Also:

• No. 7 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women
• No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

American Express has a long history as a diversity leader and has been on this list every year since it started in 2001.

The company’s 16 groups, which it calls employee networks, are models for other companies. They have groups for Muslims, Christians and Jews as well as a group for virtual employees. These groups are used extensively for recruitment, engagement and talent development and to create innovative ideas to reach multicultural consumers, both in the United States and globally.

Chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault has been a strong advocate of diversity at all levels and has Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Executive Recruitment Jennifer Christie as a direct report.

American Express has been at the forefront of creating flexible workplaces and understanding the need to allow its employees the ability to succeed both at home and at work. The company has a strong global diversity council and has been increasing its efforts to understand complex local issues and their impact on its global business.

The company has a strong history of community philanthropy, with a third of its philanthropic spend going toward multicultural nonprofits. More than a third of its senior executives sit on the boards of multicultural charities.

American Express received DiversityInc’s Top Company for Resource Groups special award in 2011.

U.S. Headquarters: New York City

Global Employees: 61,000

U.S. Employees: 26,965

Last Year’s DiversityInc Top 50 Ranking: No. 13