Dive Brief:

• Diversity Best Practices (DBP), a division of Working Mother Media, released its first Inclusion Index, which evaluates companies' diversity and inclusion (D&I) performance. A total of 33 companies earned a place in the index, which rated them on how well they provide insight and data, including demographic transparency; best diversity and inclusion practices; recruitment, retention and advancement; and company culture. Leading inclusion companies achieved 85% of available points.
• Highlights from the index show that 100% of the Inclusion Index companies provide education on implicit bias, 85% educate on generational diversity, 82% educate on sexual orientation and 70% educate on gender and racial/ethnic differences in leadership styles and communication. 
• The study also revealed that 64% of the companies audit their people processes to address implicit bias in performance management, recruiting and sourcing. But while 82% of the companies hold managers responsible for D&I issues, only 46% tie D&I results to pay. 

Dive Insight:

Companies that struggle with meeting diversity objectives might use the index as a reference on how to improve their performance in this area. The index shows that creating and maintaining a workplace that values and strives for D&I goes beyond merely hiring based on numeric goals. Changing cultures and behaviors to advance D&I in the workplace starts with education, which the index emphasizes.

Diversity and inclusion efforts are required in every industry, though the tech industry in particular has openly struggled with meeting such goals. Many of the highest paying jobs offered today are in tech and STEM industries, which makes the stark lack of diversity more disconcerting and noticeable. Only one Silicon Valley company, IBM, made the top seven.

A diverse workplace tends to perform better on most business metrics. But maintaining D&I isn't a one-time goal; its an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and an occasional audit.