Interview with Ron Blackburn-Moreno

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Published on July 14, 2006

Hispanics are the largest minority in the nation. What do you think this means to corporate America? How should corporate America respond to this changing demographic?

The growth of the Hispanic community is already having an enormous impact on corporate America. Hispanics are now being seen both as a major potential consumer base given their greatly expanded purchasing power, and as a source of their future workforce. An increasing number of large corporations already recognize that the future of their companies depends, to a large degree, on their capacity to adapt to the changing demographic, and to the success of the Hispanic community. These are the companies that we see are not only investing in marketing to reach the Hispanic consumer, but are investing in the community to ensure that it is successful. Unfortunately, there are still too many short sighted corporations that, at their peril, have either ignored the Hispanic community altogether, or are simply trying to benefit from the Hispanic community without investing in it. Corporations that are going to be successful in this growing market will not only have to better understand the community –its fundamental values, culture, and difference- but are willing to partner with the community, make investments in the community, that will contribute to the community’s growth and well-being. These are the companies that Hispanics will support.

What role do you think HACR should have in representing the Hispanic community with corporate America?

No other group in the country has a long-standing, broad-based advocacy coalition of large national organizations that the Hispanic community has in HACR. The nature of the coalition and its long history of advocacy vis-à-vis corporate America for the Hispanic community, make it the most powerful tool to ensure inclusion in corporate America and that corporate America is responsive to our community. And the fundamental role of HACR must remain the advocates of the Hispanic community vis-à-vis corporate America. Over these many years of coalition-building, we have developed effective strategies for working with companies that really want to improve their relationship with the Hispanic community, and HACR has been instrumental in producing change and inclusion in most of these companies. HACR has a legitimate role in helping companies improve, which is why so many companies come to HACR. However, there are many more corporations that are not responsive, and our obligation as advocates is to either persuade them they should be responsive or to denounce them within our community.

Do you think that corporate America is aware what advocacy organizations such as HACR or others do to promote inclusion and corporate responsibility?

Certainly not as much as they should. We of course have to make a greater effort of communicating HACR’s role as the primary advocacy organization in the Hispanic community on these issues to corporate America. But corporations that are interested in change also have an obligation to seek out those organizations and individuals who can actually represent the community and can inform their efforts. My main concern, however, is with the thousands of companies that are just not interested and therefore are unaware of our role.

HACR is celebrating its 20^th Anniversary. What would you like to see for the next 20 years of the organization?

The coalition is strong and growing even stronger. That’s our foundation and it something we have to maintain and build on. The next 20 years will be critical precisely because of the growth and increased economic power of the Hispanic community, both in our relationship with corporations and as representatives of the community. HACR must ensure that all in our community recognize HACR – because of organizations that comprise it and our collective experience- as an effective voice and representative of the community in dealing with inclusion in corporate America. It is also critical that we reach well beyond the limited number of companies we work with today to the hundreds of companies that have a major impact on our community. At our 40^th anniversary, I would like to be able to show the enormous impact HACR has had a changing corporate America to benefit the Hispanic community.

What's the business case for corporate responsibility or inclusion?

The business case is clear and corporate America knows it. Corporate responsibility and inclusion is not only about philanthropy and it shouldn’t be. In order to be successful, any company, whether it’s a small local business or a multinational conglomerate, must reflect the communities they sell to, and in which they do business. You can’t effectively sell to a community that you don’t understand, and understanding - and acting on that understanding - demands inclusion at all levels in the company. Being responsible also means investing in these communities, not only because it builds the loyalty of the community to the company or is the “right thing to do” as a good corporate citizen, but because it generates wealth in these communities, which in turn will end up benefiting the company’s bottom line. An investment by a company in a school, for example, not only helps the company image as a good corporate citizen, but helps prepare a more highly skilled and, and hence, wealthier workforce, that are not only future company employees, but are potential customers.