How Many Companies Are Embracing DEI? Latest Workplace Diversity Statistics for 2026

A few years ago, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives received significant support from government, politicians, corporate leaders, business managers, and various communities. 

More recently, there has been a backlash, leading to these initiatives being attacked by key players in the private and public sectors. While some commentators imply DEI has been a catastrophic failure and is supported by only a handful of people, recent statistics paint a very different picture.

Despite mounting political pressure and high-profile rollbacks at companies like Target and Meta, only 5% of companies with DEI programs have actually eliminated them, according to Resume.org. And 56% of US workers say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, per Pew Research Center.

Companies with higher diversity are 35% more likely to outperform competitors on financial returns (McKinsey), 76% of job seekers say diversity matters when evaluating offers (LinkedIn), and 86% of Gen Z employees are more likely to stay with employers that support DEI (Catalyst).

This research compiles the latest DEI statistics for 2026, covering the business impact of diversity, the rollback trend, workforce demographics, pay equity, and talent attraction.

• Only 5% of companies with DEI programs have eliminated them; 65% say their budget will not change (Resume.org)
• 56% of US workers say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing (Pew Research Center)
• Diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform competitors on financial returns (McKinsey)
• 76% of job seekers say diversity is important when considering job offers (LinkedIn)
• Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to outperform on profitability (McKinsey)
• 86% of Gen Z employees are more likely to stay with employers that support DEI (Catalyst)
• Women earn 16% less than men on average (Forbes)
• Only 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women; only 8 are Black (Fortune, 2025)
• In a Harvard Business School survey, 96% of HR professionals say diversity leads to better-functioning companies (HBS)

The research shows a resounding yes. Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to outperform on profitability, and those in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability, according to McKinsey’s research across more than 1,000 companies in 23 countries.

These findings show strong association, not strict causation, but the pattern holds consistently across multiple independent studies. 

Additional performance data:

• Diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform competitors on financial returns (McKinsey)
• Gender-diverse teams post 25% higher returns (McKinsey)
• Diverse companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders (InStride)
• Companies with diverse leadership earn 2.5 times greater cash flow per employee (LinkedIn)
• 77% of executives link DEI with improved financial performance (Catalyst)
• Share prices of more gender-diverse companies outperformed by 7% in Europe, 3% in Japan, and 2% in North America (Morgan Stanley)

According to 2025 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 39% of the US workforce now represents ethnic and racial minorities, up from 35% in 2020. The breakdown:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

By generation, 36% of the US labor force are Millennials, 31% are Gen X, 18% are Gen Z, 15% are Baby Boomers, and 1% are the Silent Generation, according to the Department of Labor.

An estimated 13% of the labor force are people with disabilities. According to the BLS, only 23% of people with a disability in the US were employed in 2025. Gallup estimates that 9% of US adults identify as LGBTQ+ in 2026.

While only 5% of companies have eliminated DEI programs entirely, the scaling back is more visible in budgets: 8% are reducing DEI spend, according to Resume.org. Meanwhile, 65% say their budget will not change, and 22% plan to increase funding.

Among companies scaling back:

• 56% of managers believe DEI initiatives were implemented mainly for PR purposes
• 49% cite the political climate as a key factor
• 37% cite economic pressures
• 36% cite lack of measurable ROI
• 36% say programs were not well-received by employees
• 51% redirected funds to general operating expenses
• 40% invested in AI or technology initiatives

There are real consequences to rolling back. Target saw foot traffic fall an average of 6% over eight weeks after announcing DEI rollbacks, compared to Costco, which stood behind its DEI programs and saw foot traffic grow over the same period.

Women earn 16% less than men on average, according to Forbes. The gap widens in certain industries, reaching 22% in banking, insurance, and finance.

The disparity is even more pronounced across racial lines:

• Hispanic/Latino women earn an average of $800 per week, compared to white women who earn $1,040 per week (BLS, 2024).
• The median income of Black American households was $54,490 in 2023, compared to $89,050 for white American households (Statista)

These gaps persist despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

As of 2025, 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women (55 out of 500), a record high according to Fortune. Only 8 Fortune 500 companies are led by Black CEOs, representing just 1.6% of the list. While progress has been made, representation at the top remains limited.

Looking more broadly at corporate leadership:

• 73% of businesses have at least one woman in top leadership
• 68% of companies have at least one person of color in senior roles
• 42% of organizations have board nomination diversity requirements
• 37% of companies have specific diversity targets for leadership
• 31% of companies link diversity goals to executive compensation
• Women of color hold 20% of entry-level positions but only 4% of C-suite roles

EY found that 43% of minority employees in Europe are concerned about career advancement, while only 34% of surveyed managers belong to underrepresented groups.

Yes. 76% of job seekers say diversity is important when considering job offers, according to LinkedIn. And 86% of Gen Z employees are more likely to stay with employers that support DEI, per Catalyst.

More talent data:

• 87% of leaders would consider a job change due to lack of DEI commitment (GoodHire)
• 84% of C-suite leaders see a positive link between inclusion and employee attraction (Catalyst)
• 81% of employees would consider changing jobs due to lack of DEI commitment (GoodHire)
• 61% of Gen Z say they would never apply at a company that does not support DEI (Catalyst)
• 85% of UK employees say inclusive employers are better at attracting diverse candidates (Onvero)
• UK employees in inclusive organizations stay 3.76 years longer (Onvero)

89% of Forbes survey respondents believe generational diversity is a positive force in the workplace, and 87% say cross-generational learning enriches their experience at work.

• 89% of employers say older workers perform just as well as, if not better than, younger workers (Generation.org)
• 83% of employers say older workers learn as fast as or faster than younger counterparts (Generation.org)
• Intergenerational project productivity increased by 39% with improved collaboration (JOIREM)
• 13% of employees believe generational diversity enhances team collaboration (Texila Journal)

56% of employed US adults say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, according to Pew Research Center. Support varies by demographic: 78% of Black workers, 72% of Asian workers, 65% of Hispanic workers, and 61% of women support DEI.

Among organizational leaders and HR professionals:

• In a Harvard Business School survey, 96% of HR professionals say diversity leads to better-functioning companies
• 84% of HR professionals say DEI programs contribute to more workplace equality (HRCI)
• 71% of HR professionals personally support DEI programs; only 11% do not (HRCI)
• 88% of legal leaders and 83% of C-suite leaders say maintaining DEI is essential for mitigating legal risk (Catalyst)
• 68% of C-suite leaders and 65% of legal leaders say moving away from DEI would increase legal risk (Catalyst)

Yes. 81% of organizational leaders say DEI programs lead to stronger customer loyalty, according to Catalyst. And 70% of consumers are more likely to buy from companies that actively support DEI, rising to 78% among Gen Z and 74% among women.

• 79% of consumers agree companies have an important role in addressing societal challenges (APCO)
• 68% of consumers say it is important that brands they buy from promote DEI (Amazon Ads)
• 51% say DEI factors have become more important to them over the past few years
• 46% go out of their way to support brands with DEI commitments
• 45% are willing to pay more for products that promote DEI
• 36% plan to boycott companies that scale back on DEI (Catalyst)

The US labor force, like that in many countries around the world, is not homogeneous. America, Britain, and other countries are societies comprised of people of different races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities, and not acknowledging this or ensuring true equality in the workplace is incomprehensible. 

This is especially true when it’s clear that diversity in the workplace brings a range of benefits that any organization serious about surviving would want. 

That said, one thing is clear: Despite the relatively small number of companies rolling back on their efforts in this area, DEI is here to stay.

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