ST. LOUIS — According to Forbes magazine, over the past two years, the focus on racial disparities has put a spotlight on several industries. The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and livelihoods of Black families has raised questions about healthcare equity. The economic fallout for Black workers and Black-owned businesses has once again illustrated the need for financial inclusion and access to capital. Meanwhile, remote learning has turned attention to the disparities in resources and academic outcomes for students in underserved communities.
It was against this backdrop that Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to compile its annual list of America's Best Employers for Diversity. To determine the ranking, Statista surveyed 60,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees and pinpointed the companies they identified as most dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. Survey participants were asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation equality, as well as that of general diversity. Statista then asked respondents belonging to underrepresented groups to nominate organizations other than their own.
Here are the companies headquartered in the St. Louis region that made the list:
Edward Jones, No. 54
Washington University, No. 117
Special School District of St. Louis County, No. 237
SSM Health, No. 252
World Wide Technology, No. 309
Enterprise Holdings, No. 366
Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR), No. 388
Cass Information Systems (Nasdaq: CASS), No. 449