There are more diversity-and-inclusion executives at Fortune 500 companies than ever before, but not much has changed yet

Marguerite Ward

July 10, 2020 4:24 PM

Over the past five years, more companies have been hiring diversity, equity, and inclusion executives, according to new data from business-to-business software company ZoomInfo.

From 2015 to 2020, there has been a 113% increase in executives with diversity-and-inclusion (D&I) titles, according to the new report. You can read the ZoomInfo findings here .
D&I executives are in charge of reviewing and changing corporate policy to make sure workers from marginalized backgrounds are represented in the company, and that they feel like they're truly part of the company culture.
In addition, some 40% of Fortune 500 companies have hired D&I executives, though the report did not list specific companies.
Yet, results have been modest: Many D&I initiatives have fallen short or missed the mark, a Business Insider report found.
For example, companies continue to invest in one-off trainings, instead of complementing them with company-wide diversity initiatives, Business Insider's Weng Cheong and Caroline Hroncich reported.
D&I experts say more money needs to be spent training mid-level managers on how to hire, retain, and promote talent from marginalized backgrounds. Leaders also need to hold managers accountable for their diversity goals, experts told Business Insider.
In response to the protests over the killing of George Floyd, companies have been doubling down on D&I efforts, with more executives promising real change within their offices, and also outside them. For example, brands ranging from Coca-Cola to Starbucks and Unilever have pulled their ads from Facebook in protest of what they say is the company's failure to stop the spread of hate on its platform.
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