he Supreme Court’s ruling last year in the Students for Fair Admissions case rocked the trajectory of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States. Not only did the Court’s landmark decision deem race-based affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, it also ushered in a wave of bills at the state level that are challenging DEI programs in public schools and in the workplace.
As a result, employers are facing increasing pushback against programs aimed at leveling the playing field for workers who historically have been underrepresented and underpaid. But that hasn’t stopped many companies from holding steady in their commitment to improving access and increasing opportunities for employees who haven’t always benefited from either.
As Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN, a global nonprofit that collaborates with corporations to promote business disability inclusion, says: “You can’t legislate attitudes. And business has the power to really change the world.”
To recognize employers that have continued to prioritize DEI this past year, Forbes has ranked America’s Best Employers For Diversity 2024. This seventh annual list— created in partnership with market research firm Statista—is based in part on survey results from 170,000 people working for organizations with at least 1,000 employees within the United States. The participants were asked to anonymously rate their own employers, in addition to companies they knew well either through their industry or through friends and family members employed there. Respondents evaluated the organization’s approach to DEI as it pertains to such criteria as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation.
The analysis included survey responses from 2023 as well as responses given over the course of the last three years, with a higher weight placed on recent survey data. Higher weight was also given to responses from employees themselves and from respondents who self-identified as being part of a relevant underrepresented group.
To round out the analysis, more than 1,300 companies were researched and assessed on their DEI practices—such as the presence of employee resource groups, the publication of employee demographic data, the percentage of women in leadership roles, and supplier diversity. Ultimately, all of these factors were incorporated into a scoring model, and the 500 companies with the highest scores made the final list, which is presented directly below.
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As with all Forbes lists, companies do not pay any fee to participate or be selected. For questions about this list, please contact listdesk [at] Forbes.com.
