CHICAGO, IL- Diversity MBA Magazine, a national leadership publication targeting managers, executives in leadership; professionals, students, and the business community; publishes its seventh annual list of “50 Out Front for Diversity Leadership: Best Places to Work for Women & Diverse Managers Ranking – Best in Class Companies for REPRESENTATION.
Diversity MBA Magazine additionally recognizes Best in Class companies that have demonstrated outstanding systems, impact and results in their benchmarking categories of recruitment, representation, board diversity, succession planning, workplace inclusion & retention, and accountability. This release recognizes the Top Ten Companies that have leading practices in the category of REPRESENTATION.
Diversity MBA Magazine is pleased to name the “TOP TEN BEST IN CLASS COMPANIES FOR REPRESENTATION” (in alpha order) include: Bank of America, Colgate-Palmolive, CSX, DePaul University, DIAGEO, Fannie Mae, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, NJ; Health Care Services Corporation, Nielsen and Verizon Communications.
Over the past four decades companies have been committed to ensuring women and people of color move into management positions starting from line supervisors to vice presidents. This has been a true commitment to diversity ensuring gender and ethnicity is prevalent in management positions. However, the Top Ten Best In Class companies for Representation operates at the next level; they ensure the executive pipeline has women and people of color operating at the most senior positions from executive vice president to C-Suite.
While on one hand, Diversity MBA analyzes representation at all management levels to determine the overall process of the marketplace, there are still challenges with consistent and timely movement of women and people of color into the most senior leadership roles. Our top ten companies have intentional strategies to ensure women and people of color show up in their most senior roles.
Some interesting Findings based on Diversity MBA results:
- Women comprise 39% of management among survey participants
- People of color comprise 13% of management among survey participants
- Women comprise 52% of senior executive roles among survey participants
- People of color comprise 29% of senior executive roles among survey participants
- 4.9% of CEO’s were women among our Fortune 500 participants
- 9.8% of CEO’s were people of color among Fortune 500 participants
Moving beyond mid level management and first level executive positions must be an intentional strategy if diversity is going to show up in the senior leadership roles. Pam McElvane, CEO & publisher, says,” Diversity MBA Benchmarking for the category of Representation recognizes the top ten companies that have results that demonstrate their commitment to women and people of color. They are the essence of what opportunity looks like.” The good news is that companies are beginning to embrace change and why it is necessary to diversify the most senior leadership roles.
Diversity MBA Magazine will also be recognizing Top Regional Companies, and specialty list including; executive and talent development; employee resource groups; supplier diversity; veterans, disability, LGBT, and the most innovative programs and/or initiatives.
