, Jr.
Chairman and Publisher
New York Times Company
NAMME Catalyst Award-Print
Arthur Sulzberger's commitment to diversity is a centerpiece of his leadership of The New York Times Company. As the leader for one of America’s oldest and most revered news institutions, Sulzberger has guided the Times successfully into the 21st century global media marketplace with an abiding commitment to a multi-cultural, multi-racial workplace. The “gray lady,” under Sulzberger’s leadership, is truly a sterling example of business success through diversity.
Sometimes dubbed “The Diversity Prince”, by his publisher peers, Sulzberger at times has served as a lone voice and champion for diversity. He was among the first to lead the industry's diversity initiatives as chairman, then ANPA’s minority opportunities committee, and he was among the first to offer domestic partner benefits to gay and lesbian employees.
Sulzberger’s New York Times recently received the prestigious distinction of being named one of Diversity Inc.'s top 50 companies for diversity. Diversity Inc. compiles a comprehensive study annually to determine the top companies for diversity. The study selects companies using a formula that considers such issues as:
- multicultural advertising
- demonstrated commitment to recruiting, retaining, developing and advancing minorities
- progressive programs and policies like mentoring, work-life balance, compensation tied to achieving diversity initiatives
The recognition of the Times’ efforts by Diversity Inc. is a powerful statement about Sulzberger's commitment to diversity.
Even in the face of the Jayson Blair scandal and the saturation of negative coverage that swirled around it last year, Sulzberger remained steadfast and unwaveringly reiterated The New York Times' commitment to a diverse workforce.
At a McCormick Tribune Center Forum, he announced that increasing diversity at “The Times” has been one of his goals since becoming publisher. “You need more editors of color and you need more reporters of color,” Sulzberger said. “People need to see themselves reflected in the pages of the paper.”
"Arthur is one of the few persons I know who goes beyond mere talking about diversity," said Toni Laws, executive director of NAMME and former senior vice president of diversity for the Newspaper Association of America. "As an executive of a major media company he understands the economic necessity of cultivating, capturing and growing a diverse group of readers and viewers. However, economics has never been his primary motivation. You know a person truly values diversity when you see it reflected in their personal lives and social circles. It’s a core personal value for him. “
That, though, is not surprising to those who know him and work with him.
Gail Collins, the paper's editorial page editor, remembers the first time she met Sulzberger, two decades ago. It was at a dinner at Columbia University, where she was a Knight-Bagehot fellow at that time. She recalls Sulzberger talking about the formal lunches at The New York Times for guests. In the days before the paper’s current no smoking ban, someone would circulate around the luncheon offering cigars to the male guests. "Arthur said from then on, women would be offered cigars too," said Collins. "It was a very symbolic gesture."
Sulzberger and The New York Times Company are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and to bringing greater diversity to the workplace. This dedication is a critical business imperative that strengthens their continued commitment to high-quality journalism and extends beyond the company to the industry.
At the heart of The New York Times is its “values statement” called “The Rules of the Road,” a set of behaviors that guide all employees and are a part of its performance management process. One of the rules, "embrace diversity" is as integral as other listed values: honesty, respect and civility.
Sulzberger's vocal support of diversity has led to the implementation of several diversity programs at The New York Times. To enhance its recruitment efforts, the company has developed relationships with a number of national minority organizations including: the minority journalists associations, the national Black, Asian and Hispanic MBA associations and several historically black colleges and universities including Florida A&M University and Stillman College. Sulzberger makes it a point to attend the minority journalist association conferences each year, another example of his dedication in bringing greater diversity to the Times and into the field of journalism.
Talented minority employees are brought into The Times through internships, such as the widely known Inroads Internship Program. Additionally, the news department, concerned with the shortage of minority copy editors in the newspaper business, started an ambitious program in 1998 to develop its own crop of editors. Editors travel to predominantly black colleges and other campuses to run seminars on copy-editing and identify top prospects for the company’s 14 regional newspapers. In addition, two minority copy editors are identified for future career movement from the smaller regional newspaper to The New York Times newspaper. The College Scholarship Program selects 20 Times Scholars and helps them achieve excellence in New York City public high schools. These students, who have overcome exceptional hardship, receive scholarships from funds contributed to The New York Times Foundation and have access to mentoring and summer employment. The Intermediate Reporter Program brings more junior reporters into the news department, enabling the newspaper to hire reporters with one to five years of experience rather than more seasoned veterans.
At a recent leadership conference, Sulzberger stated that "I can see how far we've come by looking around this room: we now have a more diverse group of leaders than ever has existed at The Times."
The positive impact of diversity on a company’s bottom line is no myth. But as Diversity Inc.'s research has found, a corporation's diversity commitment is worthless without strong support of the CEO and top management. Arthur Sulzberger and The New York Times are proving that diversity indeed makes good business sense.