Partnering to Attract Diverse Talent
 

At Centene, we recognize that it takes focus to maintain a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. To accomplish this, we partner with a number of organizations that bring unique expertise and networks that accelerate our growth through exposure to diverse talent.

 

 

Inclusive Hiring Practices

Our inclusive hiring practices are designed to foster diverse representation of qualified talent by identifying and including a diverse slate of candidates based on their unique skill sets, ideas and experiences. We also recommend that hiring leaders leverage the best practice of diverse interview panels for our job openings. The interview panel is an important step in making sure that all talent is equitably considered for positions throughout the enterprise; it signals to candidates that we value different points of view and opinions. In addition to external new hires, our inclusive hiring practices also inform the development of our internal talent pipelines and succession planning. Whether bringing in new team members or advancing a team member’s internal candidate journey, Centene is committed to fair and inclusive hiring practices that ensure that all candidates are given equitable consideration.

 

 

Military Recruitment

A key driver of our competitive talent strategies for veteran and military talent generation is through the expansion of partnerships with veteran/military organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project, Hiring Our Heroes, Onward to Opportunity, CyberUp and Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). Centene is one of the 700 MSEP partners actively engaging military spouses for jobs and has partnered with the organization since 2012. With Centene’s workforce primarily being remote, several historical barriers for veterans, military spouses and transitioning members of the service have been reduced as they transition to civilian roles with valuable transferable skills.

 

National Urban League

The National Urban League (NUL) is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment to elevate the standard of living in historically under-resourced urban communities throughout America. Key collaborations between the NUL, Centene and our state health plans have resulted in a number of initiatives that address critical needs in urban centers across the U.S. In addition to sponsoring the NUL Annual Conference and the Career and Networking Fair, strategic partnerships between the organizations have driven positive change and uplifted communities.

In St. Louis, three years after the tragic death of Michael Brown, Jr. and riots that forever changed the community, Centene partnered with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to open a Community Empowerment Center in Ferguson, Missouri in 2017.

In 2024, we celebrated the grand opening of the Centene Connected Community Center in Ferguson, Missouri. Formerly a Centene claims facility, the building was donated to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. The center honors the legacy of Centene’s former CEO Michael Neidorff, a longtime supporter and board member of the National Urban League, and will support vital workforce development, education and empowerment services and programs along with other critical needs in partnership with community partners.

 

 

Hiring Individuals with Disabilities

Centene’s pursuit of recruitment opportunities for individuals with disabilities is strengthened by partnerships with disability-inclusion organizations such as the Starkloff Disability Institute, Disability:IN, and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). These partnerships allow Centene access to disability-focused job boards and career fairs. Centene is also a sponsor of Starkloff Institute’s DREAM BIG program, which aims to broaden the horizons of college and career-bound students by introducing them to a wide variety of jobs and professionals within our industry, through peer-to-peer mentoring and executive interaction. Additionally, Centene’s centralized Accommodations team is deeply involved in the interview and hiring process, working with candidates to ensure they have what they need to support them during the interview process. Centene requires our Talent Attraction team members to participate in trainings and workshops, such as the Starkloff Institute’s Employment Workshop, to ensure they are up-to-date on the latest best practices and resources for recruiting and hiring individuals with disabilities.