Four food companies made DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity list this year — The Hershey Company, The Kellogg Company, PepsiCo, and McCormick & Company. PepsiCo is a newcomer to the list, while the others have appeared on several past lists.
DiversityInc has compiled this list annually since 2001. The ranking is based on a survey of companies with at least 750 US employees, resulting in a report card on their performance in several key areas, including leadership accountability, workplace practices, and supplier diversity.
#6 The Hershey Company
2021 Ranking: #10
2020 Ranking: #21
2019 Ranking: #25
2018 Ranking: #33
The Hershey Company, which has been steadily climbing up the ranks since its debut on the list in 2018, inched up four more spots this year to take the #6 spot.
“One of the things I most value in a team is diverse thinking,” said Michele Buck, Hershey’s Chairman and CEO. “The more that a team is representative of the actual population, the more you get that diverse thinking, and we see that every day.”
Hershey moved up from 43rd to 23rd place on the “Top Companies for Environmental, Social & Governance” sublist and claimed a spot on several of DiversityInc’s other specialty lists, including:
- Top Companies for Executive Diversity Councils (#4)
- Top Companies for Talent Acquisition for Women of Color (#6)
- Top Companies for Veterans (#8)
- Top Companies for Latino Executives (#9)
- Top Companies for Sponsorship (#12)
#35 Kellogg Company
2021 Ranking: #31
2020 Ranking: #34
2019 Ranking: #21
2018 Ranking: #18
2017 Ranking: #28
2016 Ranking: #30
2015 Ranking: #26
2014 Ranking: #31
2013 Ranking: #32
2012 Ranking: #49
Although The Kellogg Company fell back four spots to #35 this year, the company has consistently been on DiversityInc’s list each year since 2012.
This year, Kellogg came #9 for “Top Companies for Environmental, Social and Governance.” The company also snatched up spots on several specialty lists, including:
- Top Companies for Latino Executives (#5)
- Top Companies for Supplier Diversity (#6)
- Top Companies for People with Disabilities (#18)
- Top Companies for Veterans (#18)
- Top Companies for Employee Resource Groups (#24)
This year marks PepsiCo’s first appearance on DiversityInc’s list at #49. The company also took the #15 spot on the “Top Companies for Board of Directors” specialty list.
#50 McCormick & Company
2021 Ranking: #47
2020 Ranking: #44
2019 Ranking: #41
2018 Ranking: #37
2017 Ranking: #45
McCormick & Company dropped to the last spot in its sixth year on the overall list and came in at #35 on the “Top Companies for Environmental, Social & Governance” specialty list.
These four companies have demonstrated their commitment to improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace and will hopefully encourage more food and beverage companies to follow their lead.
