George Mason University is one of the nation’s best employers for diversity, according to a just-released evaluation by Forbes and its online statistics partner Statista.
Mason is ranked 180th on the list of 500 companies in the annual rankings, which were released Jan. 15. The rankings include some of the country’s most influential and recognizable companies, including Nike, Apple and Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
Mason is joined in the top 200 by two other Virginia public institutions: the University of Virginia and Old Dominion University. It is ranked ahead of such companies as Microsoft, Northrop Grumman and New Balance.
Mason was not on the 2018 list. Its inclusion in 2019 reflects the university’s commitment to improving diversity among faculty and staff, a key part of the university’s strategic goals.
“We are proud and excited [that] some of the steps we have taken toward a diverse and inclusive workforce have paid off for us,” said Julian Williams, vice president of compliance, diversity and ethics at Mason.
U.S News & World Report ranks Mason’s student body as the most diverse in Virginia and 25th nationally. Mason’s commitment to diversity in its staff and faculty not only enriches the education of the university’s students but also makes Mason a better workplace in its day-to-day operations, Williams said.
Williams added that Mason will continue to improve itself to become a more inclusive workplace to people of a variety of experiences, identities and backgrounds.
The top 500 of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity” were chosen based on an independent survey from a representative sample of 50,000 employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people.
According to Statista, respondents were asked open-ended questions on a series of statements surrounding the topics of age, gender, equality, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+ and general diversity concerning their own employers. The rankings were aggregated using four criteria: direct recommendations, indirect recommendations, diversity among top executives or board members and diversity key performance indicators.
More information about Mason’s ranking can be found on the Forbes website.