MY STORY: Florence Henderson, Moody’s

April 26, 2022
Posted in My Story
April 26, 2022 Sarah Garrett

MY STORY: Florence Henderson, Moody’s

This month we spotlight one of our favourite champions of the ethnicity agenda

Each month we spotlight one of our member’s stories…

This month, Florence Henderson from Moody’s talks about how important it is to choose a company that is actively invested in inclusion, and how this has ensured that she realises her true potential and got her dream job.

We also find out what measures Moody’s is putting in place to ensure that they are building a better business.

My Profile

Name: Florence Henderson

Company: Moody’s Corporation

Job title: AVP-Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Pronouns: She/Her

What is it like working for Moody’s?

Moody’s is a company of talented high achievers, coupled with an underlying culture of belonging, diversity and good people, it is a great organisation to work for.

How have Moody’s supported your career? How has the organisation helped you be authentic at work?

With a background in events and product management, I came to Moody’s in an administrative capacity; I wanted a slower pace!  Within a year I was promoted with a small team of admins reporting to me.

After 5 years the move to project management within the HR team was well supported and encouraged.  At Moody’s I have never felt the need to change anything about myself.  At one time, I had a very ‘out there’ hair style with shaved sides.  I was a bit nervous, but when the head of the office tells you she loves it; it gives you the confidence to be who you are.

Tell us about your role and how you got into it?

Through my volunteering as a co-chair in our Multicultural BRG (Business Resource Group), our Chief Diversity Officer, invited me to assist with our DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) efforts across Europe, Middle East and Africa, which became a permanent role; with a particular focus at the time, on initiatives to support employees during the pandemic and in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.

On a day-to-day basis, I work collaboratively with the business, strategic partners, employees, the communities that we serve and ensure that our Business Resource Groups are aligned with the DE&I global strategy.

What tips would you give someone looking for a career there?

My eight years at Moody’s has shown me a company that has grown culturally, with welcoming employees.  I recently spoke to a new senior employee in New York, who said that Moody’s DE&I culture was one of the main deciding factors to joining the company.

It’s a great company that encourages career mobility, skills growth, development of learning and leadership skills and above all a great sense of diversity.  You can go to our careers page and Join our Talent Community, which will help our team to connect you to career opportunities that match your interests.

What are the key things Moody’s is doing to support their Ethnic Minority colleagues?

Our programmes include, diversity training for all employees.  The TIDE programme was established for high potential diverse employees.  An EMEA-wide launch of Power to Act, a Multicultural BRG Reverse Mentoring programme, designed to further our commitment to DE&I by making the experiences of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees more visible to senior leaders, with actions to enhance all employees careers.

Additionally, the EMEA Black Inclusion Group was formed to support the recruitment, empowerment and advancement of Black employees; promote and foster allyship to maintain a diverse, inclusive and collaborative culture at Moody’s.  The Group worked last year with a wider group to identify orgnisations to share in the $1m commitment from Moody’s to support racial justice.

The Maturity Matrix endorsed by Governance And Inclusive Leadership APPG

SPM Group: Investing In Ethnicity (Secretariat)

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