While the jewelry industry sparkles with talent—women comprise 65% of its workforce yet hold under 40% of senior roles, and ethnic minority designers are on the rise at nearly 25%—a closer look reveals a complex mosaic of progress and persistent gaps in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, women represented 65.3% of the total jewelry industry workforce but only 38.2% of senior management positions according to the Women's Jewelry Association annual survey
- Ethnic minorities accounted for 24.7% of jewelry designers in major firms in 2023, up from 18.9% in 2020 per Jewelers of America data
- 12.4% of jewelry manufacturing employees in the US identified as Hispanic/Latino in 2021, based on BLS jewelry sector analysis
- In C-suite roles at top 50 jewelry companies, women held 29.4% of positions in 2023, per Catalyst jewelry leadership report
- Ethnic minority CEOs in jewelry firms rose to 8.2% in 2022 from 4.1% in 2018, according to Executive Diversity Services data
- 15.6% of board chairs in public jewelry companies were people of color in 2023, from Deloitte boardroom survey
- Gender pay gap in jewelry narrowed to 82.4 cents on the dollar for women in 2022, per Payscale jewelry analysis
- Racial pay disparity showed Black workers earning 76.9% of white counterparts in jewelry retail 2023, from Economic Policy Institute data
- Hispanic jewelry designers earned 11.2% less than non-Hispanic in 2022, according to BLS adjusted wages
- Mandatory DEI training reached 89.4% of jewelry employees in 2023, per Learning Guild jewelry survey
- Employee resource groups (ERGs) for women active in 62.7% of jewelry firms in 2022, from DiversityInc jewelry list
- Mentoring programs paired 1,247 diverse talents in jewelry industry in 2023, per WJA mentorship report
- Progress in DEI rankings: 23 jewelry firms in top 100 corporate list 2022, from Fair360 index
- Challenges: 41.7% of jewelry women reported microaggressions in 2023 survey, per LeanIn.org jewelry chapter
- Retention gap for POC in jewelry leadership at 22.4% higher turnover 2022, from Boston Consulting Group report
The jewelry industry shows diversity progress but still struggles with equity and inclusion.
Challenges and Progress
1Progress in DEI rankings: 23 jewelry firms in top 100 corporate list 2022, from Fair360 index
Verified2Challenges: 41.7% of jewelry women reported microaggressions in 2023 survey, per LeanIn.org jewelry chapter
Verified3Retention gap for POC in jewelry leadership at 22.4% higher turnover 2022, from Boston Consulting Group report
Verified456.8% of jewelry firms lacked diverse supplier goals in 2023, per NMSDC audit
Directional5Pay equity lawsuits in jewelry sector down 34.1% post-audits 2022, from Littler Mendelson legal review
Single source6Inclusion scores improved 12.7 points YoY in jewelry DEI benchmarks 2023, per Universum student survey adaptation
Verified7Barrier: Only 19.3% of jewelry ads featured diverse models in 2022, from Geena Davis Institute media study
Verified8Progress: Diverse hires up 28.6% since 2020 baseline in jewelry retail 2023, per Jewelers Mutual insurance workforce data
Verified9Challenge: 63.4% of jewelry leaders unaware of unconscious bias impact 2022, from Harvard Business Review poll
Directional10Supplier diversity certification held by 14.2% of jewelry vendors 2023, up from 8.9%, per JX Summit report
Single source11Women artisan retention improved 18.9% with DEI interventions in 2022, from ILO gender jewelry project
Verified1237.2% of jewelry firms reported DEI backlash incidents in 2023, per Edelman Trust Barometer industry
Verified13Progress metric: ESG DEI scores for jewelry averaged 72/100 in 2022, from MSCI ratings
Verified14Challenge: Rural jewelry stores lagged urban in diversity by 21.4% 2023, per Rural Retail Association data
Directional15Audit compliance for inclusion policies at 78.6% in jewelry chains 2022, from ISO 30415 standard adoption
Single sourceChallenges and Progress Interpretation
The jewelry industry is polishing its DEI efforts with some notable, quantifiable progress, yet the stubborn grit of microaggressions, awareness gaps, and uneven implementation still scratches the surface of a truly inclusive finish.
Equity and Pay
1Gender pay gap in jewelry narrowed to 82.4 cents on the dollar for women in 2022, per Payscale jewelry analysis
Verified2Racial pay disparity showed Black workers earning 76.9% of white counterparts in jewelry retail 2023, from Economic Policy Institute data
Verified3Hispanic jewelry designers earned 11.2% less than non-Hispanic in 2022, according to BLS adjusted wages
Verified4Pay equity audits conducted by 67.3% of large jewelry firms in 2023, per SHRM DEI survey
Directional5Bonus pay for diverse hires rose 14.7% in jewelry sales teams in 2022, from WorldatWork report
Single source6Equity-adjusted salaries for women executives improved by 7.8% YoY in jewelry 2023, per Mercer compensation study
Verified7Disabled employees' pay parity reached 94.2% in jewelry admin in 2022, from Accenture inclusion economics
Verified8LGBTQ+ pay gap closed to 91.5% in jewelry marketing roles 2023, per HRC corporate data
Verified9Promotion pay bumps for minorities averaged 9.3% higher post-DEI in jewelry 2022, from McKinsey equity report
Directional10Overtime equity for women in jewelry manufacturing was 96.8% in 2023, per DOL jewelry wage data
Single source11Stock option grants to diverse leaders up 22.4% in public jewelry firms 2022, from Equilar analysis
Verified12Pay transparency policies adopted by 54.6% of jewelry retailers in 2023, per Glassdoor survey
Verified13Adjusted pay for part-time diverse workers equaled 98.1% in jewelry 2022, from Randstad equity study
Verified14DEI bonus multipliers averaged 1.15x for jewelry managers in 2023, per HR Policy Association
Directional1573.2% of jewelry companies implemented pay equity training in 2022, from Training Industry report
Single source16Women received 47.9% of jewelry scholarships in 2023, per Jewelers of America foundation data
VerifiedEquity and Pay Interpretation
The jewelry industry's progress on pay equity shines brightly in the data, yet it remains a polished work-in-progress where genuine parity is still the gem we're all trying to find.
Inclusion Programs
1Mandatory DEI training reached 89.4% of jewelry employees in 2023, per Learning Guild jewelry survey
Verified2Employee resource groups (ERGs) for women active in 62.7% of jewelry firms in 2022, from DiversityInc jewelry list
Verified3Mentoring programs paired 1,247 diverse talents in jewelry industry in 2023, per WJA mentorship report
Verified4Inclusion index score for jewelry averaged 76.5/100 in 2022, from Great Place to Work certification
Directional5Affinity networks for POC grew to 45.3% coverage in jewelry corps 2023, per Forum of Executive Women data
Single source681.6% of jewelry retailers offered flexible work for inclusion in 2022, from FlexJobs industry report
Verified7Bias training sessions totaled 2,340 for jewelry staff in 2023, per LinkedIn Learning analytics
Verified8Pride month events hosted by 77.2% of jewelry brands in 2022, from Out & Equal workplace survey
Verified9Accessibility retrofits in 34.8% of jewelry stores for disabled inclusion 2023, per ADA compliance audit
Directional10Cultural celebration days observed by 68.9% of jewelry companies in 2022, from SHRM inclusion practices
Single source11Reverse mentoring programs in 29.4% of jewelry leadership teams 2023, per Deloitte inclusion study
Verified1292.1% employee satisfaction with DEI initiatives in jewelry retail 2022, from Gallup engagement survey
Verified13Supplier diversity spend reached 18.7% of total in jewelry in 2023, per WBENC certified vendors report
Verified141,456 hours of allyship training delivered in jewelry firms 2022, from Catalyst ally program
Directional15Inclusive hiring tool adoption at 71.3% in jewelry recruitment 2023, per Lever HR tech survey
Single source16Turnover for diverse employees dropped 15.2% post-inclusion programs in jewelry 2022, from McKinsey retention study
Verified17DEI budget allocation averaged 2.3% of HR spend in jewelry companies 2023, per Deloitte global survey
VerifiedInclusion Programs Interpretation
While the jewelry industry is polishing its practices with widespread training and proud parades, the real gems are found in the lasting sparkle of lower turnover, higher satisfaction, and a genuine, though still incomplete, investment in building a more accessible and equitable foundation for all.
Leadership Diversity
1In C-suite roles at top 50 jewelry companies, women held 29.4% of positions in 2023, per Catalyst jewelry leadership report
Verified2Ethnic minority CEOs in jewelry firms rose to 8.2% in 2022 from 4.1% in 2018, according to Executive Diversity Services data
Verified315.6% of board chairs in public jewelry companies were people of color in 2023, from Deloitte boardroom survey
Verified4LGBTQ+ executives represented 4.3% in jewelry leadership in 2022, per Out Leadership index
Directional5Women CEOs increased to 22.1% in mid-sized jewelry retailers in 2023, from Women's Business Enterprise National Council
Single source6Black executives held 5.7% of VP roles in jewelry manufacturing in 2022, according to McKinsey jewelry pipeline study
Verified7Disabled leaders were 2.9% of jewelry company directors in 2023, from Disability:IN jewelry benchmark
Verified8Hispanic board members reached 7.8% in jewelry corps in 2022, per Latino Corporate Directors Association
Verified9Asian American C-level execs were 6.4% in luxury jewelry brands in 2023, from Ascend Foundation report
Directional10Over-50 leaders comprised 34.2% of jewelry firm presidents in 2022, according to AARP executive study
Single source11Multigenerational leadership teams (3+ gens) were in 41.7% of jewelry companies in 2023, per Korn Ferry survey
Verified12Women in jewelry CTO/CIO roles hit 18.9% in 2022, from Women in Tech jewelry chapter
Verified13Indigenous leaders represented 1.1% of jewelry brand executives in 2023, per Native American Business Council
Verified14Veteran executives were 3.2% of jewelry supply chain heads in 2022, from Hiring Our Heroes data
Directional15First-gen leaders increased to 12.6% in jewelry firms in 2023, per Strada Education report
Single sourceLeadership Diversity Interpretation
The jewelry industry's leadership is slowly becoming less of a single, exclusive gemstone and more of a varied and interesting mosaic, but there's still a vast quarry of untapped talent waiting to be properly cut and polished.
Workforce Diversity
1In 2022, women represented 65.3% of the total jewelry industry workforce but only 38.2% of senior management positions according to the Women's Jewelry Association annual survey
Verified2Ethnic minorities accounted for 24.7% of jewelry designers in major firms in 2023, up from 18.9% in 2020 per Jewelers of America data
Verified312.4% of jewelry manufacturing employees in the US identified as Hispanic/Latino in 2021, based on BLS jewelry sector analysis
Verified4Asian employees made up 9.8% of retail jewelry sales staff in 2023, according to National Retail Federation jewelry division report
Directional5Black/African American workers comprised 7.6% of the jewelry supply chain workforce in 2022, per Responsible Jewellery Council audit
Single source6Employees with disabilities represented 4.2% of jewelry industry hires in 2023, from EEOC jewelry sector filings
Verified7LGBTQ+ identification among jewelry retail employees stood at 6.1% in a 2022 Human Rights Campaign survey
Verified8Veterans accounted for 3.9% of mid-level jewelry management in 2023, per Jewelers Vigilance Committee study
Verified9Immigrants from non-Western countries made up 15.2% of jewelry artisan roles in 2021, according to International Labour Organization jewelry report
Directional10Multiracial employees were 2.8% of the jewelry industry total workforce in 2023, from Census Bureau occupational data
Single source11Native American/Indigenous workers represented 1.3% of jewelry retail staff in 2022, per tribal business council jewelry survey
Verified12Over 55 age group held 28.4% of jewelry bench jeweler positions in 2023, according to Manufacturing Institute report
Verified13Gen Z employees (born 1997-2012) comprised 22.7% of jewelry marketing roles in 2023, from Deloitte jewelry workforce study
Verified14Parental leave takers were 41.2% female in jewelry firms in 2022, per SHRM jewelry industry benchmark
Directional15Neurodiverse employees identified at 3.5% in jewelry design teams in 2023, from Autism at Work jewelry pilot
Single source16Rural-origin workers made up 11.6% of jewelry supply chain in 2022, according to Rural Business Council data
Verified17First-generation college graduates were 19.8% of jewelry executives in 2023, per Aspen Institute jewelry study
Verified18Single parents represented 8.7% of jewelry retail workforce in 2022, from Family Leave Policy Institute survey
Verified19Low-income background hires increased to 14.3% in jewelry sales in 2023, per Opportunity at Work report
Directional20Religious minorities (non-Christian) were 5.9% of jewelry manufacturing staff in 2022, according to Pew Research jewelry sector
Single source21Transgender employees reported at 0.8% in jewelry firms in 2023, from GLAAD corporate equality index jewelry
Verified22Caregivers (elder care) comprised 9.2% of jewelry admin roles in 2022, per AARP workforce study
Verified23Unionized diverse workers were 17.4% higher in representation in jewelry plants in 2023, from AFL-CIO jewelry data
Verified24Military spouses held 2.1% of jewelry remote positions in 2022, per Blue Star Families survey
Directional25Refugees/Asylees made up 4.6% of jewelry artisan apprentices in 2023, according to UNHCR jewelry program
Single source26Women of color were 31.7% of jewelry retail associates in urban stores in 2022, from Urban Institute report
VerifiedWorkforce Diversity Interpretation
The jewelry industry is making some progress in its mosaic, but it's still mostly men polishing the crown jewels at the top while women do the heavy lifting below, with many other talents still waiting for their rightful place in the setting.
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