Companies that have followed through on their diversity promises
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become buzzwords in the business world over the past few years. Companies have made public commitments to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in their workforce, particularly in leadership positions. However, some companies have been accused of making empty promises or not following through on their diversity pledges. In this blog, we will highlight companies that have followed through on their diversity promises and have made significant strides in creating a more inclusive workplace.
1. Accenture:
Accenture is a professional services company that has made a commitment to achieving a gender-balanced workforce by 2025. The company has implemented several initiatives to achieve this goal, including sponsoring female employees for leadership programs and offering unconscious bias training for all employees. As of 2020, 44% of the company’s global workforce is female, and women hold 30% of its leadership positions.
2. Microsoft:
Microsoft has made a significant effort to increase the diversity of its workforce, particularly in technical roles. The company has set a goal to double the number of Black and African American employees in its leadership ranks by 2025. To achieve this goal, Microsoft has implemented several initiatives, including partnering with historically Black colleges and universities to recruit and hire top talent. The company has also launched a program to upskill and reskill 25 million people globally, with a focus on underrepresented communities.
3. Salesforce:
Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) software company that has made a commitment to achieving pay equity for all of its employees. In 2019, the company conducted a pay equity analysis and made adjustments to ensure that all employees were paid fairly for their work. The company also established a Chief Equality Officer position to oversee its DEI efforts and has set a goal to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in its workforce.
4. Procter & Gamble:
Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a consumer goods company that has made a commitment to increasing the representation of women and people of colour in leadership positions. The company has implemented several initiatives to achieve this goal, including offering unconscious bias training for all employees and implementing a sponsorship program to support the career development of underrepresented groups. As of 2020, women make up 44% of P&G’s global management team, and people of colour make up 32%.
5. Intel:
Intel has made a commitment to achieving full representation of underrepresented groups in its workforce by 2020. The company has implemented several initiatives to achieve this goal, including investing $300 million in a diversity and inclusion program and launching a program to hire and retain more women and underrepresented minorities in technical roles. As of 2020, underrepresented minorities make up 16.6% of Intel’s workforce, and women make up 27.7% of its technical workforce.
These companies have shown that it is possible to follow through on diversity promises and create a more inclusive workplace. By implementing initiatives such as unconscious bias training, pay equity analysis, and sponsorship programs, these companies have made significant strides in increasing the representation of underrepresented groups in their workforces. Other companies can learn from their examples and implement similar initiatives to create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.