In today’s business landscape, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have evolved from aspirational goals to strategic imperatives. While many organizations tout their commitment to DEI, understanding the concrete approaches and measurable impacts of these efforts provides valuable insights for the broader business community. We asked business leaders to share their companies’ specific approaches to fostering diversity and inclusion, and to reflect on the tangible benefits these initiatives have delivered. Their responses reveal not only the variety of strategies being employed across different sectors but also demonstrate how thoughtful DEI practices are transforming workplace cultures and driving business success.
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
At GE Vernova, our approach to Diversity and Inclusion is deeply embedded in our mission and values. We believe that diversity enhances our competitiveness and creates value for our stakeholders. By fostering a respectful and inclusive culture, we ensure that every employee, regardless of their background or representation status, can contribute to meaningful work. Our commitment is reflected in the GE Vernova Way, where we prioritize building strong relationships with our employees and promote diverse perspectives to fuel innovation. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a pivotal role in this approach by bringing together individuals with common backgrounds to connect, grow, and advocate for their communities. These groups create spaces where ideas are welcomed, individuality is celebrated, and contributions are valued, paving the way for equity, opportunity, and inclusive leadership.
What positive impact has this approach had?
GE Vernova’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion has had a profound positive impact on our organization. By embracing diverse perspectives, we have enhanced our ability to engage with global customers and stakeholders, driving innovation and creating a more dynamic work environment. Our inclusive culture has made us an employer of choice, attracting and retaining top talent from varied backgrounds. The efforts of our ERGs have removed barriers and fostered meaningful conversations about equity and accountability, leading to a more engaged and empowered workforce. This inclusive approach not only benefits our employees but also aligns with our mission to lead the energy transition for all, contributing to the betterment of people and our planet.
Check out GE Vernova’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) make up much of our company’s foundation and are included in our company Vision Statement, “We will be the greatest customer engagement services company in the world, rich in diversity and talent –- powered by creativity and technology.”
We bring DEI initiatives to life across three strategic areas: “promote diverse representation” at all levels; “reinforce inclusive behaviors” by fostering a culture where everyone feels respected and valued; and “build a conducive ecosystem” by making policies and procedures inclusive of all. While our “Be Seen, Be Heard, Be You” program allows staff to voluntarily share aspects of their identities if they are so inclined. To date, over 330,000 staff have self-identified.
We provide SafeSpaces for our staff to connect and grow through our Game-Changer Resource Groups (GRGs). These support groups include Pride (LGBTQIA+), Ability (Persons with Disabilities), Network of Women, DYNAMIC (Neurodiverse), and Black Professionals Networks. With the current makeup of 3,300+, the GRGs hosted 15+ events in 2023 and celebrated diverse days of significance including International Day Against Homophobia, Neurodiversity Month, People with Disability Month, Pride Month, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Through our 40+ “fireside chats” and panel discussions in 2024, we gathered staff globally, educated them, and welcomed open conversations on DEI. This program enables experiential learnings from Concentrix leaders and DEI experts, developing knowledge around accessibility, disability spectrum, sexual orientation, gender identity, bias, and how staff can support DEI within their teams. To date, over 25,000 managers have completed DEI training, which is offered in 10+ languages. We also maintain PRISM, a 5-month virtual diversity leadership journey to help diverse, senior-level staff be ready to move into higher-level job assignments. To date, 73 underrepresented staff completed the program and 18% have been promoted.
Through the efforts of creating SafeSpaces for our staff and DEI programs, we were awarded 16 Regional and Global DEI Awards in 2023.
We believe that sensitization and awareness of DEI should be a focus. Thus, to educate our recruiting team on inclusive sourcing, we designed the “Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace” training module. A total of 2,100+ recruitment staff have completed this training to date.
Monthly DEI Dashboards are also shared with leaders to measure the achievements of our related goals. To ensure accountability and transparency, we publish the Concentrix DEI Policy. Everyone in the organization is required to agree to and abide by the stated code of conduct.
Check out Concentrix’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
At Wellhub, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. We celebrate diversity and help employees thrive by uniting unique experiences, cultures, and perspectives. In 2021, we launched a 5-Year Commitment Plan to embed diversity, equity, and belonging into our culture and practices. This plan is guided by the Global Belonging Ecosystem (ERGs, leadership sponsors, etc), which oversees key initiatives and ensures meaningful progress.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Our 5-Year Plan has strengthened our diversity and inclusion efforts. With financial and organizational backing, our affinity groups share experiences and celebrate cultural diversity, while our volunteering groups empower marginalized communities and support diverse communities.
We provide learning opportunities for affinity group leaders and sponsors, and have enhanced our inclusive hiring practices by implementing neutral job descriptions, diverse interview panels, and standardized scorecards to ensure fairness. In tech hiring, committees focus on relevant competencies to eliminate bias. Additionally, we highlight diverse voices on social media, showcasing the people shaping our culture, reinforcing our commitment, and inspiring others to promote inclusion.
Check out Wellhub’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
At HashiCorp, our top priority is creating and fostering an inclusive culture where employees are inspired to do their best work. We know that this requires embracing differences to drive innovation. Inclusive programs and practices have been seamlessly integrated into every aspect of our business by the many champions who view this work as an integral part of their daily responsibilities. We believe in holding ourselves accountable by being transparent with our employees and twice a year share a wide variety of data points that includes our successes, failures and areas of opportunity.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Effectively communicating our progress in creating a more inclusive culture and consistently demonstrating these values has been essential to employees feeling valued, seen, respected and heard. This approach not only inspires them to perform at their best every day, but also contributes to cultivating a community where employees feel like they belong.
Check out HashiCorp’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
Elsevier’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is rooted in the belief that diverse perspectives and inclusive practices are essential for innovation and success in advancing science and health. Here are some key elements of our D&I strategy:
- Commitment to diversity: We actively promote a diverse workforce that reflects the global communities we serve. We recognize the value of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in driving creativity and problem-solving.
- Inclusive culture: Elsevier is dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute. This includes creating an environment that supports open dialogue and encourages employees to share their unique viewpoints. Watch our diversity video and read our employee’s stories.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): We support various ERGs that provide a platform for employees with shared backgrounds or interests to connect, collaborate, and advocate for one another. These groups play a crucial role in promoting awareness and understanding of diverse cultures and experiences within the organization.
- Training and development: Elsevier invests in training programs focused on unconscious bias, cultural competence, and inclusive leadership. These initiatives aim to enhance employees’ understanding of D&I issues and equip them with the tools to create a more inclusive environment.
- Recruitment and retention: Elsevier is committed to implementing fair and equitable hiring practices to attract a diverse talent pool. We also focus on retaining diverse employees by providing opportunities for career growth and development.
- Partnerships and collaborations: Elsevier engages with external organizations and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion, reinforcing our commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.
- Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Board: We are guided by an independent Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board populated by pre-eminent academics from around the world. The board helps to improve gender, racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion, and geographic representation through initiatives that impact career progression in academia of underrepresented groups and by setting standards and best practices for I&D principles in scientific research.
- Measuring progress: We regularly assess our D&I initiatives through surveys, metrics, and feedback to ensure continuous improvement and accountability in meeting its diversity goals. Read more about the outcomes of our Inclusion and Diversity efforts here: Elsevier inclusion & diversity data snapshot 2024. Read our Progress Toward Gender Equality in Research & Innovation.
Overall, our approach to Diversity and Inclusion is a comprehensive strategy aimed at creating a workplace that values diversity, fosters inclusion, and ultimately enhances our ability to drive innovation and impact in the fields of science and health.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Elsevier’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) has resulted in several positive impacts, both within our organization and in the broader community. Here are some key benefits observed:
- Enhanced innovation and creativity: By fostering a diverse workforce, we have been able to tap into a wide range of perspectives and ideas. This diversity drives innovation, leading to new approaches, products, and solutions that better meet the needs of a global audience.
- Attraction of top talent: A strong D&I commitment enhances our employer brand, making it more appealing to a broader range of candidates. This helps us to attract top talent from diverse backgrounds, enriching our talent pool.
- Stronger community relationships: Elsevier’s engagement with diverse communities and partnerships with external organizations fosters trust and credibility. This strengthens our relationships with clients, partners, stakeholders, and the communities we serve.
- Increased market competitiveness: By understanding and representing diverse perspectives, we feel better equipped to serve our global customers. This leads to improved products and services that resonate with a wider audience.
- Positive social impact: Elsevier’s commitment to D&I extends beyond the workplace. By promoting diversity and inclusion, we contribute to broader social change, advocating for equality and representation in the fields of science, health, and publishing.
Overall, we think our proactive approach to Diversity and Inclusion has created a more vibrant, innovative, and engaged workplace, positively impacting our ability to contribute meaningfully to society.
Check out the Elsevier careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
We value the unique perspectives each employee brings to Paycom. We strive to provide an inclusive environment allowing employees to thrive both personally and professionally. From attracting and developing diverse talent to supporting 11 different employee resource groups (ERGs), diversity, equity and inclusion is at the center of Paycom’s culture.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Paycom’s approach to diversity and inclusion has been instrumental in our efforts to cultivate a team that’s happier, more productive and more committed to Paycom’s long-term success. By fostering inclusivity with open ERG memberships and our Better Conversations discussion series, we give every employee an avenue to be heard and connected with their workplace. How can we be sure that these efforts are making a difference? Because over 20% of all Paycom employees have joined an ERG and 100% of our leaders have participated in at least one Better Conversations session!
Check out Paycom’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
Our organization integrates diversity and inclusion into our mission and values rather than having it outside of our foundational focus. For example, our mission promotes the well-being of ALL individuals, families and communities—which drives our inclusion and belonging culture.
Our diversity team operates as strategic advisors within the Talent Acquisition and Diversity department. We understand the importance of starting diversity and inclusion at the beginning of a team member’s journey, focusing on both the onboarding candidate and team member experiences.
Therefore, we created programs when engaging with talent internally and externally:
Inclusive Hiring Practices: We created a playbook on how to be inclusive when hiring and ways to talk about our diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as our Diversity Councils.
Development Opportunities: Within each of our regions and facilities, we support the local Diversity Councils that are made up of diverse individuals. These individuals work with their local leadership and report to our systemwide leadership about important initiatives that affect the local community and team members. This allows our Diversity Councils to make an impact at the local level.
Community Engagement: Lastly, the diversity team created a diversity outreach program where we partner with nine diverse healthcare associations or organizations, which enables us to support our team members with growth and development opportunities within their fields. These organizations and associations are also avenues for us to create brand awareness and discover new talent pools.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Embedding diversity and inclusion into the very foundation of our company and our Talent Acquisition department expands the opportunities available to our team members. This positive impact is seen notably in our partnerships with the diversity organizations and associations, such as Asian American Pacific Islander Nursing Association (AAPINA), National Hispanic Nurses Association (NAHN) and the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA). Through these partnerships, we have expanded our team member networks with over 150 team members opting into this additional benefit and supported their leadership development and tapped into another potential talent avenue by attending national conferences and building brand awareness. Team members have stepped into leadership roles within those organizations, helping them grow, develop and network with the knowledge they are supported. And through the national conferences, our recruiters and three team members were able to attend 11 events in 2024, adding 217 leads into our internal CRM system and hiring five new team members into our culture.
Check out Baylor Scott & White Health’s careers page here!
What is your company’s approach to Diversity and Inclusion?
At RingCentral, we recognize that our greatest innovators are our people. Our approach to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) centers on creating a culture where every voice is valued, heard, and empowered. We embed DEIB principles across all areas of our business, from hiring and employee engagement to supplier partnerships and community outreach. Our commitment includes actively recruiting talent across diverse backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives, fostering connection through our nine vibrant Employee Resource Groups. We also prioritize intentional partnerships with diverse suppliers to reflect and support the communities we serve. By championing DEIB, we fuel innovation, strengthen collaboration, and celebrate our unique strengths.
What positive impact has this approach had?
Our approach to Diversity and Inclusion has had a profoundly positive impact on our organization, creating a culture where employees feel inspired to contribute to our mission. This commitment is exemplified by our award-winning Employee Resource Groups, which have become a cornerstone of our culture. These employee-led groups thrive with support and active engagement from all levels of the organization, from individual contributors to our executive leadership team. Creating open and safe spaces for discussion, celebration and growth. Moreover, our focus on DEIB has strengthened our ability to innovate. Sharing ideas, and hearing different perspectives allows us to remain collaborative, inclusive and innovative. Our commitment to DEIB has fostered an internal sense of community, helping drive better business outcomes and nurturing a workplace culture where everyone feels connected to a broader mission.