Companies included in the Winds of Change list of the Top 50 Workplaces for Indigenous STEM Professionals meet certain criteria established solely by Winds of Change editorial staff. Selected companies completed surveys designed to demonstrate their overall diversity recruitment efforts and/or were included in at least one published list from two different sources that recognize top firms dedicated to diversity recruiting within the past year. In addition, selected companies must also be recruiting for occupations within STEM fields, have specifically recruited within Indigenous audiences within the past two years, and/or have demonstrated sustained support for the AISES mission.
The 2021 List (in alphabetical order)
3M
Accenture
Amazon
American Chemical Society
America’s Navy
AT&T
BMM Testlabs
BNSF Railway
The Boeing Company
Bonneville Power Administration
Boston Scientific
Bristol Bay Native Corporation
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Central Intelligence Agency
Cherokee Nation Human Resources
Chevron
Comcast NBCUniversal
ExxonMobil
Facebook
GE Aviation
General Motors
IBM
Intel
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Mayo Clinic
Merck
Microsoft
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Science Foundation
National Security Agency
Navajo Transitional Energy Company
NextEra Energy
NIKE, Inc.
Northrop Grumman
Oracle
Raytheon Technologies
Salesforce.com, Inc.
Sandia National Laboratories
Stantec
Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)
UPS
U.S. Air Force/Air Force Civilian Service
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Intelligence Community
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
USDA Forest Service
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
VGT, an Aristocrat company
Wells Fargo
10 Organizations Creating Change
In addition to the achievements in diversity demonstrated by the Top 50 Workplaces for Indigenous STEM Professionals, there are many organizations committed to making progress on their own path to inclusion, equity, and opportunity for all their employees. Here, listed alphabetically, we recognize 10 of those workplaces actively working to firmly establish a culture of diversity and inclusion.
AMERIND Risk
Dow
Google
Greenfire
Honeywell
Motorola
NOAA
Pfizer
Phillips 66
Williams
Pandemic Pushback?
So much of the economy has been upended by the pandemic. Many organizations are facing perilous loss of revenue, disrupted supply chains, and uncertain futures. As employers struggle to meet the COVID-19 challenge — and prioritize survival — what happens to diversity initiatives?
We won’t know the full effect of this devastating virus on DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) until post-pandemic research can be compiled. But a look at collective corporate experience in a recent crisis — the 2008–2009 financial debacle — shows that progress on diversity initiatives can slow if organizations refocus on more immediately pressing goals. Despite the demonstrated benefits of DEI, consciously advancing these values was not the norm during the financial crisis. According to a 2009 study by management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, even though diversity initiatives may not have been officially sidelined, they receded from attention at many companies.
Early in the pandemic, it was already becoming clear that things hadn’t changed much from the days of the Wall Street disaster. In “Don’t Let the Shift to Remote Work Sabotage Your Inclusion Initiatives,” a March 2020 McKinsey survey of inclusion and diversity leaders, 27 percent of respondents reported that all or most of their DEI initiatives were put on hold due to the pandemic.
The switch to remote work, and with it the loss of an inclusive workplace culture, may negatively affect diverse employees in other ways. According to McKinsey, when isolation disrupts team dynamics and team members seem less approachable, inclusive interactions can be a casualty. What’s more, videoconferencing can be uncomfortable for employees who may be reluctant to share aspects of their personal life at home, or who are caregivers for children or elders.
On the other hand, as the Chicago-based consultancy ThoughtWorks points out, a work-from-home employer can create opportunities for people, like Indigenous professionals who live in remote rural areas, who are otherwise unable to commute to a traditional 9–5 workplace.
Especially in tech and the knowledge sector, some degree of remote work is sure to be part of post-pandemic careers. That means official zero-tolerance policies must expand to protect employees from bias, harassment, and discrimination in the virtual as well as physical space.
Successful companies will recognize the importance of social as well as professional connections with a plan for fostering an inclusive sense of community both onsite and virtually.
Employee resource groups (ERGs), a fixture at many Top 50 organizations, can assume an effective supporting role in combating isolation. Research by the Institute for Corporate Productivity found that 34 percent of organizations are asking their ERG leaders to reach out to help group members stay connected and engaged.
When we get to the other side of the pandemic, much will be written about how DEI initiatives advanced — or didn’t — during this dark time. But the good news is that more and more organizations recognize the benefits of DEI and are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Those like the Top 50 Workplaces that have already invested in DEI are well-equipped to meet current challenges. Their teams are more innovative, flexible, and resilient — and poised for a robust recovery.
These organizations are likely to surpass the majority of companies that did not prioritize DEI initiatives pre-pandemic and now are focusing elsewhere. The gap between those slow to realize the benefits of an inclusive culture and those already seeing the advantages will only widen. Look to diversity winners like the organizations on our Top 50 roster to be the post-pandemic superstars.
Earmarks of a Diverse Workplace
The business case for diversity may be well established, but what should you look for in an inclusive workplace? Here are some characteristics of organizations that do more than just talk about their values:
- The company recruits at multicultural events and advertises jobs in publications with diverse audiences.
- Diversity goes beyond race, age, physical ability, gender, and sexual orientation to a wider acceptance of different cultures.
- Diversity data is updated regularly and available.
- Diversity events are well publicized.
- Internships are a pipeline for recruiting diverse candidates.
- The company goes beyond diversity training to regularly assess its progress.
- Employees are given regular satisfaction surveys.
- Marketing materials, website, etc. reflect a commitment to diversity.
- Management ranks reflect workforce diversity.
- Internal groups for diverse employees are officially encouraged.
- Vendors and suppliers include minority-owned businesses.
- Philanthropic outreach includes multicultural organizations.
