Mention jelly beans and most people think of the Easter bunny, scores of basket-wielding children and toothaches- but corporate diversity? Now, it seems you’ll have to add that to your list of associations. An internet-based company called iCelebrateDiversity.com, in Edmond, Oklahoma is seeing to it that you’ll do just that. Corporations all over the country have made the sweet connection. So, if you haven’t noticed these inconspicuous confections in your HR office, chances are you will. And these jelly beans are not just for mid-morning munching, but rather for training- you.
Diversity Jellybeans look like ordinary jelly beans, but they have a secret: “You cannot determine what is on the inside by simply looking at the outside.” For instance, a red jelly bean may taste like licorice. A black jelly bean may taste like lemon. It is this simple, but resonant message that major U.S. corporations are feeding to their employees to help promote tolerance in the workplace. And it’s a message that has been seemingly easy to swallow.
“People get the meaning and really like them,” says founder Tracy Jackson. Many companies use Diversity Jellybeans from the reception desk, to large-scale, sponsored events and job fairs. Not to mention in diversity training, where the beans serve to “demonstrate subconscious stereotypes.”
Along with the wildly popular jellybeans, iCelebrateDiversity.com also offers a wealth of training materials for businesses, schools and other organizations committed to educating on the importance of respecting diversity.
With household names such as Target, Disney and Campbell’s (yes, the ones who make the soup) on its client list, just to name a few, iCelebrateDiversity.com’
Diversity Jellybeans are available online at http://www.iCelebrateDiversity.com or by calling 1-866-458-7398. Special packaging and customization are also available.
iCelebrateDiversity.com was founded in 2001, by Tracy Jackson, a mother who became aware of the growing need for diverse products through the experience of a multiracial family. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact 1-405-426-9706 or info@icelebratediversity.com.
