Creating a Culture of Inclusion at Cummins

Black History Month, celebrated annually in the United States and Canada throughout the month of February, is a time for recognizing the central role of African-Americans in history. At Cummins, it's also about highlighting the significance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

In honor of Black History month, several Cummins employees were invited to share their personal stories on the blog over at the Cummins Careers website, helping others understand what the month represents, as well as the importance of an inclusive workplace.

Diversity and inclusion have been part of Cummins' core values for more than 40 years. In fact, those values date back to our former CEO J. Irwin Miller, who led the company for many years.

Miller believed in the power of listening. He wanted to hear from a wide variety of voices before reaching a decision, believing no single gender, race or ethnicity had a monopoly on wisdom. Mr. Miller had this to say on diversity in 1982:

"That in search for character and commitment, we must rid ourselves of our inherited, even cherished biases and prejudices. Character, ability, and intelligence are not concentrated on one sex over the other, nor in persons of certain accents or in certain races, or in persons holding degrees from universities over others. When we indulge ourselves in such irrational prejudices, we damage ourselves most of all and ultimately assure ourselves of failure in competition with those more open and less biased."

Even though Black History Month is coming to a close, diversity is something that Cummins believes in celebrating year round. We invite you to click on the links below to read the stories from a select number of Cummins employees and learn about the core vision, mission and values that drive everything we do.

Diversity: What Black History Month Means to Me - Lori Thompson

Black History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of African-Americans to American history.  It’s also a time to educate people of all races about the hard fought struggles of the not too distant past.  It is an excellent time to encourage our youth to take advantage of all opportunities presented to them, while engaging the larger community to be part of the village that embraces their success. Read More...

Diversity: What Black History Month means to Me - Courtney McCoy

Inspiration, empowerment, recognition and celebration is what Black History Month means to me. Black History Month is a time of the year when African-Americans can stop for a moment and see what the people before them fought for within this country. Black History Month is a time when we can be reminded about what it means to be African-American. Read More...

Diversity: What Black History Month Means to Me - LaTonya Sisco

Thinking of Black History Month and what it means to me, I’m reminded of an Oprah Winfrey quote, ‘I am where I am because the bridges I’ve crossed’. For me at Cummins, Rick Mills, former Vice President and President of Cummins is a bridge. Pamela Carter, Vice President and President of the Cummins Distribution Business is a bridge. Lori Thompson, Vice President – Engine Business Marketing is a bridge. Each leader influenced my decision to join Cummins. Read More...

Diversity: What Black History Month Means to Me - Wayne Burrell

For me, Black History Month is a time when the contributions of courageous individuals, who have been very instrumental in the shaping of American history, take center stage. We should remember that Black History never takes a backseat because at its core, it is American History and is to be celebrated year round. Read More...

Diversity: What Black History Month Means to Me - Willis Pugh

Black History Month is a very special time for me.  As an African-American born and raised in Birmingham Alabama, the month tends to have a special meaning as it represents a time for thoughtful reflection on the challenges and plight of my ancestors as they fought for our Civil Rights. Read More...