Diversity Inc. has released this year’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity, with businesses in the pharma, professional services and hospitality industries featuring in the top five.
The rankings are compiled annually, using survey data volunteered by the companies themselves. With more than 200 questions, the survey is designed to provide categorical, numerical and dichotomous responses that reveal truths about D&I programs and outcomes, as well as diversity spending and the diversity efforts of suppliers.
Diversity Inc. states that the aim is to look at where organizations are in terms of “programs, practices, policies and outcomes to hire, retain, develop, and promote women, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ and veteran employees”.
To be eligible for the rankings, companies need to have over 1,000 employees and be willing to be transparent in their survey answers, and it is free to participate.
At number one was hotel chain Marriott. Its International Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Dr. David Rodriguez, said: “Being named #1 for diversity at this moment in history feels especially meaningful. It takes generations of inclusive leadership, deep commitment and conviction to create a culture of belonging where all associates are treated with dignity and respect. Even during these incredibly challenging times, our associates have intensified their inspirational efforts to take care of their communities, guests and each other.”
Companies including Hilton and Mastercard consistently appear in the top ten and are acknowledged as leaders in D&I. Mastercard’s CIO, Randall Tucker, said that the key to that consistency is “having everyone – including our Board and Management Committee – care about the work. We have a clear Global Inclusion strategy with company-wide areas of focus and have made ‘decency’ one of our core values. It’s important we bring the entire organization along on the inclusion journey and let employees at all levels get involved.”
Other well-known names included in the top 50 are Accenture, KPMG, Walmart and AstraZeneca.
These rankings are certainly useful in terms of seeing who has improved their D&I efforts year-on-year, who has been consistently leading the way, and the industries that are making the most progress.
It will be particularly interesting to see the 2021 list in a year’s time, when the full impact of Covid-19 will be clearer. Will those at the top hold steady, will some companies have deprioritized D&I, and could we see some new industries or organizations seize the opportunity to rise up the ranks?
