OAKLAND, Calif. — Kaiser Permanente took the top spot on DiversityInc’s 2016 Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list, reaching No. 1 for the second time since debuting on the publication’s list in 2006.
“Kaiser Permanente’s diversity has been a hallmark of our success throughout our 70-year history and is something we value and celebrate. We continue to ensure that our workforce — at all levels and in every corner of our organization — represents the diverse members, customers, and communities we are so privileged to serve,” said Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO Bernard J. Tyson. “We deeply appreciate this recognition from DiversityInc, and remain more committed than ever to strengthening our industry-leading diversity and inclusion practices.”
This is the 17th year DiversityInc has administered its Top 50 Companies survey. More than 1,800 U.S. companies participated this year. Kaiser Permanente also ranked first in 2011; last year Kaiser Permanente was ranked No. 2.
“Kaiser Permanente is honored to once again achieve DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies acknowledgement of our intentional focus on deepening and expanding our diversity and inclusion expertise,” said Ronald L. Copeland, MD, senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer. “We remain dedicated to this mission-critical work because we know creating equitable health and health care outcomes improves the lives of the millions of people who depend on us daily.”
DiversityInc also announced a number of Specialty Lists and Kaiser Permanente ranked:
- No. 2 in the DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment
- No. 6 in the DiversityInc Top 13 Companies for Supplier Diversity
- No. 12 in the DiversityInc Top 15 Companies for Mentoring
Kaiser Permanente has a long history of providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. Kaiser Permanente was the first health care organization to have a racially integrated hospital in the 1940s. Henry J. Kaiser, co-founder of Kaiser Permanente, stated at that time, “[Black patients are] to be treated like everybody else. There is no segregation at our facilities.”
Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to racial and ethnic diversity, including on the board of directors and in senior management, has grown steadily, which is why Kaiser Permanente has consistently placed in the top five of the DiversityInc Top 50 list.
DiversityInc announced its Top 50 Companies for Diversity on Tuesday, April 19, at a gala in New York City. As part of this recognition, Kaiser Permanente will be featured throughout the year on www.DiversityInc.com and in DiversityInc Magazine. For more information on the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies list, go to www.diversityinc.com/top50
