Reporter Ethan Nelson’s December 1 article in the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal scored Minnesota companies on DEI initiatives. Last year was the first year the business publication began tracking employer diversity, ranking companies based on the percentage of their employees who don’t identify as white, who are executives, on boards of directors, and who have ownership in the company.
The lists cover small, medium, and large public and private companies, nonprofits and government entities. Lots of household names are among the lists, while others are less familiar. But all should be applauded for taking the survey, putting a stake in the ground by sharing their stats, even when the data could and should look better than it does.
But after reviewing the lists, I was left with more burning questions than real answers. I was stuck with the feeling that what was left unreported could likely paint a far different picture, which would provide us all a deeper and more accurate understanding of representation. As the saying goes, if you aren’t measuring it, you aren’t valuing it.
Position Composition and Duration of Employment
Of those companies with a larger than average BIPOC employee base, what were the roles and duration of employment of those individuals? The largest number of BIPOC employees were in retail — does that mean they were floor sales associates, working the check-out — or manufacturing employees? Or were they knowledge workers and managers? Is there upward mobility in those positions held by BIPOC workers and if so, how many have been promoted in the past 12-18 months? And the true indicators of representation: how long are these BIPOC employees staying at their jobs?
Skewed Salaries
What is the average salary for BIPOC men and women at each company?
Statistics show that women of color make less than Caucasian women. And Caucasian women still make less than their male counterparts in many of the same positions today.
We also know that more women than men lost their jobs – or bowed out of the workforce – over 2020-2022 due to COVID’s impact on families. Getting back into the workforce at the same position or higher may prove challenging, further tempering all women’s salaries. And with more employees seeking hybrid or remote work, some companies are taking a piece out of compensation to make up for this flexible work arrangement.
Missing in Action
Advertising and public relations agencies were missing in action on these lists, except for one – a boutique firm based in St. Paul. We don’t know if the plethora of other agencies in the Twin Cities failed to respond or responded and failed. Ad agencies here have historically struggled to make BIPOC hires – or even female hires for top positions. When it comes to advertising, females comprise approximately 11% of creative directors nationally, up from just 3% nearly a decade ago.
Having been part of the traditional agency world in my early career, and then owning my own design firm for 20 years, I keep up with the industry. I know many have hired DEI directors, are pursuing a more diverse talent pool, and trying hard to right size an industry that has been white and male for too long. But where are they on the lists?
Pursuing BIPOC Partners as Contractors
While these lists and their statistics help paint a picture of what’s happening on the DEI scene at Twin Cities employers, so much more information can be captured. After George Floyd’s murder, the call to improve diversity, equity and inclusion was more like a roar. Companies took heed and took action. Many, who already had a mandate to seek a diverse vendor pool, upped the ante.
But how are they doing when it comes to tapping diverse partners outside of their own organizations? These partners can not only bring diverse ideas but also help gut check corporate words and actions. Those on the outside looking in can hold companies accountable in how they act, communicate and resonate with their internal and external audiences.
We already know that consumers engage with brands they feel an affinity with – who have similar values, who represent their community. It’s hard to connect when you don’t have diverse representation inside the organization, at the top, bottom and in between, nor diverse counsel keeping you honest.
For next year’s DEI list, I suggest adding a few more tabs to the spreadsheet. Peel back the onion a few more layers and understand the roles BIPOC employees have inside their organizations, how they are compensated when compared to their white colleagues, how non-reporting industry leaders are holding up their end of the DEI bargain they made post-George Floyd, and how companies are finding diverse partners to help guide their business decisions.
When we have answers to those questions, we’ll have the real picture of how we’re moving from conversation to real systemic change.
