Diversity remains a pressing issue in the business world today. Particularly in the tech community, small startups and large corporations alike are having trouble with everything from sensitivity training to hiring practices. Still, there are a few bright spots when it comes to diversity, and these industries are leading the way.
Thanks to data from Owler, we now know that retail is the number one industry promoting diversity in the workplace. After surveying “11,700 stakeholders and providing an assessment of leadership team diversity for over 1,100 unique organizations,” Owler scored industries on a scale of 100. And the results gave a pretty clear picture of who is committed to diversity and who isn’t.
“News flash for executives: You’re being watched,” said Jim Fowler, founder and CEO of Owler, in a press release. “Members of the Owler Community are following your every move. And, for many of you, they weren’t impressed with the diversity of your company’s leadership team. Knowing that, we want to invite those who had a strong showing to take pride in having established a reputation for embracing diversity. And for those who didn’t fare as well, we invite you to reflect on what can be done now and in the future to become known for being more diverse than you are today.”
While Fowler’s message may seem a bit aggressive, the message rings true. Diversity, a previously abstract concept, has become increasingly measurable, which should make executives that are skirting their responsibility to hire women and minorities at their business shake in their boots.
As for the rest of the list, industries on the cutting edge of innovation like transportation and warehousing, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, travel and leisure, and aerospace and defense rounded out the top 5, with scores well above the average. Conversely, struggling industries, like automotive, banking, and mining didn’t show as much support, scoring well below the industry average. I wonder what that means…
If you’re interested in learning more about how diverse the business landscape is today, check out the full study here and take a peak at the full list below:
Read more about the importance of diversity at TechCo