The Most Diverse and Inclusive Workplaces in California, According to Employees

A team working in The Riveter in Portland, photographed by All Go, an app for the inclusion of plus size people in determining comfort and accessibility of public spaces

This year, we made Staffing Industry Analyst’s Diversity Owned Staffing Firms’ List. As a women-owned business, we’re thrilled to be included on SIA’s list of diverse companies, which features  “a record 122 firms [that reported they were] women-owned, 67 with women Asian Indian or Asian Pacific ownership…four veteran-owned firms, and four LGBTQ-owned firms.”   

Since we’re in the business of inclusive hiring — and bringing more diversity to companies around California — we’ve decided to celebrate by paying it forward. Here is our list of some favorite diverse companies in California. Each one is committed to building diversity and inclusion into their work culture.

 

Most Diverse and Inclusive Companies in California

A note on our selection process: The following list is in alphabetical order (not ranked). Our selections are based on existing research and publications, including self-reported employee studies and awards given by national publications, including Fortune and Forbes. We’ve also referenced awards by nonprofits doing important work for diversity and inclusion. You’ll find those primary sources below. We encourage you to dive more deeply into the data.

 

Cisco Systems, Inc

Location: San Jose, CA

With close to 40,000 employees, minorities make up nearly 50% of Cisco’s team. Equally important: Minorities also make up 30% of its executive team. Cisco’s diversity and inclusion programs include a commitment to pay parity and social justice. The company has received numerous awards recently, including making Human Rights Campaign’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality in 2022. They were #9 on Great Places to Work’s Best Workplaces for Women™ in 2021, too.

 

Cooley, LLP

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Along with Cisco, Cooley also made the 2021 Best Workplaces for Women™ list. In that survey, 97% of employees said they were proud to work at Cooley. And a whopping 96% agreed that “management is honest and ethical in its business practices.” Cooley also made #29 on Fortune’s Best Workplaces to Work for Women list in 2021 — and #19 for diverse companies in the Bay Area.

 

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Delta Dental of California

Location: San Francisco, CA

With its 5,000 employees, Delta Dental of California is one of California’s most diverse companies. That landed Delta at #362 on Forbes’ America’s Best Employers For Diversity (2022) list and #171 on its America’s Best Mid-Size Employers List. These awards are largely thanks to its “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Guiding Principles,” which include a commitment to team diversity and vendor and partner diversity.

 

Visa

Location: San Francisco, CA

We’ll swipe on Visa. The company landed on Human Rights Campaign’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality 2022, as well as Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index. Visa has 11 dedicated Employee Resource Groups and an “Equal Pay for Equal Work” initiative. Those are just two of its diversity and inclusion initiatives. Its team is made up of 42% women and 63% non-white in the U.S. 35% of its leadership are women, as well.

 

Workday

Location: Pleasanton, CA

What’s not to love about Workday? The company is committed to a program called Value inclusion, belonging, and equity™. It also has a dedicated Workday Chief Diversity Officer, Carin Taylor. “We believe [in] a supportive and inclusive workplace, where everyone feels valued and included,” says Taylor. “[That] is the key to great products, happy customers, and an enduring company.” To that end, the company has dedicated employee resource groups, known as Employee Belonging Councils. It has also signed the White House Equal Pay Pledge, the Business Statement for Transgender Equality, and the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge.

 

 



Are you seeking employment in California at a diverse company? Star Staffing can help you
find the perfect workplace. And if you’re a hiring manager looking to build a more inclusive workforce, we can help. Contact us today


A note on our feature image:
Image courtesy of Allgo. Allgo is an app “where plus-size people rate the comfort and accessibility of public spaces so others can know what to expect” via Unsplash. Allgo has provided Unsplash with a database of images featuring plus-size people in office and coworking spaces because “we recognized the need for more stock photos featuring plus-size people and decided to help fill this gap.”