Gary H. Pilnick
General Counsel
Since 1906, Kellogg Company has won its place not only in America’s pantries but also in its hearts. Its brands include Special K, All Bran, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Cheez-It, and Kashi. The characters associated with the products, such as Tony the Tiger and the Keebler Elves, have become members of the country’s collective family. With 2004 sales of nearly $10 billion, Kellogg is one of the largest global producers of cereal and convenience foods, including breakfast cereals, cookies, cereal bars, and frozen waffles. Diversity and inclusion are a part and parcel of the company’s success; in fact, the members of the company rarely mention one word without the other.
(L to R): Roderick Palmore, Sara Lee Corporation; Gary H. Pilnick, Kellogg Company; and Veta Richardson, MCCA
Gary H. Pilnick, senior vice president, general counsel, corporate development and secretary, shares the company’s philosophy of focusing on talent management and applying the six “K Values” to all business practices. The K Values are: acting with integrity and showing respect; being accountable; being passionate about business; having humility and hunger to learn; striving for simplicity; and loving success. With 30 percent of the staff female and 30 percent people of color, diversity and inclusion are simply the mindset with which the department operates, not a formal program. “The K Values help us be more inclusive,” says Pilnick. “We want people to be motivated and feel like they want to contribute.”
With only 17 attorneys in a busy company, change is the only constant for the law department. Pilnick and his team have turned this challenge into an opportunity, changing job descriptions as needed and nurturing staff members to grow into a range of positions. The department consistently looks for ways its members can grow and learn, cultivating an experienced lineup with broad coverage for the department’s responsibilities.
In hiring, the law department looks for people who want to be part of not only the company’s internal community, but also the broader communities within which they live. As a result, the law department has a strong track record of contributing time and financial resources through company sponsored programs, such as the United Way Campaign and Days of Caring, during which the entire department works on volunteer projects. The department also rallies to support initiatives launched by individual attorneys, such as the “Peanut Butter Push,” which provided food for children in need.
Kellogg’s law department embraces other company-wide diversity initiatives, such as sponsoring the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Law Fellows. It also supports all of its Employee Resource Groups, such as the Women of Kellogg and the Kellogg African American Resource Group. Additionally, Kellogg Company is committed to developing the most comprehensive and innovative supplier diversity program in the food industry.
Above all, the law department and the Kellogg Company are committed to inclusion and celebrating differences, making people feel they are a meaningful part of an important organization.
From the November/December 2005 issue of Diversity & The Bar®