2015 Diversity Leader
United Rentals
Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut
CEO: Michael J. Kneeland
Employees: 12,500
Recent Recognition Includes:
- STEMconnector®, 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM, 2014
- Profiles in Diversity Journal, Women Worth Watching Award, 2014
- Women’s Enterprise Magazine, Top 100 Leaders in Corporate Supplier Diversity,2014
- MilitaryTimes.com, Best for Vets: Employers, 2014
- G.I. Jobs, Top 100 Military Friendly Employer (#12), 2014
- CivilianJobs.com, Most Valuable Employers for Military, 2011–2014
Lizabeth Czepiel
In an industry not known for its diversity, United Rentals is proud to be leading the way to a more diverse and inclusive future, says Lizabeth Czepiel, Leadership Development Specialist.
“As a leader in the construction industry, United Rentals has an opportunity and a responsibility to set the standard for how diversity and inclusion is leveraged in an organization. It can be challenging to establish a career in construction, an industry not known for its diversity, for anyone who doesn’t fit the traditional mold. At United Rentals, we’re working to shift perceptions of what our employee population should be, and we’re seeing results. Employees across our organization, from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and skill sets, have successfully established careers in this industry and found a home at United Rentals.
“Our approach to Diversity & Inclusion is comprehensive. With immense support from our Board of Directors and executive team, we drive D&I initiatives across the company via our employee resource groups (ERGs). Like all other aspects of our business, we approach D&I through a lens of continuous improvement. Our ERGs allow us to not only reach the entire employee population—many of our efforts begin there.
“Regardless of the industry, service, or product, success in any organization begins with its people. Driving D&I initiatives and leveraging employee strengths will build greater differentiation in thought and leadership, create stronger teams, and allow for greater customer engagement. In a service industry, customer satisfaction is critical to our success. Enhancing employee engagement will help us make sure that our customer needs are met. D&I supports this mission; it’s good business sense.”
