Over the past year, business leaders have become more vocal about societal issues. In fact, it's hard to count the number of CEOs who are speaking out about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) right now.
But which companies are actually following through with their DEI promises? Fortune and research firm Refinitiv examined Fortune's 500 biggest companies in the US, gathering data on each company's diversity statistics.
They ranked the companies based on 14 equally weighted metrics that measured how much diversity data the company shares including the percentage of people of color on a company's board, the percentage of women employees, the percentage of women managers, among others. Each diversity data figure was worth one point, and the companies were then ranked based on their score. Companies that disclosed the most data came highest on the list, like Microsoft. Other companies that came in the top 20 include Intel, Verizon, and Allstate.
At a time when employees, customers, and investors are demanding that corporations address diversity, the list helps identify companies that are ahead of the pack. Nearly 70% of companies in the Russell 1000 release no data on the racial and ethnic makeup of their workforce, per Just Capital.
Jasmine Hill, founder of DEI consultancy Radiant Slate, said that surveys like these help encourage companies to be more transparent in their workforce data and to keep up with their competitors.
"Sharing diversity data on a company's workforce is essential for starting the conversation," Hill told Insider. "However, actively using the data to improve the working environment of marginalized groups is far more important."
Diversifying the workplace is not just about collecting data, it's about addressing gaps in representation and fostering a sense of inclusion among your workers at the same time.
"Diversity is about who's in the room, but it's time to start moving towards inclusion."