Top Ten: Diverse Companies in Manufacturing

Ensuring everyone in this world has access to opportunity is of paramount importance. Manufacturing, like every other industry, is made smarter, stronger and more socially responsible by a diverse workforce. So when we see companies making major strides, it’s time to celebrate. Here’s the Manufacturing Digital breakdown of the top ten diverse manufacturing companies in 2024.  

General Electric (GE)

General Electric (GE) is a global industry leader, building technologies that have changed the world. Established in 1892 and headquartered in Boston, the company operates in many sectors, ranging from aviation to renewable energy to healthcare. 

General Electric has strong commitments to workplace diversity and inclusion. For nearly 30 years, the organisation’s dedicated Employee Resource Groups have been bringing in diverse talent and fostering inclusivity. These groups include the African Affinity Forum, the Asian Pacific Allies and Friends, the Hispanic Forum, the Women’s Network and the Pride Alliance. This extensive network speaks not only to GE’s steadfast commitment to fostering diversity but also to the global nature of the company, with operations involving numerous countries and communities.

Siemens

Siemens is a multinational conglomerate with businesses in electrification, automation, and digitalisation. It operates in various industries, including energy, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Siemens describes itself as a ‘focused technology company’ that operates across infrastructure, industry, transport and healthcare, helping to build resilient supply chains and resource-efficient factories. As a company, they are particularly notable for their confident embrace of emerging technologies, from digital twins to smart factories to advanced AI applications.

Siemens has a steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion. It has 32,000 employees of 170 different nationalities, a 27% company share of women with 45% on the Siemens supervisory board and 4,800 disabled employees. The company has over 75 employee resource groups, which include Ability at Siemens, Cultural Diversity at Siemens, Pride at Siemens, Women at Siemens and other Diversity Dimensions and Interests. 

“The importance of belonging is universal,” said Natalia Oropeza, Chief Cybersecurity and Diversity officer at Siemens AG. “Cultivating an environment where all employees feel like they belong is more than just our mission, it’s also our passion.”

Toyota

Toyota is one of the world's largest automotive manufacturers with a diverse range of vehicles and products, including hybrid and electric cars. They have 380,000 employees, 71 manufacturing companies and 20 design and R&D centres worldwide. In 2023 their gross profit was US$61.699bn and their vehicle sales were a staggering 9 million 610 thousand units. 

Toyota has embarked on a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey (DE&I) to enhance the accessibility of their facilities, create inclusive training and develop protective policies. In 2021 they held their first European Diversity Conference, and have a Women’s Network, LGBTIQ+ network, Diverse Abilities network, Cultural Diversity network and Multi-Generations network. 

Samsung:

Samsung is a South Korean company that is one of the world’s largest producers of electronic devices. With business and personal applications, they specialise in producing a variety of consumer and industry electronics, including appliances, digital media devices, semiconductors, memory chips, and integrated systems.

Samsung has a global team and believes innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and workforce. They have an extensive network of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) from True Ability which supports neurodiverse and disabled employees, to the Galaxy of Black Professionals to several different groups supporting Women at Samsung. 

Unilever:

Established over 100 years ago, Unilever is a multinational consumer goods company, known for its global brands. They have a diverse portfolio of food, beverage, personal care and cleaning agent brands, including Dove, Ben and Jerry’s and Domestos. The company sells in over 190 countries and had a US$63.9bn turnover at its 4.4 million retail stores in 2023. Unilever employs over 128,000 people worldwide and 55% of their managers are women. 

Unilever has committed itself to diversity and inclusion, with Employee Resource Groups for minority employees and strict policies. It is also a founding member of The Unstereotype Alliance, which seeks to use the power of advertising to challenge stereotypes. It was co-convened by UN Women and Unilever for the first time in Cannes in 2017.

Procter & Gamble (P&G): 

Founded in 1837 by William Proctor and James Gamble, Procter & Gamble is a multinational consumer goods company with products including health care, grooming, household care products and beauty. As of 2023, they have 107 thousand employees and an annual revenue of US$82.006bn. 

Procter & Gamble also iterates firm diversity expectations. In 2023 their board was 47% women and 33% of members were from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Its Citizenship Program refers to the company’s efforts in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas, including its Habitat for Humanity program which builds global homes and communities and its 30-year-long disaster relief support programme.

3M: 

3M is a diversified technology company operating in various sectors, including healthcare, consumer goods, and industrial products. In 2023 they had 85,000 employees and a turnover of US$32.6bn, continuing their commitments to improving lives and doing business in ‘the right way’. 3M is an example of successful diversification, securing competitive advantage and integrating its multiple businesses. They’ve accomplished this through capable division managers, effective incentives, an aligned corporate culture, a supportive corporate centre, and appropriate performance measures.

3M embraces diversity and inclusion, with multiple Employee Resource Networks. Examples of these networks include the Women’s Leadership Forum and LGBTQ+ networks (3M Pride).

ABB: 

ABB is a leading global technology company specialising in robotics, power, and automation technologies. The company serves customers in the utilities industry, ABB is committed to advancing inclusivity and diversity, investing in extensive leadership development programmes. With their Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2030, they seek to double the proportion of women in senior management roles to 25% through targeted initiatives and training.

The company also has three additional targets for diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI): to achieve an equal gender balance among our early talent hires, to provide broader access for our people to Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and to improve employee perceptions of inclusiveness at ABB.

“We are all human and we see diversity as a core strength,” said Björn Rosengren, ABB CEO. “Therefore, we seek to create an inclusive environment, in which everyone is safe, treated with respect and can succeed. We want our people to be proud of ABB and proud of what we stand for."

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and automation solutions. The company offers diverse products and services for various industries, including energy, infrastructure, and data centres. They have 135,000 global employees and in 2023 had a revenue of US$38.8bn. 

In terms of employee diversity, their employees are of five generations, 182 nationalities and from 108 countries. Schneider Electric champions diversity, with 41% of their executive roles being held by women since 2022. 

Caterpillar

Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. The company has a diverse product portfolio and a global footprint. In 2023 they made a revenue of US$67.1bn and 113,200 global employees. 

The company has a three-pillar D&I Framework which outlines its strategic approach to diversity and inclusion. The objective is to weave D&I seamlessly into the business, ensuring that the principles guide Caterpillar's daily operations. It appears to have been highly successful, with the company winning numerous awards of inclusion such as the Forbes 2024 award for ‘Best Employers for Diversity’ and the Financial Times 2024 award for ‘Europe’s Diversity leaders’. 

Diversity in manufacturing can mean many things- but it ultimately means superior relationships, companies, leadership and performance. We look forward to manufacturing growing more diverse in 2024, as companies strive to ensure everyone has the opportunity to succeed. 

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