Under the leadership of Judith Soltz, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, the Legal Department`s human resources profile reflects the company`s commitment to diversity: of CIGNA Legal and Public Affairs` 81 lawyers, 50% are women or minorities. As a senior female executive at CIGNA, Soltz has a very strong personal commitment to diversity. Diversity performance is measured, and the Department`s overall success is linked to its success in promoting diversity. CIGNA has active diversity and employee advice in various areas of the company. A senior official conducts reviews to monitor progress on diversity initiatives and provides additional support to departments. In addition, members of the company`s Corporate Diversity Team are active in a national consortium of non-competing companies that share diversity-related ideas and best practices. There is also an employee opinion survey to monitor and focus on diversity initiatives. Thanks to the work of the CIGNA Foundation, CIGNA legal has a long tradition of supporting projects that are particularly beneficial for minority communities. Organizations and projects receiving support include The Black Women`s Health Imperative, the Hartford Action Plan on Infant Health, the Asian American Women`s Coalition, the Jacobs Institute for Women`s Health, the National Medical Association, and the National Black Student Nurses Association. CIGNA Legal and Public Affairs recognizes that the diversity of opinions of external consultants contributes to strengthening overall client service and actively encourages its designated consultant to address CIGNA issues to women and minorities. CIGNA believes that the success of minority and women-owned businesses contributes to its own success and that of the communities in which CIGNA operates. The company`s college personalization program focuses its efforts on institutions that enroll a significant number of women and students of color.
The program helps CIGNA hire talent for key functional and management positions that are critical to CIGNA`s success. In the November/December 2004 issue of Diversity & The Bar®, “I chose the role of General Counsel at Cigna primarily for two reasons: to work in a dynamic industry (healthcare) and to be part of a company that can have a positive impact on people`s lives.” When did you choose the GC career path? I joined a law firm after school. After about eight years (including a brief internal stint at Johnson & Johnson), I realized I wanted to do something different in my career. At that time, I decided to continue the internal legal process on a more permanent basis and joined MCI Inc. When did you do gc in your company? I was hired as General Counsel in 2010, which also marked my return to Cigna. Prior to returning to Cigna, I was Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Lincoln Financial. (from left to right): Anastasia Kelly, MCI; Judith Soltz, CIGNA Corporation; and Veta Richardson, MCCA CIGNA Corporation is one of the country`s leading providers of health, disability, life and property and casualty insurance services, with annual sales of nearly $19 billion. From management to grassroots, CIGNA has a long-standing commitment to a multicultural and inclusive workforce. The company is based on good faith efforts to attract, hire, develop, promote and retain the most talented people in the United States and other countries where CIGNA companies are based. CIGNA`s commitment to diversity within the company and in the communities in which it operates has been recognized by organizations, institutions and publications including Latina Style, Family Digest, DiversityInc., Working Mother, Hispanic Business and Black Collegian Magazine, as well as associations such as the Urban League of Philadelphia and the National Association for Female Executives.
