mr. ken charles from general mills. >> good morning. thank you for the opportunity to speak today in support of the employment nondiscrimination act of 2007 and thank you to the memb members. we're among the world's largest food companies and market some of the world's best loved brands including cheeries green giant and yoplait. we have 35,000 employees wo worldwide. we trace or roots back over 150 years. last fiscal year we had sales of approximately $15 billion. our business case for diversity and inclusion is a simple equation. diversity plus inclusion equals business value. when you combine diversity with a culture that acknowledges, respects and values all of our differences and similarities, good things happen. we find ourselves able to equity with our consumers. we recruit and retain the talent we need to win now and in the future. we're honored to represent corporate america's support for the passage of the nondiscrimination act. general mills believes this legislation is good for business and good for america because it will h

mr. chairman. i'm honored to have the opportunity to welcome ken charles. mr. charles is the vice president of global diversity. and inclusion for general mills, which he is -- where he has been employed since 2000. i'm proud to say that general mills has its roots in minnesota that go back 150 years. currently employs 35,000 minnesotans. those workers, along with