Diversity and Inclusion

At WaMu, diversity means embracing what makes each of us different—the unique qualities we were born with and the life experiences that have shaped who we are today. Our caring, collaborative culture is fueled by our inclusiveness and the mutual respect we have for one another. These cultural values also connect us deeply to the communities we serve—a connection that is key to our success.

Our goal is to integrate diversity and inclusion at every level within our organization and in everything we do. That's why diversity and inclusion are embedded in our corporate values—we're dedicated to doing business in a fair, caring, human, dynamic and driven way.

Studies have shown that an inclusive and collaborative workplace is a catalyst for innovative thinking, leads to higher overall company performance, and creates greater job satisfaction. We've long believed that our commitment to diversity and culture of inclusion are a key competitive advantage because it makes good business sense and it connects us to our communities and our customers.

Here are some ways in which diversity and inclusion touch us at Washington Mutual:

Serving Multicultural Markets
Employee Diversity
Supplier Diversity
Serving our Communities
Awards and Recognition
National Partnerships and Alliances

Serving Multicultural Markets
We're working hard to ensure we're effectively serving our multicultural customers. Here are some of the ways we make it easier for customers to bank with us.

• Multilingual ATMs – All of our ATMs are available in English and Spanish, and many are available in Chinese and Russian. Additionally, our talking ATMs for people with vision impairments can be accessed in English or Spanish.
• Language Line – Many of our financial center staff are bilingual or multilingual, and customers also can access our Language Line, which allows us to communicate with our customers in a culturally relevant way by providing service in more than 100 languages.
• Bilingual Financial Education Programs – We offer free homebuyer education workshops in Spanish to help first-time homebuyers through the complete process. Workshops include discussions on affordable home loans for people with low and moderate incomes. We also have money management workshops in Spanish to help adults master the basics of managing checking and savings accounts, budgeting, credit cards, and lending.
• Event Sponsorships and In-Language Advertising – We're proud to sponsor multicultural events in support of such celebrations as Black History Month, Martin Luther King, Jr., Cinco de Mayo, Hispanic Heritage Month, Chinese New Year, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, and Gay Pride Month, to name a few. We also advertise in in-language media and publications to reach our customers in their native languages.
• Multilingual Marketing and Advertising – WaMu uses multicultural media to reach our diverse communities. We actively support marketing and advertising outreach in multicultural communities to communicate about our products, services, and job opportunities.

Employee Diversity
WaMu is committed to creating and cultivating an environment in which every employee, regardless of his or her background, feels respected and valued. We believe that a diverse workforce enriches our corporate culture, fuels innovative thinking, and is a catalyst for better business planning and decision making.

We take great pride in a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve and continue to draw diverse new talent to the company. As of January 2008, people of color made up 48 percent of WaMu’s workforce and 31 percent of management, while women made up 63 percent of the company’s workforce and 51 percent of management.

Why work at Washington Mutual? We offer Employee Network Groups, mentoring programs, and management training opportunities to grow our employees and ensure that we respect and appreciate all points of view. Visit the Careers section on wamu.com and learn how your unique experience, talent, and ideas could enable you to become part of our dynamic team.

Supplier Diversity
We believe it is vital to support businesses owned by people in the communities where we live and work. Our suppliers play an important role in our ability to offer market-leading and competitive products and services to our customers. We procure a wide variety of goods and services to support our operations. WaMu's long-term goal is to award 15 percent of our supplier-related contract expenses to companies that are at least 51 percent owned by people of color, women, or service-disabled veterans. For more information please visit our Supplier Diversity page.

Serving our Communities
We have a deep-rooted belief in revitalizing and strengthening the diverse communities in which we live and work. We support our communities in three important ways—affordable housing, financial education, and community strength. We contribute millions of dollars in grants each year and offer several programs that actively support diverse and under-served communities.

Find out more about WaMu’s support of the communities in which we live and work.

Awards and Recognition
Washington Mutual has received numerous awards both nationally and locally for our practices as an employer, our financial performance and our corporate citizenship, including:

• Corporate Equality Index – Human Rights Campaign (100% score)
• Top Organizations for Multi-Cultural Opportunities – DiversityBusiness.com
• Top 100 Companies for Diversity – Savoy Professional
• Top 40 Companies for Hispanics - Hispanic Business
• Best Companies for African Americans - Family Digest magazine
• Best Companies for Gay & Lesbian Workers – The Advocate
• 50 Best Companies for Supplier Diversity – Hispanic Enterprise magazine
• Best Practices for Vendor Relationships – NAACP Economic Reciprocity Initiative

See a complete list of the major recognition WaMu has received recently.

National Partnerships and Alliances
We uphold our commitment to equal opportunity by maintaining partnerships and alliances with these respected organizations*:

• American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT)
• Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)
• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF)
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
• Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF)
• National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)
• National Association of Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
• National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB)
• National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (NationalCAPACD)
• National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC)
• National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
• National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI)
• National Urban League (NUL)
• New America Alliance (NAA)
• Points of Light Foundation
• United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)
• Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC)

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