A recent Calvert Investments report considered the diversity of companies in the S&P 100. Calvert ranked the companies based on 10 different diversity criteria, including Equal Employment Opportunity policies (EEO), internal and external diversity initiatives, highest-paid executives, board diversity, director selection criteria, and the company’s commitment to overall diversity.
In its study, Calvert defined diversity as: “nondiscrimination and equal opportunity concerning recruitment, hiring, pay, promotion, training, and tenure without regard to race, gender, age, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, HIV/AIDS status, medical status, and mental and physical ability.”
According to Calvert’s research, here are the four most diverse companies in the S&P 100:
1. Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) — Diversity score of 100: Part of Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C)’s perfect score comes from its diversity policy that is both specifically stated and implemented through programs with measurable metrics. Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) is one of just six companies in the S&P 100 that have two minorities in the five highest-paid positions, and one of seven companies with a minority CEO at the time of the study.
The company is also one of 33 companies in the S&P 100 to publicly support the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA. While 96 companies out of the 100 in the report have a nondiscrimination policy based on sexual orientation, ENDA is Congressional legislation that would offer universal protection against sexual orientation discrimination for civil and nonreligious companies with more than 15 employees.
In addition to this, Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) discloses all of its federal EEO-1 data. The data includes company counts of ethnicity, race, and gender, and Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) divides that demographic information into the company’s job categories for a full picture of diversity.
2. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) — Diversity score of 100: Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) tied with Citigroup for the top diversity spot in the study. Like Citigroup, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has a full EEO-1 data disclosure policy, publicly supports ENDA, and also has two minorities in the top five paid positions. The company also received part of its high diversity ranking because it has a minority CEO, a trait that only six other S&P 100 companies share.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) also implements the United Nation’s Women’s Empowerment Principles, a set of guidelines for businesses to promote women in the workplace, marketplace, and communities. The principles include everything from promoting leadership opportunities, health and safety, education, and data reporting on gender equality. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of only six S&P 100 companies to sign the initiative.
3. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) — Diversity score of 95: The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) earned the second-highest rating in the report, partly due to its board’s Public Issues and Diversity Review Committee. The committee reviews how well the company meets its diversity goals and is chaired by a minority board member.
