The diversity discourse has taken some interesting twists and turns since November 2008. Even as President Obama was winding up his race for the White House and the economy was spiraling downward, our research was revealing dwindling resources for and the dismantling of inclusion initiatives, as well as doubt that such programs were even still necessary.

 As a small but hearty team of journalists, you can imagine the frustration of trying to gather stats on the corporate workforce diversity landscape in Atlanta. Knowing the current diversity representative to contact is one thing, having the time and resources to convince them that the coverage we dedicate ourselves to each September is worthwhile is another. I consider our struggle for answers and accountability symbolic of what is happening everyday with minority executives who are still trying to break through glass ceilings.

Diversity, like race, is a word that insights angst in many segments of the population; due, in part, to misunderstanding. For some it symbolizes displacement, and others — opportunity. A weak economy only hampers efforts to bring the segments to an accord. In conversations on the matter with colleagues and other executives, it’s common for someone to bring the discussion to a pause with the statement that such exchanges have little to no impact on the situation at large. And, I was reminded of that as we sat down to plan this diversity issue.

Reporting the numbers, as we call it, is the whole story. We see it as a tool of empowerment and leveraging — for both our readers and the companies that embrace the benefit of multiculturalism. So, what then, is our alternative when we can’t crunch the numbers?

 We look for those companies whose efforts tell just as much. And we found them.