9 Companies Around the World That Are Embracing Diversity in a BIG Way
Diverse organizations perform better. We’re always saying it, but there’s are some very good reasons why. Driving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has hugely beneficial impacts, and there is massive amounts of research to back this up:
- According to Gartner, employees who work in diverse and inclusive teams see a 12% increase in performance.
- BCG note that revenue can rise by up to 19% in organizations with strong DEI ties.
- While Josh Bersin studies show that innovation levels increase by as much as 1.7x in inclusive companies.
And aside from these business statistics, employees are also seeking out companies who truly value DEI, where they can bring their full selves to work. It’s thankfully becoming a non-negotiable, as Deloitte proves, stating that inclusive workplaces are important to 80% of candidates when looking to move jobs.
So, we’re going to take a closer look at the companies around the world that are excelling when it comes to diversity hiring. You’ll notice that they vary from industry to industry and all of them are embracing diversity in different ways. However, as a recruiter, you can stand to learn something from every company on the list to develop your own diversity and inclusion strategy.
Check out SocialTalent’s full suite of DEI Training, expertly designed to help your organization promote diversity and be more inclusive.
1. Sodexo
Industry: Quality of Life Services
# of Employees Worldwide: 422,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “Regardless of your background, age, origins, gender, sexual orientation, identity or ability, we value and respect you for being you; you belong to a team where you’re treated fairly and respected. We build an inclusive culture, where you can bring your whole selves at work,” reads Sodexo’s DEI statement.
With a big focus on gender parity, Sodexo has been included in Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index, 37% of the company’s executive committee are women, and 60% of its board of directors. Sodexo has found that when there is an optimal gender balance within an organization, employee engagement increases by 4 percentage points, gross profit increases by 23%, and brand image strengthens by 5 percentage points.
Sodexo also has over 18 LGBTQ+ and ally employee networks around the world. These advocate through community involvement, education, and awareness.
2. Johnson & Johnson
Industry: Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical and Consumer Packaged Goods
# of Employees Worldwide: 140,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: Johnson & Johnson have pumped a lot of resources into ensuring that all employees help to create an inclusive environment. The organization’s Global Diversity and Inclusion vision is “for every person to use their unique experiences, abilities and backgrounds, together – to spark solutions that create a better, healthier world.”
Johnson & Johnson has 12 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that connect and engage employees across the company to develop their potential, build relationship capital, and drive an inclusive environment and culture. By 2025, the company aims to have 50% women in management globally. While, in America, the organization is targeting to have 35% racial diversity in management positions.
Johnson & Johnson’s Chief Diversity officer also reports directly to the CEO and Chairman, meaning that the whole operation is being overseen by top-level management. Various rewards and recognitions the company has received include being recognized by U.S. Veterans Magazine as the “Best of the Best” for strides made in diversity efforts, and being one of only two companies that have been on the Working Mother 100 Best list for the past 28 years.
3. Mastercard
Industry: Financial Services
# of Employees Worldwide: 29,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “We are on a journey to create a workplace and world where everyone has equal access to connect their greatest passions with their fullest potential. That starts with our people and how we lead, with a sense of decency and inclusion.”
Mastercard consistently makes it into the Top 10 of DiversityInc’s 50 Best Companies for Diversity list and is hugely committed to creating and nurturing an equitable workforce. As of 2021, women earn $1.00 for every $1.00 that men earn, and the same is true for people of color. 81% of final candidate interviews include women and they’ve established nine Business Resource Groups (BRGs) with 130 chapters in 47 countries to represent diverse communities and their allies.
Mastercard also offer practical employee benefits, like coverage for sex reassignment surgery and surrogacy assistance. They also invest in a range of diversity initiatives, including a sponsorship in Girls4Tech, a STEM curriculum for girls aged between 8 and 12.
4. Accenture
Industry: Professional Services/Consulting
# of Employees Worldwide: 738,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “Accenture has an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion — it is essential to the growth of our business, our continued innovation, and our ability to create 360° Value for our clients, our communities, and all our stakeholders,” says Julie Sweet, CEO.
Voted #1 in Refinitiv’s Diversity and Inclusion Index, Accenture has a strong commitment to creating a culture of belonging and equity. Strong advocates for flexible working and talent development, the company has invested $1.1B in L&D opportunities for its people.
Accenture strives to create a gender-balanced workforce, and currently 47% of the company’s employees are female. The organization also actively supports the LGBTQ+ community, with 120,000 Pride allies across all the countries it operates, and is increasing accessibility with 32 global centers established where disabled talent can get tools, technology, and support to be successful in their roles. Accenture have also announced new goals to create a workforce that is more representative of the communities in which it works by increasing ethnic and racial diversity hiring in South Africa, the UK, and the US by 2025.
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5. Kaiser Permanente
Industry: Healthcare
# of Employees Worldwide: 304,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “Equity, inclusion, and diversity are inextricably linked to our mission, and are part of everything we do. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce makes Kaiser Permanente a better place to receive health care, a better partner in the communities we serve, and a better place to work.” – Ronald L. Copeland, Senior VP & Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Officer.
As the largest managed care organization in the USA, 67% of the Kaiser Permanente labor force are members of racial, ethnic, and cultural minorities, and 72% are women. For 15 years they have been named one of DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity and for 16 years they have been listed among the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality by Corporate Equality Index. The company has also given $100M in joint investments and grant funding to address systemic racism.
Kaiser Permanente have a huge commitment to creating a workplace where everyone can belong.
6. EY
Industry: Professional Services
# of Employees Worldwide: 365,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: At Ernst & Young, they believe that “diverse perspectives, combined with an inclusive culture and equitable opportunities, drive better decision-making, stimulate innovation, increase organizational agility and strengthen resilience to disruption.”
The organization was the first of the Big Four to assign full-time, partner-level leadership to diversity recruiting. Ever since, the number of women in top executive management positions has increased by more than 20% and programmes such as EY Launch have begun, which is designed for ethnically diverse college freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students, and builds awareness of accounting as a major and professional services as a profession.
EY’s goal is to achieve representation of 50% women and racially and ethnically diverse partners by 2025 – a mission which they’re currently on track to hit. The organization is constantly trying to push the needle for diversity. In 2021 they launched inclusive leadership training and published their first DEI transparency report.
7. Cisco
Industry: Technology
# of Employees Worldwide: 79,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “Cisco will help bridge gaps of inequity and exclusion worldwide through the technology we build, our scale and extended ecosystem, our commitment to corporate social responsibility and social justice, our teams, and the support we bring to our communities.” – Chuck Robbins, CEO.
Diversity matters at Cisco with over 50% of the workforce representing as non-white. There has also been a focus on bringing more women in to this sphere, with this share increasing year-on-year, while 42% of senior managers are women. Cisco also introduced pay parity a few years ago, spending $5 million to build a deep analytics capability which they now run on a regular basis.
Cisco regularly receives “best workplace” awards for women, LGBTQ+ members, and former military. The company are also big social justice advocates and in 2020, they embarked on a five-year journey, backed by a $300 million commitment, to explore new ways to address inequities, break down barriers, and create more inclusive opportunities for people to thrive.
8. Marriott International
Industry: Hospitality/Tourism
# of Employees Worldwide: 120,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: Named as one of the ‘World’s Best Multinational Workplaces’ by Great Place to Work, the largest annual study of workplace excellence, Marriott International extends their commitment to creating an inclusive guest experience to their workforce around the globe.
“At Marriott, we create an inclusive environment that supports the recruitment, retention, and advancement of all employees, and actively engage in efforts to develop a diverse and inclusive workforce, owner, guest, and supplier base.”
Hugely focused on driving an equitable workplace, more than 40% of the top 1,000 Marriott leaders are women. And they are aiming to achieve parity in gender representation for global leadership by 2025. 53% of its workforce is women, while people of color make up 66%. Ranked in Forbes’ “Best Employers for Diversity” Marriott International also partners with more than 4,000 diverse-owned companies in various areas of their supply chain every year.
9. Novartis
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
# of Employees Worldwide: 101,000+
Diversity and Inclusion: “The work we do in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong, where rocking our difference is valued, celebrated and encouraged. It’s about consciously shaping our systems, structures and behaviors so everyone at Novartis has what they need to thrive.” – Hannah Perry, Chief Diversity & Culture Officer
Novartis believe that diversity is integral to their success, because it helps them to understand the unique needs of their patients and find innovative ways of addressing those needs. Over the years, their DEI efforts have grown from awareness and making sure that they were training people to building actual competencies. Novartis see DEI as business drivers that lead to innovation.
Women currently make up 51% of Novartis’ overall workforce, with 47% women in management. They have 19 LGBTQI Employee Resource Groups in 15 countries, and currently have employees from 147 different nationalities.