Jeff Kindler
General Counsel
Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets leading prescription medicines for both humans and animals. Available in more than 150 countries, Pfizer's diverse product portfolio includes prescription drugs like Lipitor, Zithromax and Viagra, as well as many of the world's best-known consumer brands, such as Listerine and Nicorette Gum. With some 122,000 employees worldwide-including 1200 within the Legal Division-Pfizer values diversity as a source of strength, and is proud of its history of treating people with respect and dignity.
In Pfizer's complex legal environment, the company embraces diversity as the best way to understand issues that emanate from diverse cultures and provide smart service to a globally diverse client base. Creating a culture of inclusion, where everyone is respected and valued, is not just the right thing to do, it's a business imperative.
Headed by Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jeff Kindler, Pfizer's Legal Division has some 240 attorneys in the U.S., comprised of approximately 14 percent minorities and 40 percent women. Of the Division's Leadership Team, approximately 29 percent are women and minorities.
The Legal Division has focused on creating and maintaining a self-sustaining program that embraces a continuum of diversity-related activities. Its efforts are guided by the corporate-level Pfizer Global Diversity and Inclusion Group, as well as the Legal Division Diversity Steering Committee, comprised of approximately 45 members who are diverse in every respect, including geography and tenure of service.
The steering committee helps guide the division's recruiting and hiring, professional development, retention, supplier diversity, and communications efforts. A key element of its strategy is to partner with diversity-related professional associations and organizations, which not only helps attract diverse candidates and suppliers, but also provides access to diversity-sensitive training and development opportunities.
Pfizer has been consistently recognized as one of the nation's best employers and most admired companies. In this past year alone, it was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers by Working Mother magazine; received a perfect score of 100 percent in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2004 Corporate Equality Index recognizing fair and equitable workplace policies; was named to the Universum Communications list of Top 50 Diversity Employers; and was selected as one of the top 25 vendors for Latino entrepreneurs by Hispanic magazine.
At press time, the NY Dinner had not been held. Group photos of the awards winners will appear in the Jan./Feb. 2005 issue of Diversity & the Bar®.
From the November/December 2004 issue of Diversity & The Bar®