Diversity In Action

Shaw cares about its people, its products and the planet

The worldwide flooring maker wants all its 31,000 associates to "experience a learning opportunity in diversity," says the corporate diversity manager

Karen Nelson: enough Shaw carpet to wrap around the equator seven times.

Shaw's formal diversity statement notes that "Diversity is more than race, gender and age. At Shaw, diversity is about inclusion and respect for people. Only by including and developing talented people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives will we ensure our place as a world-class organization and win in the marketplace."

Shaw, Nelson explains, is the world's leading carpet manufacturer, turning out 700 million square yards every year. That, she says, is enough to wrap a six-foot wide strip of carpet around the equator seven times!

Shaw HQ is in Dalton, GA, which considers itself the "carpet capital of the world." Shaw distributes carpets and many types of flooring around the country and the world. Product lines include standard carpet, ceramic tile, hardwood and laminate flooring and the environmentally friendly Anso nylon carpet. Anso boasts post-consumer recycled content and can be recycled again at Shaw's Evergreen plant in Augusta, GA.

The company began in 1946 when Clarence Shaw purchased the Star Dye Co. Now, it includes seventy manufacturing plants in eight states. This April, Fast Company magazine put Shaw on its "Fast Fifty" list for vision, creativity and good environmental practices.

"We care about our planet, our products and our associates," Nelson declares.

Nelson, who came to Shaw with a fifteen-year background in diversity programs, is helping the company develop a corporate diversity council. Top company execs have completed diversity training, and programs and training will soon be implemented throughout the company.

"We are committed to having all 31,000 associates experience a learning opportunity in diversity," Nelson explains. "It's a real hands-on opportunity for every single associate, from our executives to the hourly ranks."

Training of current associates, as Shaw calls its employees, is expected to take through 2008 to complete. New hires will be trained as they're brought on board. Information on the company's diversity initiatives is covered in www.diversity.shawinc.com, a company website.

Shaw is always recruiting, looking for IEs, MEs, EEs, ChEs and textile engineers. It has jobs in IT for pros in Java, Cobol, Mimi technology and Peoplesoft.

"We have a long-standing relationship with SHPE and NSBE," says Nelson. "We also work with colleges, including HBCUs like Tuskegee University, to attract talented diverse candidates at the entry level."

Dalton, GA, Shaw's HQ, with a population of about 32,000, is rated one of the "best small places for business" by Forbes magazine. It's only ninety miles from Atlanta, GA and thirty-five miles from Chattanooga, TN, so folks in need of a big-city fix don't have far to travel, Nelson notes.

Most technical positions start at one of the company's Dalton facilities, which include the company's R&D center. Most IT jobs remain in Dalton, but engineers may transfer to other facilities from coast to coast. Shaw tries to place its engineers where they want to be. "As a newcomer I fell in love with Dalton and never wanted to leave," says Nelson.

The Shaw Learning Academy offers classes for associates as well as customers who want to improve their business, computer and product knowledge, sales expertise and leadership skills. For the third consecutive year, Shaw has been recognized by Training magazine as one of the top 100 training companies in the world. More than 200 in-house instructors offer hundreds of courses. The academy also focuses on diversity.

Shaw began as a family-owned business, and the company has grown with family values at the forefront, Nelson notes. Although there's no longer a Shaw at the helm, the current leaders have decades of experience with the company and are committed to continuing its legacy.

D/C