Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, in collaboration with Ariel M. Friedler, president of Symplicity Corp., the market leader in online career tools, recently announced the launch of OppsPlace.com.
OppsPlace provides companies with the best opportunity to find qualified, minority job seekers and minority businesses in one online destination.
OppsPlace is free of charge for job seekers and minority firms and allows corporate human resources and procurement executives to easily access qualified job seekers and qualified minority businesses for openings to provide the best opportunities.
“I created OppsPlace for several reasons,” said Johnson. “First to reduce the disparity in unemployment for minority Americans and to increase access for vendor services and supplier contracts for minority businesses. Second, I also created OppsPlace to provide corporate America with a targeted destination to identify and interact with minorities for employment and business opportunities.”
For many years, Johnson has been focused on creating opportunities for minorities and recently announced the RLJ Rule for public and private sector businesses. The RLJ Rule is an adaptation of the National Football League’s (NFL) Rooney Rule, which requires the 32 teams, to interview at least one qualified minority candidate whenever a head coaching or general manager position becomes available. The RLJ Rule is designed to encourage companies to voluntarily establish a “best practices” policy of diversity and inclusion by identifying and interviewing minority candidates or vendors that are often overlooked under traditional hiring or procurement practices.
“OppsPlace is much more than a jobs board,” said Kelli Richardson Lawson, president and COO of OppsPlace. “It is a diverse online network that aggregates rich content and resources in one destination and is dedicated to helping job seekers and minority business owners engage directly with key decision makers in corporate America,” she added. “It is the only place on the web that aggregates job seekers and minority businesses in the spirit of helping communities of color enhance their lives and financial well-being.”
OppsPlace and the RLJ Rule are two solutions where Johnson believes businesses both large and small can take direct action to increase employment and business opportunities for minority Americans.
Well known OppsPlace.com members include, among others, Aflac, Visa, HBO, General Motors, Dell, Yum! foods and McDonald’s. in online career tools, recently announced the launch of OppsPlace.com.
