An exceptional diversity mission statement sends a powerful message. We found 10 examples of diversity mission statements that fit the bill.

How to Write a Diversity Mission Statement (7 Learnings)

When we reviewed the 10 diversity statement examples below, we found a lot in common. Some commonalities included themes such as:

Inclusive Language. The best diversity mission statements use inclusive language. What this means is that it is close to gender-neutral and does not have exclusionary words.

Look at Ford, for example. They have zero masculine or feminine-oriented words (i.e. gender-neutral) and they don’t have any exclusionary words.

Check out our List of Offensive (Exclusionary) for examples of exclusionary words Ongig’s Text Analyzer flags for you (update to that article: Ongig now includes many new words and phrases offensive to many Black candidates, English as a Second Language (ESL) candidates and more.).

New examples of exclusionary words include

  • “Latino” (“Latinx” is better)
  • “he/she” (“they” is preferred)
  • “the disabled” (“people with disabilities” is better)
  • “black list” (“block list” is better)
  • “brown bag sessions” (“lunch and learn sessions” is better).

Highly Readable. An effective inclusion mission statement is, like any quality writing, highly readable. What’s that mean? It means it’s written in Plain English.

For example, check out J&J’s D&I mission statement below — it’s at the 6th grade reading level. That’s not because J&J is trying to “dumb-down” the content. We recommend that readability be somewhere between the 4th to 9th-grade level (ideal) and definitely not higher than the 12th grade level (unnecessarily complex).

Ford’s D&I mission (at the 9th grade reading level) is great too. This is no coincidence: J&J and Ford likely hired a pro copywriter to make it easy to read for ALL candidates who on a busy day are attracted to simple (not complex) writing.

Check out the chart in this article about the readability levels of Apple, Warren Buffett and the NY Times. A lower reading level also has the added benefit of making your content more consumable by folks with learning disabilities and Autism. We used Ongig’s Text Analyzer to provide the readability levels of the D&I mission statements below.

Building community. Notice how OSRAM names its different stakeholders (“customers, employees, suppliers and communities”). The best diversity mission statements include stakeholders other than just your employees.

Examples of underrepresented groups. Notice that WEC Energy group mentions specific underrepresented groups like “gender, race, culture, and sexual orientation”. That’s brave. “Sexual orientation” in particular is a third-rail for some employers (i.e. it’s highly-charged). WEC is brave to mention it. Some other core groups to include are family status, religion, ethnicity, national origin, physical disability, veteran status, or age.

Mention that all levels should be diverse. Proactive Talent’s goal is to “build and leverage a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace” starting with leadership and spreading across the organization. A good diversity mission statement for corporations focuses on all levels of employees.

Mention diversity initiatives (“pillars”) if you have them. Notice how Indeed lists things like building Inclusive Resource Groups (IRGs), removing bias barriers, and building inclusive products are part of their diversity & inclusion initiative. If you have such diversity pillars as Indeed, consider mentioning it in your D&I mission statement.

Diversity thoughts and ideas count too.  You’ll notice that Proactive Talent says: “Others must treat their colleagues with respect by listening to different viewpoints, opinions, thoughts and ideas and embracing a culture of inclusion. Many D&I initiatives focus purely on being inclusive of underrepresented groups (vital)…but diversity of thoughts/ideas is also key.

Ok, let’s get to it. Below are the 10 sample diversity mission statements. We include a few bullets about readability/inclusiveness from running the statements through Ongig’s Text Analyzer Software at the bottom of each. We also highlighted feminine words in green and masculine in red for reference.

Enjoy!

10+ Examples of an Effective Diversity Mission Statement

Biogen

Global_Diversity__Equity___Inclusion biogen

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mission Statement:

To create, nurture and sustain a global, inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our patients and employees.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.43

Gender Neutrality: 2 feminine words and zero masculine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Earth Justice 

Diversity Equity an Inclusion Earthjustice

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

Earthjustice is a diverse group of people who care about the environment, who care about justice, who care about each other, coming together to make a collective impact. That is the heart of who we are.

As we think about diversity, equity, and inclusion and how we enter into community with one another, we ask that: we honor our stories, be present for each other, and strive for empathic action in every moment. At our core is the idea that we demonstrate the deepest part of our humanity through interacting with each other and showing we care.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.09

Gender Neutrality: zero masculine word and two feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Ford Foundation 

Diversity__equity__and_inclusion___Ford_Foundation

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mission Statement: 

At the Ford Foundation, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are. Our commitment to these values is unwavering – across all of our work around the world. They are central to our mission and to our impact. We know that having varied perspectives helps generate better ideas to solve the complex problems of a changing—and increasingly diverse—world.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 9.22

Gender Neutrality: zero masculine word and zero feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Indeed

Inclusion Mission Statement:

Indeed’s mission is to help people get jobs. To achieve this, we put jobseekers and companies who use Indeed at the heart of everything we do. In 2019, we declared the kind of culture we want to have and the values that are important to us. These values are: put jobseekers first, pay for performance, innovation, data-driven, and inclusion & belonging – which translates to creating an environment where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and make it easy for others to do the same.

We are committed to advancing, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging because it makes us a stronger, more successful company, and because it directly aligns with our mission to help all people get jobs.

Inclusion mission statement indeed

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.72

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and two feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Johnson & Johnson

Diversity & Inclusion Mission: 

Make D&I how we work every day. Our mission is to make D&I our way of doing business. We will advance
our culture of belonging—in which open hearts and minds combine to unleash the potential of a brilliant mix of people—in every corner of Johnson & Johnson.

diversity and inclusion policy johnson & johnson

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 6.58

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and zero feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Noodles & Company

Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

At Noodles & Company, our mission is to always nourish and inspire our team members, guests and the communities that we serve. We accomplish this by living our values of We Care, We Show Pride, We are Passionate, and We Love Life.

Our team members are individuals with unique goals and passions. After all, one person’s Wisconsin Mac & Cheese is another person’s Penne Rosa, and that’s the way it should be. We have jobs of all different shapes and sizes, which means we give people the flexibility they need to work a few hours a week or buckle-in for a life-long career. So, whether you’re working in a restaurant, out in the field, or at our Central Support Office (corporate) in Colorado, we’ll help you pursue your passions and find the right fit for you.

Inclusion & Diversity

Our noodles dishes are unique, multicultural and full of flavor. We believe that our team members should be too. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where noodlers can bring their full self to work. Striving for a team that represents the diverse communities and guests we serve makes us better.

Our approach to inclusion and diversity is rooted in listening, learning and acting. This includes conducting ongoing listening forums across the company; the implementation of an internal Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council; and the creation of a team member resource library. In addition, we have also elevated our focus on inclusion and diversity initiatives through expanded team member benefits that prioritize inclusivity and mental health.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 10.14

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and five feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Oak Hill Advisors

Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

At OHA, we operate as “One Team, One Firm” and are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment where we value and develop employees of all backgrounds and experiences. We firmly believe collaboration among team members with varied pasts and perspectives generates more incisive and deeper insights that better serve our investors, employees and community.

We aim to fulfill the following objectives:

  • Enhance employee engagement
  • Recruit, develop and retain talented employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences
  • Expand community engagement and impact

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.84

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and three feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Proactive Talent

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Diversity Mission Statement:

To build and leverage a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace by building leadership capability and organizational capacity. This requires all employees and freelance contractors to do their part. Leaders must possess diversity and inclusion competencies to lead and manage an engaged workforce. Others must treat their colleagues with respect by listening to different viewpoints, opinions, thoughts and ideas and embracing a culture of inclusion.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.75

Gender Neutrality: three masculine words and one feminine word

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Tanger Outlets

Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

Tanger Outlets is deeply committed to representing and reflecting the unique experiences, perspectives and viewpoints of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Tanger strives to champion diversity, equity and inclusion for all. This empowers us to reach our full potential, fueling innovation and connection with our employees and the customers and communities we serve.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 11.41

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and two feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Uber

uber diversity and inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

At Uber, our mission is to ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion. We see direct parallels between how we ignite opportunity through our company and how we ignite it within our company. But we also know that a solely data-driven approach will never be sufficient, because D&I is more than a box to check or a target to hit. The numbers matter, but they’re only a starting point; a commitment to diversity and inclusion has to run much deeper. That’s why we’ve set an audacious goal: to make Uber the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace on the planet. And we’re not just setting high expectations for our own good. We’re aiming sky-high because we know from experience that reducing and eliminating inequity is hard to do if all you shoot for is incremental change.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 9.56

Gender Neutrality: one masculine word and one feminine word

# of Exclusionary Words: None

WEC Energy Group

Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement:

We live in a world of great diversity – gender, race, culture, age, sexual orientation, abilities, skills, experience, values, hopes, fears and dreams. In human diversity we see strength, the uniqueness that each of us can contribute to the greater good. By valuing this diversity, we are each afforded, and in turn afford others, the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our company’s success. At WEC Energy Group, we are committed to maximizing both individual contributions and organizational effectiveness through the diversity of our workforce. We are committed to being an inclusive organization where all employees feel valued, respected and engaged. For this purpose, we will:

  • Ensure a highly qualified and diverse organization in all areas and at all levels.
  • Actively seek out and encourage diverse ideas, perspectives and points of view.
  • Establish an inclusive work environment that respects and embraces diversity.

These commitments reflect our strong determination to be a high-performance, pluralistic organization that will have a sustained competitive advantage in a global energy marketplace.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 12.44

Gender Neutrality: five masculine words and four feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Other Fortune 500 Diversity Mission Statement Samples

If you want to see how some other large organizations write their D&I mission statements, here are examples of some from 4 Fortune 500 companies.

Amazon

Diversity and inclusion mission statement amazon

Diversity & Inclusion Mission Statement:

Amazon’s mission is to be the earth’s most customer-centric company, and this mission is central to our work in diversity and inclusion.

Diverse and inclusive teams have a positive impact on our products and services, and help us better serve customers, selling partners, content creators, employees, and community stakeholders from every background. We are constantly learning and iterating, whether through central programs, or work within our business teams, through programs that are local, regional, and global.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 12.86

Gender Neutrality: 1 feminine word and zero masculine words.

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Chevron

Chevron Diversity Inclusion council mission statement

Diversity Council Mission Statement:

Chevron has more than 15 diversity councils across its business units that help management align diversity and inclusion efforts with business strategies.

Chevron is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion at all levels of our company. It is a cornerstone of our corporate values of high performance, integrity, trust, partnership, and protecting people and the environment. We know that hiring and retaining individuals with an array of talents, ideas and experiences propels the innovation that drives our success. A diverse workforce and inclusive culture help us strengthen areas that need improvement and inspire creative solutions. We believe the attention given to diversity and inclusion makes us more agile, trustworthy and innovative.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 13.33

Gender Neutrality: 4  feminine words and 2 masculine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Coca-Cola

Diversity Inclusion mission coca-cola

Global Diversity Mission:

As both a global and local business, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values and is an important part of Coca-Cola’s success. For us, creating a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do — it is a strategic business priority that fosters greater creativity, innovation and connection to the communities we serve.

The Global Office of Diversity and Inclusion is responsible for driving strategy, ownership, and results of diversity and inclusion across the company. Serving as an internal consultant, the Diversity and Inclusion Office works cross-functionally with senior leaders, Human Resources, Business Resource Groups and Councils to help create an inclusive environment.

We focus on four strategic imperatives under the CARE acronym: create, articulate, regulate and evaluate.

  1. Create an inclusive environment by engaging diverse talent and influencing recruitment, development, advancement and retention.
  2. Articulate our Diversity & Inclusion progress through proactive communications.
  3. Regulate and manage workplace equality, fairness and
  4. Evaluate by creating and updating a systematic set of tools and resources.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 14.07

Gender Neutrality: 4 feminine words and 1 masculine word

# of Exclusionary Words: None

HPE

Inclusion Mission Statement & Vision:

Our vision for inclusion at HPE is to create a workplace that values unique contributions to build greater understanding of our people, communities, and customers that enables us to achieve our purpose.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Diversity and Inclusion

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 12.14

Gender Neutrality: 1 feminine words and zero masculine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

OSRAM

OSRAM Diversity

Diversity Mission Statement:

OSRAM SYLVANIA is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We promote fair and open access to career opportunities. An inclusive, supportive climate enables us to better meet the needs of our customers, employees, suppliers and communities. We believe that variety of opinion, approach, perspective and talent are the cornerstones of a strong, flexible and competitive company.

Ongig Text Analyzer Scores

Readability Grade Level 12.80

Gender Neutrality: four masculine words and three feminine words

# of Exclusionary Words: None

Want us to review your Diversity Mission Statement Samples?

These diversity and inclusion mission statements just scratch the surface. Know of other diversity mission statement samples? We would love to add them to the list!

We can also use Ongig’s Text Analyzer to see how they score for bias and readability. Just email heather@ongig.com with the name of the company and a link to the diversity mission statement.

One of the worst mistakes you could make in a D&I mission statement is to use an offensive/exclusionary word!

WHY I WROTE THIS

Ongig is on a mission to help eliminate boring and biased job content. With Diversity and Inclusion in the spotlight, many employers are updating their diversity mission statement. Ongig’s Text Analyzer enables employers to write more inclusive job content.

by in Diversity and Inclusion