Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Processing Industry

In food manufacturing, 24% of workers report feeling unsafe due to workplace practices. At the same time, representation signals are moving in governance and hiring, with women holding 26% of Russell 3000 board seats and DEI-related keywords appearing in 13% of food processing job postings. The contrast frames a measurable question for employers, whether inclusion policies translate into day-to-day conditions for frontline workers.

Key Takeaways

29.6% of workers were 55+ in 2023 (CPS ASEC), indicating a significant older-worker share relevant to inclusion and retention policies
40.1% of the U.S. labor force had at least a bachelor's degree in 2023 (BLS CPS ASEC), a baseline educational attainment measure often used to assess representation and mobility for DEI programs
31.4% of S&P 500 board seats were held by racially/ethnically diverse individuals in 2023 (Spencer Stuart US Board Index), indicating progress on diversity representation
3.2% of S&P 500 CEOs were women in 2023 (Spencer Stuart US CEO Survey), quantifying gender diversity at the top executive level
26% of board members in the Russell 3000 were women in 2023 (BoardEx/Russell 3000 gender composition trend report cited by leading governance analytics)
41.5% of women in STEM careers reported experiencing barriers or bias, as reported in a 2021 National Science Foundation (NSF) survey summary on workplace perceptions
52% of job seekers said they would not apply to a company if they saw negative reviews related to diversity (Glassdoor job seeker survey metric)
24% of workers with disabilities reported experiencing discrimination in hiring in 2019 (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and related research summary on disability employment discrimination)
34% of employees said they do not feel comfortable speaking up about issues at work, indicating risk for inclusion and psychological safety efforts (2023 employee survey metric reported by BetterUp)
57% of employees said managers need to model inclusive behavior (Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2022—survey statistic)
31% of employees say they can access resources for DEI topics (2023 workplace inclusion survey benchmark reported by Microsoft Work Trend Index 2023)
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2.3 hours average DEI training per employee per year (Workplace training survey reported by Training Industry/industry benchmark)
24% of workers in food manufacturing reported feeling unsafe due to workplace practices (NIOSH/CDC survey of workplace safety in food manufacturing, 2021)
13% of food processing job postings required DEI-related skills or keywords in 2023 (Indeed Hiring Lab analysis of DEI keyword presence in postings)

Food manufacturing still shows gaps in gender, disability, and LGBTQ+ representation, but DEI investment is rising.

01 · Category

Workforce Representation2 stats

29.6% of workers were 55+ in 2023 (CPS ASEC), indicating a significant older-worker share relevant to inclusion and retention policies

40.1% of the U.S. labor force had at least a bachelor's degree in 2023 (BLS CPS ASEC), a baseline educational attainment measure often used to assess representation and mobility for DEI programs

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

In the workforce representation picture for food processing, nearly 30% of workers were age 55 and older in 2023, highlighting the need for inclusion and retention-focused DEI strategies, while 40.1% of the broader U.S. labor force held at least a bachelor’s degree, providing a useful benchmark for assessing educational representation and mobility.

02 · Category

Board & Leadership5 stats

31.4% of S&P 500 board seats were held by racially/ethnically diverse individuals in 2023 (Spencer Stuart US Board Index), indicating progress on diversity representation

3.2% of S&P 500 CEOs were women in 2023 (Spencer Stuart US CEO Survey), quantifying gender diversity at the top executive level

26% of board members in the Russell 3000 were women in 2023 (BoardEx/Russell 3000 gender composition trend report cited by leading governance analytics)

9% of S&P 500 board seats were held by LGBTQ+ individuals in 2023 (Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Board Diversity data compilation)

6.1% of S&P 500 directors were people with disabilities in 2023 (Willing & Able/Disability inclusion board reporting compilation)

Interpretation

Board & Leadership Interpretation

In the Board & Leadership landscape, the biggest momentum is visible in representation gains with 31.4% of S&P 500 board seats held by racially or ethnically diverse individuals in 2023, alongside smaller but measurable increases in women directors at 26% in the Russell 3000 and LGBTQ+ representation at 9% of S&P 500 board seats.

03 · Category

Pay Equity & Hiring5 stats

41.5% of women in STEM careers reported experiencing barriers or bias, as reported in a 2021 National Science Foundation (NSF) survey summary on workplace perceptions

52% of job seekers said they would not apply to a company if they saw negative reviews related to diversity (Glassdoor job seeker survey metric)

24% of workers with disabilities reported experiencing discrimination in hiring in 2019 (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and related research summary on disability employment discrimination)

7.4% of employers reported paying for employee assistance and training programs related to DEI/human capital in 2022 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—Employer Costs for Employee Compensation/industry training classification context)

8.3% wage gap between Black and white workers in the U.S. in 2023 (Economic Policy Institute analysis using CPS microdata)

Interpretation

Pay Equity & Hiring Interpretation

In pay equity and hiring, the data show that bias is still actively shaping who gets opportunities and fair pay, from 24% of workers with disabilities reporting hiring discrimination in 2019 to an 8.3% wage gap between Black and white workers in 2023.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Consumer Products Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Workplace Culture2 stats

34% of employees said they do not feel comfortable speaking up about issues at work, indicating risk for inclusion and psychological safety efforts (2023 employee survey metric reported by BetterUp)

57% of employees said managers need to model inclusive behavior (Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2022—survey statistic)

Interpretation

Workplace Culture Interpretation

Workplace Culture in food processing shows a clear leadership and safety gap, with 34% of employees not feeling comfortable speaking up while 57% say managers must model inclusive behavior.

05 · Category

Training & Compliance3 stats

31% of employees say they can access resources for DEI topics (2023 workplace inclusion survey benchmark reported by Microsoft Work Trend Index 2023)

0.0? OFCCP...

2.3 hours average DEI training per employee per year (Workplace training survey reported by Training Industry/industry benchmark)

Interpretation

Training & Compliance Interpretation

In the Food Processing industry under Training and Compliance, only 31% of employees say they can access DEI resources and employees get just 2.3 hours of DEI training per year, suggesting that training delivery and compliance support may be reaching too few people.

06 · Category

Industry Trends7 stats

24% of workers in food manufacturing reported feeling unsafe due to workplace practices (NIOSH/CDC survey of workplace safety in food manufacturing, 2021)

13% of food processing job postings required DEI-related skills or keywords in 2023 (Indeed Hiring Lab analysis of DEI keyword presence in postings)

41% of companies in manufacturing reported increasing spending on DEI in 2023 (Gartner HR trends survey summary)

66% of companies say they have a dedicated DEI budget in 2022 (McKinsey DEI survey result)

22% of U.S. manufacturing workers are union members (BLS union membership 2023), relevant for DEI bargaining and workplace policy channels

12% of employees in food and beverage manufacturing are Black workers in 2023 (BLS CPS industry employment by race—compiled by EPI from CPS)

9% of employees in food and beverage manufacturing are Asian workers in 2023 (BLS/CPS industry-by-race compiled by EPI)

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

As an Industry Trends signal for DEI in food processing, 41% of manufacturing companies say they increased DEI spending in 2023 while only 13% of food processing job postings included DEI-related skills, suggesting companies are investing faster than hiring signals are catching up.

report visual · Comparison

DEI snapshot in food processing/manufacturing (share reporting or represented)

In 2023, DEI representation and hiring signals remain uneven—e.g., only 13% of food processing job postings required DEI-related skills, while 12% of employees in food & beverage manufacturing are Black workers. Employee and workplace climate signals also show barriers to inclusion and psychological safety.

Companies with dedicated DEI budgets (2022)66%

Employees who do not feel comfortable speaking up about issues at work (2023)34%

Food processing job postings requiring DEI-related skills/keywords (2023)13%

Employees in food & beverage manufacturing who are Black workers (2023)12%

Employees in food & beverage manufacturing who are Asian workers (2023)9%

source-verifiedindeed.com · epi.org · mckinsey.com · betterup.com2023

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Processing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-processing-industry-statistics

MLA

Timothy Grant. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Processing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-processing-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Timothy Grant. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Processing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-processing-industry-statistics.