BP America Named Employer of Choice by MCCA

BP America Named Employer of Choice by Minority Corporate Counsel Association

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) has named the legal department of BP America as its 2014 Employer of Choice Award winner for the South/ Southwest Region. BP America was selected from corporations across the South/Southwest for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace. The company was recognized at MCCA’s Diversity Gala in July.

BP America has clear goals for building diversity. Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive, has set a goal to have women account for 25 percent of group leaders and 30 percent of senior- level leaders by 2020. While speaking to attendees at a webcast sponsored by the BP Women’s International Network, Dudley remarked, “We need to look very hard at ourselves to identify the barriers that we still have in place. First, unconscious bias programs us to gravitate towards people who look, think and act like ourselves. Our diversity and inclusion programs recognize this and address it. We need to take conscious action to challenge our own biases. Otherwise, we will continue to recruit and promote in the image of the current leadership.”

As head of BP Legal, General Counsel Rupert Bondy has implemented a five-step diversity and inclusion plan that includes strategies for external relationships, a “MyPlan” performance tool requiring all group leaders and senior leaders to take meaningful steps within their functions to advance diversity, a comprehensive mentoring plan, anti-bullying training and other cultural values, and surveys to measure progress.  In his first diversity report, Mr. Bondy found 30 percent of successors are female, which indicates a healthy leadership succession plan.  Overall, 33 percent of the group leader population is female, with 61 percent of First Level Leaders in Legal and Ethics and Compliance being women.

BP America has planned carefully to ensure diversity and inclusion across the company, and these plans are delivering results,” said Joseph K. West, MCCA’s president and CEO. “When a leading company like BP makes diversity a priority, it exerts positive influence and sets a standard for others to follow. For this reason, MCCA is pleased to name BP America an Employer of Choice.”

BP America and four other regional Employers of Choice were honored at the MCCA Diversity Gala on July 25 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The gala combined honors with entertainment, concluding with a VIP Reception. MCCA also recognized diversity innovators, corporate legal departments, law firms and legal bar associations that implement outstanding diversity programs.  Justice Cruz Reynoso was honored with MCCA’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

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About BP America

Over the past five years, BP has invested nearly $50 billion in the US – more than any other energy company. BP is a leading producer of oil and gas and provides enough energy annually to light nearly the entire country for a year. Employing approximately 20,000 people in all 50 states, BP supports more than 260,000 jobs total through all of its business activities.  For more information, go to www.bp.com/us.

About MCCA

MCCA was founded in 1997 to advance the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys in legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA accomplishes its mission through publishing, research and training, pipeline initiatives and networking. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National LGBT Bar, and the Association of Corporate Counsel. MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C. For more information, go to mcca.com.