At Clorox, our purpose to champion people to be well and thrive every single day shapes and inspires how we operate as a company. We know that for each of us to thrive, we need to make the world a safer, more accepting place for everyone. So it must start with us.
We strive to be a leader in inclusion and diversity because we believe diverse backgrounds and perspectives create stronger teams, unlock innovation, generate value for our stakeholders and – ultimately – make this world a better place.

While we’ve worked to advance Inclusion & Diversity throughout the years, we can and are doing more to fight racism and inequality within our own organization. That’s why we’re part of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed. We’ve also committed to I&D goals and targets, focusing on areas where we can have the greatest impact.

We’re making progress and there’s still more work to be done. Here’s what we believe and what we’re doing about it:

• I&D is a strategic choice. I&D is reflected in our company’s IGNITE strategy, and we’ve set tangible goals, including ensuring pay equity, achieving gender and minority representation targets and holding ourselves accountable through our Inclusion index in our employee engagement surveys. We also recently completed a 6-month Breaking Bias: Courageous Conversations program with all of our nonproduction team members that encourages people to take a different perspective, speak up and build trust.
• Transparency drives We’re being even more transparent about diverse representation in our fiscal year 2021 annual report. This includes reporting representation at all levels of our company and our three-year representation trends. And we continue to look for opportunities to increase our transparency in meaningful ways.
• How we recruit We’re partnering with our employees to amplify diversity considerations in our recruiting, including expanding where and how we recruit. Since 2020, we’ve seen a 27% increase in Black applicants, a 43% increase in Hispanic/Latinx applicants and an 18% increase in Asian applicants. And, just as importantly, we’re laser focused on retaining our diverse talent. In fiscal year 2021, within our workforce, people of color represent 38% of our nonproduction employees and 31% of our nonproduction managers in the U.S. Women represent 52% of our nonproduction employees and 46% of our nonproduction managers globally.
• Businesses must be part of the It’s our responsibility to contribute toward the greater good and a more just society. In 2020, we provided $2.5 million in grants to racial justice organizations, and we increased our spending with minority- and women-owned businesses by $10 million. We also updated The Clorox Company Foundation’s mission: Foster healthy and inclusive communities so people can be well and thrive. This includes continuing to support racial equality and equity, which are a critical component of social health.

We also recognize the impact the pandemic has had on our communities — physically, mentally and financially. Internally, we expanded our benefits to better support employee’s mental well-being, provided emergency paid time off to support caregivers, set up a $1 million employee relief fund to help cover some of the financial impacts of COVID and offered more flexibility for when and how people worked. Externally, we’ve made cash and product donations, including $14.7 million in cash and products to help front-line caregivers fighting COVID and to support vaccinations in underserved communities.

Living up to our purpose

To live our purpose and our values, we must build a workplace where every person feels respected, valued and fully able to participate in our Clorox community. It means leading by example, at every level within the company, and continually challenging ourselves to do and be better.

Our advice for others: Keep in mind that striving for an inclusive and diverse culture isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s crucial for driving business success. Diverse teams that reflect the consumers we serve offer a wealth of unique experiences, perspectives and ideas. They help us learn and adapt to the world around us while also making us more attuned to the people who welcome our products into their homes.

For these reasons and more, Clorox will continue working to be a leader in inclusion and diversity. For the good of our people and communities. For the good of our society.