The People Factor: How Diversity and Development are Shaping FedEx

Submitted by Kelly Gray

People are at the heart of FedEx. We’re in the business of connecting people, and we couldn’t do that successfully without the dedication of the hundreds of thousands of people within FedEx. That’s why we strive to create an environment where our team members can contribute and grow and where the values of diversity are woven throughout the organization. This starts with an inclusive culture. After all, different perspectives are critical to business success.

As a global company, FedEx employs 325,000 team members worldwide in more than 220 countries. They’re from different backgrounds and practice their own unique cultural traditions. They speak different languages but they all have one thing in common: They’re FedEx team members.

Other global FedEx employment stats:

• Nearly half (46%) of our U.S. team members are Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latin, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan native or team members of other non-Caucasian ethnicities.

• Since 1992, our company-wide Supplier Diversity Program has promoted the use of small business and those owned by women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, veterans and others throughout our supply chain.

• Women comprise 27% of our global workforce and nearly 22% of global management.

While women are only one aspect of our robust diversity and inclusion efforts, they are a very important part of what used to be a male-dominated industry, and they are in a unique position to drive our company forward. Gender diversity is a priority and an advantage that’s hard to replicate, which is why we are focused on engaging, developing and building a network of women at FedEx. 

At FedEx Ground, we challenge our women to be intentional in their own development by having them identify their career paths and seek out projects they need to take on for their development. We also have a strong focus on purposeful talent management – positioning our women leaders for the right “mission critical roles” and looking to place them on projects that are “high profile”. On top of that, FedEx offers numerous specific targeted Women's Leadership Programs – some from the outside, some developed internally. 

What’s most impressive is how our women’s leadership programs blossomed through grassroots efforts. Women at all levels who have attended one of our formal programs often go back to their location and organize their own meetings. This concept of “paying it forward” for fellow female colleagues reinforces the impact that each of us can have. With this empowerment comes great responsibility. Women in the workplace should and can support each other – as peers, colleagues and confidants.  

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate enough to have a very large network of supportive people, most of whom were women. This is why I find it so important to develop the same network of support for the women of FedEx that I have enjoyed during the course of my career.

To learn more about Women in Aviation, visit the FedEx Blog.