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CV NEWS FEED // Within the last five years, there has been a significant increase in Fortune 500 companies that are religiously inclusive, according to a recent report.
The non-profit Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF) published the 2024 Corporate Religious Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI) Index and Monitor, which included statistics on the Fortune 500 companies’ increasing trends in religious inclusion.
“For the first time in the five years of this study, we find significant evidence of a surge in US and global companies giving serious public attention to including religion as an integral part of diversity and inclusion,” the 2024 REDI Index reads.
In 2022, 202 of the Fortune 500 companies mentioned or referred to “religion as part of their broader commitment to diversity,” according to a May 20 RFBF news release. In 2024, that number more than doubled, rising to 429.
In 2022, 37 of the Fortune 500 companies “showcased” that they have faith-focused employee business resource groups (EBRGs). By 2024, that number rose to 62.
Among the top 32 religiously inclusive companies in the REDI Index, each reports “that their employees attend religious diversity professional conferences, up from 92% in 2023,” according to the REDI Index. All 32 also “equitably celebrate or honor holy days of their employees, involving thousands,” the REDI Index noted.
Additionally, 94% of these top 32 companies include religion on their main website or diversity page. In 2023, it was 92%.
There were two percentage decreases noted in the statistics about the top 32 list. In 2023, 96% of these companies addressed religion in diversity training. In 2024, the percentage dropped to 94%. The REDI Index noted another decrease since 2023: “91% annually announce procedures for reporting religious discrimination, down from 96%”.
Another positive increase is that, in 2024, 94% of these companies “share best practices with other companies or organizations, up from 88%” in 2023.
Additionally, 87% of them “provide chaplains or other spiritual care for employees, up from 80%,” the Index reported.
American Airlines and Accenture were the top two most religiously inclusive companies, according to the report. The other most religiously inclusive companies include Equinix, Dell, Salesforce, Intel, Tyson Foods, American Express, PayPal, Intuit, and Google.
In the news release, RFBF Founder and President Brian Grim praised American Airlines and Accenture, stating that these companies “are a role model for best practices of religious inclusion for other companies around the world.”
“Their progress in benchmarking this area of diversity is an invitation for every company to join this journey,” he added.