Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce | Milwaukee, WI 53202
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MMAC is committed to work with its members to help close racial disparities and move Metro Milwaukee forward as a region of choice for all.   

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At its 158th All Member Meeting in September 2019, MMAC announced the first round of commitments to a new initiative: Making Milwaukee a Region of Choice. An initial group of 64 employers representing 128,000 Metro Milwaukee employees signed a pledge of commitment to diversify their overall employment and management, and share best practices to make workplaces more inclusive.

>> View list of companies that have signed the pledge

As of December 2020, we have received commitments from a total of:
110 employers representing
140,000+ employees in our region.


Looking to join this effort? It's open to all MMAC members.
>>Take the Pledge
or fill out this pledge form and return it by email to:
MMAC - Region of Choice Pledge
275 W Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 220 | Milwaukee, WI 53203
>>View confidentiality agreement

Region of Choice: Details
With the goal of making Milwaukee’s workplaces and community more welcoming, companies taking the pledge are committing to increase the number of African-American and Hispanic/Latino employees in Metro Milwaukee by 15%, and the number of African-American and Hispanic/Latino managers in Metro Milwaukee by 25%, by 2025. MMAC will use 2019 data from employers to set a baseline, then will report aggregate data on an annual basis to track progress.

>> View January 2021 press release announcing next steps in Region of Choice initiative

>> View initial MMAC press release announcing Region of Choice


Region of Choice: Project background and research
Read the full report >>

A 2018 survey of the MMAC’s Board members and CEOs of its member companies identified racial disparities as the biggest challenge facing the Milwaukee Region. Based on that feedback, MMAC formed a taskforce to conduct comprehensive research on the challenges and opportunities that diverse management employees face in Metro Milwaukee through a survey, focus groups and listening sessions.

MMAC compared metro Milwaukee to 20 peer regions on seven measures of prosperity across White, African American and Hispanic populations based on seven indicators, including:
1.    Managers & officials
2.    Management, business, science, art occupations
3.    Unemployment
4.    Bachelor’s degree of higher
5.    Singe, female-headed households with children
6.    Owner-occupied housing
7.    Poverty rate

"We will never reach our full potential unless Milwaukee can become a Region of Choice for all – a place where anyone from any background would want to live and work. When Milwaukee’s companies and community make an intentional effort to ensure that their doors are open to everyone, we will see more of our young people want to build a career here and more talented employees who want to move here.”

- MMAC Chair Jonas Prising
Chairman/CEO, ManpowerGroup


Region of Choice FAQs.pdf
File Size: 246 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Region of Choice Overview.pdf
File Size: 162 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

ROC Rep Meeting Feb 2020 powerpoint.pdf
File Size: 1464 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

FUEL Milwaukee presents:
RACE BRIDGE
Live discussions for racial equity
These 60-minute conversations are intended to help Milwaukeeans better understand the nuances of and speak openly about racism.
LEARN MORE >>
WATCH PREVIOUS EPISODES >>
Relevant reads & resources

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Wauwatosa pledges to increase diverse employment by 15% by 2025. Here's how the city plans to do it.

Milwaukee Business Journal - MMAC expands push for business to address Milwaukee area's 'prosperity gap'

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Milwaukee needs around 150 more managers who are African American to meet MMAC goals


BizTimes Media - MMAC’s Region of Choice companies will look to add 272 minority managers by 2025

WTMJ-TV - Milwaukee’s lack of diversity in management positions holding city back from equity

WUWM Radio - How the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association Of Commerce is encouraging diversity

Milwaukee Business Journal - MMAC making progress on region of choice initiative to increase Black, Hispanic representation: ManpowerGroup's Prising

Catapult - Hiring a Chief Diversity Officer Won’t Fix Your Racist Company Culture

Forbes - Your Unconscious Bias Trainings Keep Failing Because You’re Not Addressing Systemic Bias

Center for Talent Innovation: Being Black in Corporate America

MMAC - Statement from Chair Jonas Prising and President Tim Sheehy

Milwaukee Commerce magazine - How do we make Milwaukee a Region of Choice?
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Region of Choice: How does Milwaukee compare nationally?

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Region of Choice: Key research takeaways
More 1,100 respondents to a survey said:
  • 60% believe that diversity and inclusion efforts at their company are focused on meeting compliance goals, not on improving company culture.
  • 62% of African-American managers feel they have limited exposure to opportunities.
  • 56% of Hispanic/Latino managers feel they are overlooked or ignored.
  • 43% of diverse managers felt discrimination or bias in their workplace.  
  • Outside of their workplace, 64% felt discrimination in the community.
 
Region of Choice: Next Steps
All metro area companies are encouraged to sign the pledge and commit to making Milwaukee a Region of Choice for diverse talent.
Stay tuned for updates and more information.
Copyright © 2020 Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.  All rights reserved.
275 W Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 220 | Milwaukee, WI 53203  |  Tel 414/287-4100 | Fax 414/271-7753 | info@mmac.org
Privacy Policy
  • Membership
    • Gain visibility >
      • Advertising
      • Event Sponsorship
      • Lead generation
    • Grow & strengthen your biz >
      • Executive roundtable program >
        • Roundtable News
      • Food and beverage manufacturers
      • Focus on the Future Awards
      • Future 50 Awards >
        • Future 50 winner archive
      • Leadership Council
      • International >
        • Global Business Insights series
        • Wisconsin International Trade Conference
        • Benefits of WTA membership >
          • Join WTA now
        • WTA member directory
        • Global Pulse - eNewsletter Archive
        • WTA events
        • Volunteer leadership
      • Roundtables for high-growth companies
      • Small business >
        • Council of Small Business Executives
      • Young professionals
    • Improve the business climate
    • Invest in our community
    • Cost Savings programs >
      • Certificates of origin
      • Health insurance plan
      • Office supply discount program
    • Join now
    • Request More Information
    • Members only >
      • Member Orientation
      • Submit an event
      • Submit news about your company
      • Update email preferences
      • Promote your MMAC membership
  • Events
    • MMAC event calendar
    • Event photos >
      • 2020 Golf Outing
    • Community events calendar
    • Submit an event
    • Sponsorship
    • 2019 MMAC All Member Meeting
  • Talent Pipeline
    • Grow your talent pipeline >
      • Business tours for students
      • Career-based learning
      • Manufacturing CAREERx
      • Technology Education & Literacy in Schools (TEALS)
    • Attracting & retaining young professionals
    • Professional development
  • Diverse Talent
    • The Business Council
    • Hispanic Collaborative
  • Advocacy
    • Miller Park economic impact study
    • Legislator voting records
    • Pro-business public policy agenda >
      • Talent
      • Growth
      • Livability
      • Small business legislative agenda
    • Education recommendations >
      • Supportive policies
      • Quality schools
      • Effective Educators
      • Community engagement
    • Ranking Milwaukee County Schools
  • Economic Growth
    • Attracting & retaining businesses
    • Food & beverage cluster
    • Milwaukee Development Corp. >
      • Rebuild & Revitalize Program
    • Milwaukee EB-5 Visa program
    • Milwaukee Urban Strategic Investment Corp. (MUSIC)
    • Metro Milwaukee reports
    • Starting a business >
      • BizStarts
      • New business planning guide
  • About the Region
    • 2020 Navigate Business MKE
    • Benchmarking metro MKE
    • Business outlook survey
    • Economic Trends
    • Local media listings
    • Major employers in metro Milwaukee
    • Metro Milwaukee demographics
    • Order a publication
    • Relocating a business
  • About MMAC
    • Board of directors >
      • New 2021 Board Members
    • Contact us
    • Members of the media
    • Publication archive >
      • News Archive
      • Press Releases
      • Milwaukee Commerce magazine
    • Scholarships for minority students
    • Staff
  • Member Directory
  • Member Login
  • COVID-19 Resources
    • Health & Safety Toolkit >
      • Employer Outbreak FAQs
      • Testing FAQs
      • Preparing for the 2nd wave
      • Health & Safety Checklist
    • Business Strategies webinars