Commonwealth Compact Launches Talent Source Based on Zapoint Solution

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Commonwealth Compact has announced the launch of Phase Two of its Talent Source database, enabling employer members to search for professional women and persons of color for opportunities relating to Board and Commission opportunities, networking, event information and career opportunities. Zapoint SkillsMapper provides a crucial component of the system by helping identify talent by skill set and matching those individuals with companies interested in enhancing diversity within their organizations.

"We know that a diverse workforce has a positive economic impact," said Georgianna Melendez, co-director for the Commonwealth Compact. "Companies tell us they want to have a more diverse workforce but don't know how to find the right people. Zapoint SkillsMapper is the tool we rely on to identify the skills of professionals in our Talent Source database and match them with corporations, nonprofits and government agencies."

In total, the 220 Commonwealth Compact member companies employ approximately 280,000 people, or just over 10 percent of the state's workforce. Compact members agree to participate by providing baseline information about their workforce in order to create an aggregated picture of their current diversity situation and opportunities. At the end of 2011, companies will provide updated numbers to ascertain how much progress has been made. Members will continue to provide updates on an annual basis.

"The Commonwealth Compact, at its most fundamental level, is about dispelling the notion that we have to choose between doing well and doing good," said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, commenting earlier on the launch of Phase One. "It's about demonstrating in practical terms that diversity is not just about our idealism; it directly benefits our social and economic interests."

Zapoint SkillsMapper not only makes it easy to highlight key attributes of professionals, but will also make data collection significantly more accurate and faster to collect, analyze and report.

"Zapoint technology was designed to support initiatives such as the Commonwealth Compact through analytics that identify strengths of a diverse workforce," said Chris Twyman, founder and CEO of Zapoint. "Zapoint technology will have an extensive impact in encouraging diversity across the state by matching opportunities with skilled professionals.  Whatever goals an organization is trying to achieve – productivity, diversity, efficiency – matching the right people to the right job is critical. Zapoint SkillsMapper supports all of these goals by aligning core business objectives."

Massachusetts women and persons of color are encouraged to submit their profiles to the Talent Source database at http://www.commonwealthcompact.umb.edu. Organizations seeking talent can now search for professionals of diversity through the database.

About Zapoint
Zapoint career management solutions empower people to take ownership of their future by giving them the tools to analyze and plan their career path in order to make these plans a reality. Incorporating Zapoint technology in the workplace empowers each user to create a clear development path within an enterprise-wide social network. Self-directed career management supports organizational sustainability, accountability, and transparency through rewarding and inspiring employees to expand and hone their professional talents. Zapoint solutions can deploy stand-alone, or can integrate with any HRMS and Talent Management system. For more information visit http://www.zapoint.com.

About the Commonwealth Compact
Launched in 2008, Commonwealth Compact is a Massachusetts statewide diversity initiative housed at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Companies, colleges and universities, health-care providers and nonprofits are among those invited to sign the Compact and measure their diversity. For more information visit http://www.commonwealthcompact.umb.edu.

SOURCE Zapoint