The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list was announced at our event in New York. The list included companies from a wide range of industries, including consulting, retail, manufacturing and banking. The full list can be found at www.DiversityInc.com/top50.

PricewaterhouseCoopers was named the No. 1 company. “U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner Bob Moritz has a comprehensive understanding of the business case for diversity and holds his direct reports and managing partners accountable for results,” said DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti. “Starting eight years ago, PwC decided to have senior partners spend a rotational tour as the chief diversity executive, Maria Castañón Moats being the latest. This is a critical best practice that has propelled PwC to the top. As an example of how strong PwC is, it has a third more women in the top two levels of senior management than the remaining DiversityInc Top 10.”

In a breakthrough year, huge gains in diversity were seen at the senior-most levels. At the CEO level, companies in the DiversityInc Top 50 have twice the percentage of women as the Fortune 500, triple the percentage of Asians and four times the percentages of Blacks and Latinos. There also were significant year-to-year increases in the DiversityInc Top 50. For example:

• 36 percent more Blacks, Latinos and Asians in the top executive level (CEO and direct reports) vs. last year
• 7 percent more women in the top executive level vs. last year
• 15 percent more Blacks, Latinos and Asians on boards of directors vs. last year
• 13 percent more procurement with minority- and women-owned businesses vs. two years ago

“This is a transitional year,” said Visconti. “We were struck by the change of diversity of the CEOs and managing teams of the companies on our list. It’s much different from just five years ago. I see this as being a result of increasing emphasis at the most competitive companies, who link diversity management to creating a nimble and innovative corporate culture.” 

Read From Our Event: Best Practices of the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 and watch video coverage from all the learning sessions.

For best practices in CEO commitment and increasing diversity in talent development, visit www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com. Also watch our diversity web seminar on innovations in diversity management.

Additionally, DiversityInc recognized the unique achievements of seven companies in Community Development, Talent Pipeline, Working Families, Global Cultural Competence, Resource Groups, Diversity-Management Progress and Supplier Diversity. Read about the companies that won.

Methodology 

A total of 587 companies participated in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 competition, up 11 percent from the previous year. Twelve percent more companies were able to answer every question on the 300-field survey, which is divided into four parts: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.

The results are determined by statistical analysis. It is an independent editorial process and there is no fee to enter the competition and no requirement to conduct business with DiversityInc.

There has been significant movement on the list this year:

• Twenty companies moved up in rank; 24 moved down; six kept the same ranking
• Three companies moved on to the list from the 25 Noteworthy Companies list last year
• Two companies came back to the list after falling off last year
• Two companies made the list for the first time, one of which was a first-time participant

Surveys are sent out in September to all interested companies that have at least 1,000 employees, with a due date for an online submission of March 1. There is no fee to enter and companies that have business relationships with DiversityInc get no preference. Every company that fills out the survey receives a free report card assessing performance in the four areas measured. Any company interested in participating in 2013 should fill out this DiversityInc survey-request form.