Employers Emerge as Trusted Leaders on Racial Justice

In its 5^th annual Special Report on Business and Racial Justice, the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer survey results show decisive support for the role of business in advancing racial justice and the importance of corporate DEI programs.

Fifty percent of survey respondents reported that they or a member of their family has experienced racism, up from 41% in 2020. Against this backdrop, respondents expressed their strong belief that their individual employers should take the lead on racial justice.

Despite expectations for many institutions to lead on racial justice, “my employer” emerges as the institution that is exceeding expectations, with 62% saying their employer is “doing well” in addressing racism, perhaps reflecting that DEI is a natural part of talent strategy. This is in contrast to the government which dropped 31 percentage points over the past year with only 23% saying the government is doing a good job in this area.

Employees of all political parties see the value of corporate DEI programs. The study shows a strong correlation between employers who have more DEI initiatives and the percent of employees who feel that they “fit in” and are part of a community at work. This perception of increased belonging applies regardless of political party, with a 17 percentage point increase in Republicans, 28 percentage point increase in Democrats and 29 percentage point increase in Independents reporting a greater sense of belonging compared to last year’s results.

Individuals also rank workplace DEI initiatives highly, with 75% identifying these initiatives as a way to effectively address racism. In fact, over the past 3-5 years, more than twice the number of individuals report that their feelings about formal DEI have become more positive (38%) rather than more negative (17%), making DEI programs MORE welcome today, not less.

In addition, the percentage of employees who would recommend their organization as an employer increases for employers with more DEI initiatives, regardless of how the employee identifies politically. 

Employees appreciate the role of their workplace versus the external political noise. 75% of individuals worry that politicians intentionally sow division, with this concern exceeding worry about inflation outpacing pay (69%), social media division (68%), nuclear war (67%), and AI generating racist misinformation (65%).

The bottom line – defend the work:  When DEI initiatives are criticized, 76% say companies should address the criticism by demonstrating positive impacts of DEI, inviting meaningful dialogue, and considering incorporating critiques. In light of external noise, trust in the workplace and colleagues is high and loyalty increases for employers with robust DEI culture and initiatives. Read HRPA’s statement on DEI here.