Major San Diego companies and institutions have been ranked among Forbes Best Employers for Diversity in 2024.
The annual list of 500 companies recognizes strong workforce development and employee engagement practices.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Torrey Pines made the list at No. 81, as did Illumina at No. 171. For the sixth consecutive year, Sempra has been named to the list, coming in at No. 184 and eighth among utility companies.
In addition, Kaiser Permanente ranked at No. 243 and UC San Diego, at No. 358. Gilead Sciences, of Oceanside, followed closely at No. 364.
Topping the list were the insurance company Progressive, financial and retirement firm TIAA and PayPal.
Deborah Martin, vice president of people and culture and chief diversity officer, said Sempra recognizes that the company is “continuously strengthened by the diversity of our employees’ backgrounds and experiences.”
Sempra, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric said in a news release, has nearly two dozen active employee resource groups and local diversity and inclusion councils, events covering topics such as allyship and mental health awareness, and training focused on inclusive leadership.
The Best Employers for Diversity 2024, presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., were identified in an independent survey from a sample of over 170,000 U.S.-based employees working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the U.S.
The evaluation was based on personal recommendations, public recommendations and other key performance indicators. Extensive research was carried out to evaluate how companies fared across a range of diversity-related best practices, including representation, accountability and communication, internal initiatives and external involvement.
