POWER PLAYERS: The 10 most influential diversity leaders fighting inequality in corporate America right now

Business Insider

• Business Insider selected 10 of the most influential diversity and inclusion chiefs at some of the nation's top companies.
• We reviewed each leader's ability to increase representation and inclusion programs at their current companies. We used awards and honors such as Fortune's 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity list to decide which companies to include.
• In interviews with Business Insider, these leaders shared their unique approach to diversifying their workplaces.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's long seemed as though white-collar offices in finance and tech largely ignored people of color and women when recruiting for important roles, creating a so-called boys' club for straight white men.

The civil-rights movement and #MeToo movement have helped bring down some barriers, but equality for marginalized groups in the US still has a ways to go. A 2018 survey, for example, found that only 26% of professional computing jobs were held by women. And women of color make up just 4% of top executives.

Companies are facing mounting public pressure to address inequality. Many have published diversity reports outlining their challenges and accomplishments, and even more are relying on new C-suite and executive roles to drive those efforts. The demand for diversity and inclusion professionals is on the rise. Job postings for D&I roles saw a 36% spike from 2016 to 2018, according to job site Indeed.

To recognize the growing scope of these new power players, Business Insider has selected 10 of the most influential leaders in diversity and inclusion working in top US companies.

We reviewed each leader's ability to increase representation and inclusivity programs and turned to honors such as Fortune's 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity list to make our decision.

In interviews with Business Insider, leaders shared their unique approach to diversifying their workplaces. Some say the key to diversity is to ensure board rooms and C-suites include people of color, while others invest in pipeline programs within underserved communities.

Here are 10 of the most influential diversity and inclusion leaders in corporate America in 2020.