Whiting To Build Microsoft’s Diversity Strategies & Initiatives.

Microsoft Corp. announced that Claudette Whiting, a 20-year industry veteran and former director of employee initiatives for DuPont, will join Microsoft as senior director of diversity.

“We are very pleased to have Claudette joining the Microsoft team,” said Deborah Willingham, senior vice president of Human Resources at Microsoft. “Claudette has a very strong track record in creating a diverse, multicultural work environment that provides opportunities for people of all experiences and backgrounds to grow and advance.”

According to Willingham, Whiting will play a central role in helping Microsoft meet its goal of becoming the leader in workplace diversity in the high-tech industry. “We have a great opportunity in the technology industry to meet the growing demand for a skilled work force while also continuing to advance our efforts to create a more diverse work force to ensure our products and services genuinely reflect the needs and priorities of all our customers.”

Whiting will lead Microsoft’s corporate diversity efforts, which are focused on attracting, developing, promoting and retaining employees from diverse communities and backgrounds. In addition, she will be responsible for outreach to diverse populations.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for me,” Whiting said. “I am impressed by Microsoft’s commitment to really making a difference in the area of diversity – not just within the company, but also as a leader in the broader industry. Microsoft understands that a culturally diverse work force is important to the company’s long-term success and will enable the company to anticipate and respond to the needs of a global marketplace.”

Whiting most recently was director of diversity and work/life at DuPont Worldwide. She joined the company in 1981, and the programs she developed at DuPont are recognized nationwide and have become models for many private and
governmental agencies.