Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been ranked 15th on DiversityInc’s annual list for the Top 50 Companies for Diversity, moving up two spots from last year’s ranking. In the DiversityInc specialty lists rankings, Northrop Grumman was ranked No. 2 for people with disabilities, and No. 4 for both veterans and employee resource groups (ERG). The company was also recognized as a top company for LGBT employees.
“Diversity and inclusion is rooted in our culture and our values, and we want our employees to know they can be their true selves at work,” said Kathy Warden, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. “I truly believe that diversity and inclusion drive performance. Great ideas come from diversity of thought, background, perspective, culture, gender, race, age and many other factors. We continue to make great strides in ensuring our employees feel respected and know their voices matter.”
Last year, Northrop Grumman received the highest ranking for the fifth year in a row on the Disability Equality Index (DEI), an annual benchmarking tool for companies to self-report their disability policies and practices. The company was also named a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” recipient. The award recognized the company for its exemplary policies, strategies and initiatives that have resulted in measureable outcomes in disability inclusiveness in the workplace.
“We believe that creating a workplace that values diversity and fosters inclusion is critical to promoting innovation,” said Sandra Evers-Manly, Northrop Grumman vice president of global corporate responsibility, and president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. “We consistently strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment that creates the highest levels of engagement across our entire team.”
In addition to its other initiatives, Northrop Grumman has a number of programs to support veterans, including a Veteran Inclusion Committee whose mission is to support veteran engagement, inclusion and retention; Operation IMPACT (Injured Military Pursuing Assisted Career Transition), a unique and award-winning diversity program within Northrop Grumman focused on assisting severely wounded service members as they transition from the military to a private-sector career; and the VERITAS all-inclusive employee resource group which is committed to recognizing and supporting active duty and reservists, National Guard members and veterans through community outreach and networking programs aligned with company business objectives.
Northrop Grumman has 13 ERGs that provide distinct benefits for both members and the company. Across more than 270 chapters, these groups include those supporting African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans, women, people with disabilities, veterans, LGBT employees, young professionals, parents and families, multiple generation, virtual employees and environmentalists. Through these ERGs, employees are given the opportunity to network, build their professional development and participate in community outreach.
The DiversityInc Top 50 list, issued yearly since 2001, recognizes the nation’s top companies for diversity and inclusion management. These companies excel in areas such as hiring and retaining and promoting women, minorities, people with disabilities, LGBT individuals and veterans. DiversityInc’s annual survey yields an empirically driven ranking based on recruitment, talent development, senior leadership commitment and supplier diversity.
Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.