5 Most Progressive Companies in America

In this article, we will take a look at the 5 most progressive companies in America. If you want to see more companies in this selection, go to the 15 Most Progressive Companies in America.

5. HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ)

Number of sources that termed the company as progressive: 5

HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is a California-based maker of personal computers, printers, and other related supplies.

Lesley Slaton Brown leads the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives at the company as its Chief Diversity Officer. As of 2022, 61% of HP Inc.’s (NYSE:HPQ) workforce comprises people with disabilities, veterans, minorities, or women. According to Working Women Magazine, the company has been ranked as the number one company to work for in terms of growth opportunities. Furthermore, HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) received a perfect score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index (DEI) in 2020. The company intends to achieve parity in leadership positions by 2030 and has become the first Fortune 100 Company to make this announcement.

4. SAP SE (NYSE:SAP)

Number of sources that termed the company as progressive: 5

SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) is a Walldorf, Germany-based software company developing enterprise software that aids in managing business operations and customer relations. The company has the distinction of being the world’s biggest enterprise resource planning (ERP) provider.

SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) claims to have 35% female representation in its workforce, while 27% of women occupy a leadership position in the company as of 2022. The company has also accelerated its effort to become a net zero-emission entity by 2030. This reflects a pullback of two decades from the original target. The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) has ranked SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) at the top position in the software industry for the past 15 consecutive years.

Brown Capital Management shared its outlook on SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here’s what the firm said:

“For example, SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) is the world leader in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Its customers generate 87% of total global commerce, and 77% of global transaction revenues touch an SAP system. The deployment of an SAP ERP system can take years and cost millions of dollars. Once deployed, however, an ERP system becomes the central nervous system of an organization, connecting departments such as manufacturing, accounting and sales. Processes and numerous pieces of thirdparty software are typically layered on top of the ERP system, creating an ecosystem that is difficult to dislodge. SAP is transitioning its new and existing clients to the cloud, and despite the macro uncertainty, it grew its cloud backlog by 25% in the most recent quarter. (Backlog represents client work that is yet to be delivered.) SAP generates continuous revenue from its clients via maintenance and subscription fees, and even in difficult times, clients cannot shut down their core ERP software, providing a base of recurring revenue for SAP. All told, predictable revenue is 80% of SAP’s total revenue.”

3. Genentech

Number of sources that termed the company as progressive: 5

Genentech is a San Francisco, California-based biotechnology company. The company is completely owned by Basel, Switzerland-based healthcare company Roche Holding AG.

Genentech is focused on addressing the barriers to entry in clinical trial participation and promoting inclusive research. As of 2022, the company has invested $26 million to address the challenges of underrepresented patients. The health inequity can be gauged by the fact that 85% of the participants in clinical trials are white. Genentech has been appreciated for encouraging a more representative population into its clinical research and developing personalized healthcare solutions. The company has launched the Futurelab K-12 STEM education program to promote the interest of future generations in STEM fields.

2. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C)

Number of sources that termed the company as progressive: 5

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is a New York-based company providing investment banking and other diversified financial services. The company is at the second position on our list of the most progressive companies in America.

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) intends to increase the proportion of women in assistant vice president (AVP) to managing director (MD) levels from the current level of 40.6% to 43.5% by 2025. The second target of the bank is to increase the participation of Black employees in the AVP to MD hierarchy from the present levels of 8.1% to 11.5% during the same time frame. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) made these announcements in September 2022. The company has also set a target to boost the representation of Hispanic and Latino groups. In March 2021, Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) became the first member of Wall Street to appoint a female CEO Jane Fraser.

Here’s what Diamond Hill Capital said about Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) in its Q1 2022 investor letter:

“Shares of Citigroup declined in the quarter as investors became increasingly negative on capital markets activity. The company is also continuing to divest certain consumer banking geographies which may be dilutive to earnings in the near term.”

1. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Number of sources that termed the company as progressive: 6

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is a New Jersey-based diversified healthcare company involved in consumer packaging, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices businesses.

The company was one of the top 10 members of the Seramount Inclusion Index in 2021. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) claims that 90% of its workforce believes that the company’s senior management respects the dignity and diversity of all employees. Interestingly, when the company was created in 1886, eight of its first 14 employees were female. Presently, 45% of the employee headcount comprises women. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is also pushing diversity in the field of clinical trials. Various minority groups make up 40% of the US population, but they only have a contribution of 5% to 10% as participants in clinical trials.

Here’s what Distillate Capital Partners LLC said about Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) in its Q2 2022 investor letter:

“Johnson & Johnson was among the 2 largest trims at around 1% each. Each stock was up 1% in the quarter compared to the 16% price decline for the S&P 500 and the positions were reduced as the valuations became somewhat less appealing, though still attractive enough to warrant inclusion.”

You can also take a peek at the Top 10 HR Companies in the World and the 10 Best Performing Actively Managed ETFs in 2022.

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