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Equal Opportunity & Diversity


Equal Opportunity & Diversity

3M considers a diverse work force to be essential to the overall success of our company as well as an important social commitment. Achieving an inclusive culture at 3M includes:


  • Respecting our differences.
  • Maximizing our individual potential.
  • Valuing our uniqueness.
  • Synergizing our collective talents and experiences for the growth and success of 3M.

As a global company, 3M works with diverse customers in diverse markets. The diversity of 3M's global workforce is an indispensable asset and is key to global success.


Advancing the diversity of our U.S. operations to reflect our customers and the communities in which we operate is a key initiative under the direction of our human resources leadership, with the full support of our CEO, George W. Buckley. In addition, 3M is attentive to diversity in countries outside of the U.S.


3M is committed to providing an environment where all employees have the opportunity to thrive. Human Resources policies, employee education and executive leadership support this goal.


3M complies with all local, federal and country laws giving every person the right to fairly participate in all aspects of employment.


U.S. Diversity Recruiting Activities

In the U.S., 3M employs a full-time Director of Workforce Diversity to provide direction and support to enhance the recruitment and retention of diverse candidates for student and career employment. In addition, 3M engages members of our Employee Resource Groups to participate in recruiting activities. Diversity recruiting activities include:


  • National and regional diversity career conferences.
  • Providing leadership to ensure greater minority recruitment awareness throughout the company.
  • Developing relationships with officials at targeted colleges and universities to enhance college relations and recruiting exposure.
  • Coordinating funding to educational institutions and other organizations that actively support career enrichment opportunities for minorities.
  • Developing relationships with external organizations in order to increase minority hiring opportunities.

  • 3M participates in the following Diversity Career Conferences: Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), The Black Engineer of the Year National Achievement Awards Conference, The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, The Hispanic Engineer of the Year National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC), The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), The National Association of Minority Engineering Program Administrators (NAMEPA), The National Association of Women MBA's, The National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), The National Consortium for Graduate Degree for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM), The National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), The National Sales Network (NSN), The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), The National Society of Hispanic MBA's (NSHMBA), Society of Women in Engineering (SWE), The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), U.S. Business Leadership Network (disabilities).


U.S. Supplier Diversity Initiative

An important part of the way 3M procures goods and services is by utilizing small, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses. These enterprises make up a growing share of the U.S. economy with great potential for helping us achieve the 3M vision — to be the most innovative enterprise and the preferred supplier.


Our Supplier Diversity Initiative ensures a large pool of high-quality goods and services to help grow 3M and provides economic opportunity to all. Through this initiative, we identify and solicit applications from qualifying small, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses.


In 2006, 3M conducted business with approximately 29,000 U.S. suppliers of which about 21,000 are small or small disadvantaged businesses. More than 5,000 of these are minority, disabled, veteran or woman-owned. Forty percent of our subcontracts were awarded U.S. small businesses. In addition, $112 million was awarded to veteran-owned businesses.


Visit 3M's Partners & Suppliers page to learn more about 3M's Diversity Supplier Initiative.


Women's Leadership Network

The Women's Leadership Network is a volunteer organization of women representing all 3M functions and salary groups throughout the United States. The group is committed to providing a voice for women's perspectives on workplace issues and makes recommendations to the Human Resources Advisory Committee on Diversity.


Recognition for Female Representation

3M was among 17 major U.S. companies honored with Global Corporate Leadership Awards from the National Women's Economic Alliance Foundation; the awards recognize companies for their efforts to increase opportunities for women in the workplace.


Executive Mentoring Program

An executive diversity mentoring program supports the professional development of high performing minority and women employees. Since January 2002, over 475 females and minorities have enrolled in this program.
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