There are a lot of reasons to love Nordstrom. For starters, for more than 100 years, the fashion retailer’s name has become synonymous with great customer service. In addition, Nordstrom has embraced e-commerce full throttle, and the strategy is paying off. In fact, e-commerce is now the fastest-growing part of Nordstrom’s business, with sales jumping 22 percent in last year’s second quarter. What’s more, Nordstrom expects 50 percent of its total sales will come from e-commerce and its discount Rack unit within the next five years.

Another reason to love Nordstrom is for its commitment to diversity and women. The omnichannel retailer cultivates an environment where the contributions of every employee, customer and vendor are respected and appreciated.

For example, Nordstrom is committed to producing catalogs and advertisements that feature diverse models who represent the many customers the company serves. Nordstrom also regularly makes contributions to diversity and nonprofit organizations. The retailer’s employees are encouraged to serve on advisory boards and donate their time to volunteer with local and national groups.

Nordstrom has made great strides in recruiting employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. According to its website, in 1988 people of color accounted for 15.7 percent of Nordstrom managers. In 2013, that number jumped to 33.1 percent, and 70 percent were women. In 2013, 47.5 percent of all Nordstrom employees were people of color and 72 percent were women.

Furthermore, four of Nordstrom’s 13 board members are women — more than many retailers. The most recent woman to be elected to Nordstrom’s board was Shellye L. Archambeau, CEO of MetricStream, a company that sells software that lets businesses track their operations and suppliers to make sure they’re complying with government regulations, internal standards and ethics policies. Shellye, who joined the board this month, was previously the chief marketing officer and vice president of sales at Loudcloud, and before that she led Blockbuster’s e-commerce division as well as serving in various executive roles at IBM.

The other women on Nordstrom’s board are Phyllis J. Campbell, chairman of the Pacific Northwest, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications; and Alison A. Winter, CEO and Founder, Braintree Holdings, LLC.

Nordstrom also makes a point to support diverse vendors in all areas of its business via its Supplier Diversity Program. The program provides opportunities for businesses owned by minority, female, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, veteran and disabled individuals to offer services and products to Nordstrom and its customers.

Do you know of other retailers that have a great diversity program? Let us know by sharing below!