Are Companies Following Through on Their Diversity & Inclusion Pledges? | i4cp

As several firms made commitments to address DE&I issues at the height of last year’s social justice and racial equity demonstrations, this I4CP survey gauged how well those promises are being kept. Overall, firms have shown progress and commitment to DE&I-related actions, including a sizable percentage (41%) that added an executive role with responsibility for DEI strategy (i.e., Chief Diversity Officers). Another area gaining some momentum is establishing accountability for ramping up internal talent goals for underrepresented groups—as evidenced through a recent example of McDonald’s, which ties executive pay bonuses to a goal of 35% diversity at senior management levels by 2025. Despite some progress, some high-impact actions have not been taken, such as conducting bias audits of existing organizational norms and practices. The survey also found that Talent acquisition (TA) is the most heavily tasked with increasing diverse representation and advancing equity and inclusion goals. The charts in the article provide a reference to the internal and external  DEI tactics firms use. As we continue into 2021, it will also be interesting to see how firms are driving aspects of DEI through “Belonging.”