Also read: American Express, religion, employee-resource group, Kerrie Peraino

I’m often asked about the faith-based employee networks at American Express (No. 13 on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity): “How do you make yours work? How do they help the company succeed? Aren’t you just asking for trouble?”

My answer: Companies that value diversity and inclusion often have these networks. American Express has a total of 14 employee networks, including three religious ones. Our first faith-based network started in the mid-90s. But unlike some companies, we don’t have an interfaith network. Instead, American Express has three distinct networks: SALT, our Christian network; CHAI, our Jewish network; and PEACE, our Muslim network. Like all of our employee networks, membership and event attendance are open to every employee of any faith. Our networks are also led by employees and have senior-level sponsors.

The success of each group depends on the relevance to its members and the connection to the business.

Is Your Culture Ready?
Religious networks may not be right for all companies. Company culture is a critical factor in determining if faith-based networks will work. Before you plant any seed, you need a culture where people are encouraged to work together and respect one another. There must be an environment where personal accountability and integrity permeate through every action and transaction. When you start with a work culture that is inquisitive and values alignment, there’s more room for various beliefs to be expressed and constructively contribute to employee and business success.

One example is SALT. Its Christian principles have been successfully mapped to the values of American Express—excellence, integrity, honesty and personal commitment to enhance the workplace for all. These principles translate in everything SALT does; each value statement and its importance is supported with scripture. Like our other religious networks, SALT supports our recruiting efforts, helps educate and train employees about religious diversity and creates employee engagement through events and communication.

Each of our faith-based networks calls out a primary purpose: to foster an environment of understanding that counters stereotypes. For this reason, it’s not unusual for our networks to collaborate. Members of CHAI invite SALT members to a lunch-and-learn to gain a better understanding of Jewish high holidays, for instance. SALT helps PRIDE, American Express’s LGBT network, prepare materials for a member drive. PEACE members secure prayer rooms for use by employees of any faith.

How Can People With Different Beliefs Collaborate?
Some people are hesitant about starting religious networks because of concerns about different viewpoints or beliefs among the different networks. Others worry that creating forums for people to visibly align around their faith might inadvertently lead to discrimination. But these concerns have not played out at American Express.

Why? Our networks are encouraged to cross-collaborate and to focus on education, awareness and inclusion. As a result, members bring their whole selves to work. Although religious networks may seem complicated, at American Express, they’ve provided a very productive outlet for employees to fully engage at work, to learn more about themselves and each other and to build bridges to understanding.

“PEACE provides an outlet at work that is not specifically about my job,” says an American Express employee. “It fosters a sense of community and helps to give others a greater understanding of who I am and what I am about.”

Accommodating religion in the workplace and supporting employees to exercise their freedom of religion has helped American Express enhance diversity and inclusiveness and retain talent. Moreover, religious expression brings broader experiences and perspectives that strengthen the relationships with and the services we provide for our customers.

“We educate the American Express employee population on religious issues that help make them culturally sensitive in their jobs,” says a member of CHAI, “whether it be times to avoid critical client meetings, appropriate greetings or helping to determine the timing of communication to customers and partners.”

I feel certain that faith-based activities are not just good for our employees—they’re great for business too.

What Can Faith-Based Groups Do for Employees?

Like all of American Express’s 14 networks, employees get a seat at the table to provide valuable input on the decisions and policies that will affect them. Members are often tapped for advice on ways to better market to targeted communities and are consulted on corporate social-responsibility efforts, from the choice of charities to support to ways to make the workplace greener. The expertise of network members is also sought when ethnic/cultural events are planned and recruitment and retention initiatives are launched.

American Express’s faith-based networks include:

CHAI, the Hebrew word for “life,” is the Jewish Employee Network that strives to increase awareness of Jewish culture and traditions, serves as a resource and enhances networking and diversity in the workplace. With three chapters across the country, the network hosts annual events such as a Purim/Passover happy hour, a Shavuot holiday-information lunch, a Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur event, and a Hanukkah holiday event, as well as numerous educational sessions.

PEACE, a Muslim Employee Network, fosters an environment of understanding and education and informs American Express employees about Islamic faith and Muslim tradition. The network has two chapters nationwide. It hosts lunch-and-learn educational events and participates in community events. In Arabic, the words “Islam,” “Muslim” and “peace”—“salaam”—originate from the same word.

SALT, the Christian Employee Network, serves as a resource to the Christian-employee community and makes a positive impact in the workplace. SALT has seven chapters throughout the United States and one in Ontario, Canada. Activities include a “Words of Encouragement” daily e-mail, weekly bible studies, volunteer activities, a guest-speaker series and community events. SALT is symbolic of the biblical reference: “You are the SALT of the earth” (Matthew 5:13).

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2009 issue of DiversityInc magazine. Click here to see the digital version.