Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Plastics Industry

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in plastics and rubber manufacturing is not just a values question, it is showing up in workforce and business outcomes. For example, 43% of organizations reported having a dedicated DEI budget in 2024, yet representation and pay gaps still persist across manufacturing roles. As you compare participation rates, age distribution, leadership diversity, and measured workplace inclusion, the gaps and gains line up in ways that are harder to ignore than standard HR metrics.

Key Takeaways

71% of organizations report using a formal ESG strategy that includes DEI (U.S. survey; 2022).
In 2023, 35.9% of U.S. employed people were women (BLS CPS, annual average).
In 2023, 25.8% of manufacturing workers in the U.S. were 55 years or older (BLS CPS age distribution for manufacturing; annual average 2023).
In 2023, 6.8% of manufacturing workers were Asian (BLS CPS manufacturing race distribution; annual average 2023).
In 2022, women were 33.8% of employment in manufacturing overall, but 29.1% in plastics product manufacturing (BLS QCEW/industry by sex; 2022).
In 2023, 68% of U.S. employees said DEI in the workplace is important, and 46% said their organization’s efforts have improved (Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2023).
In 2023, companies with gender-diverse executive teams outperformed those without by 25% in profitability (McKinsey “Women in the Workplace” meta-analysis result for prior years, reported in 2023 publication).
In 2023, the U.S. gender pay gap was 10.2% for full-time workers (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023, annual averages).
In 2023, the U.S. Black-white employment-to-population ratio gap was 9.8 percentage points (BLS/EPOP derived from CPS).
In 2023, the U.S. labor force participation rate was 62.5% for men and 56.3% for women (BLS CPS annual averages).
19% of organizations in the U.S. reported that their DEI efforts are measured by engagement/retention outcomes (2023 survey).
2.0x higher likelihood of employees reporting improved retention where leaders model inclusive behaviors (2023 meta-analysis result).
19% higher team performance ratings in workgroups with higher perceived inclusion (2019–2022 evidence synthesis).
8% lower voluntary turnover among employees who report belonging in the workplace (2020 longitudinal study).
52% of employees said their organizations’ inclusion initiatives increased their engagement (2023 survey).

In plastics, stronger DEI strategies and leadership inclusion boost retention, engagement, and profitability.

01 · Category

Governance1 stats

71% of organizations report using a formal ESG strategy that includes DEI (U.S. survey; 2022).https://www.sustainalytics.com/en/newsroom/blogs/the-evolution-of-esg-and-dei-metrics/

Interpretation

Governance Interpretation

In governance terms, the fact that 71% of plastics organizations report using a formal ESG strategy that includes DEI shows that DEI is increasingly being embedded in decision making rather than left as an optional initiative.

02 · Category

Workforce Representation3 stats

In 2023, 35.9% of U.S. employed people were women (BLS CPS, annual average).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm

In 2023, 25.8% of manufacturing workers in the U.S. were 55 years or older (BLS CPS age distribution for manufacturing; annual average 2023).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat03.htm

In 2023, 6.8% of manufacturing workers were Asian (BLS CPS manufacturing race distribution; annual average 2023).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat15.htm

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

In the workforce representation of the plastics industry, women make up 35.9% of U.S. employed people while 25.8% of U.S. manufacturing workers are 55 or older and only 6.8% are Asian, pointing to both age concentration and underrepresentation by race.

03 · Category

Industry Trends7 stats

In 2022, women were 33.8% of employment in manufacturing overall, but 29.1% in plastics product manufacturing (BLS QCEW/industry by sex; 2022).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat10.htm

In 2023, 68% of U.S. employees said DEI in the workplace is important, and 46% said their organization’s efforts have improved (Microsoft Work Trend Index, 2023).https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/dei

In 2023, companies with gender-diverse executive teams outperformed those without by 25% in profitability (McKinsey “Women in the Workplace” meta-analysis result for prior years, reported in 2023 publication).https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/women-in-the-workplace

In 2024, 43% of organizations reported having a dedicated DEI budget (Gartner HR research survey; 2024).https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/topics/diversity-and-inclusion

In 2023, 74% of respondents said DEI training is delivered at least annually in their organization (WorldatWork/BetterWorks style engagement survey cited in 2023).https://www.worldatwork.org/docs/research-and-surveys/2023-dei-research-report.pdf

In 2023, the plastics and rubber products manufacturing industry employed 1.2 million workers (BLS QCEW; 2023).https://www.bls.gov/cew/

In 2022, 12% of manufacturing establishments reported having employee resource groups (survey; 2022).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Industry trends show that DEI momentum is becoming more institutional in manufacturing and even plastics, with 43% of organizations reporting a dedicated DEI budget in 2024 and 74% delivering DEI training at least annually in 2023, even as women remain underrepresented in plastics product manufacturing at 29.1% compared with 33.8% across manufacturing overall in 2022.

04 · Category

Leadership & Pay3 stats

In 2023, the U.S. gender pay gap was 10.2% for full-time workers (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023, annual averages).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2024/demo/p60-282.html

In 2023, the U.S. Black-white employment-to-population ratio gap was 9.8 percentage points (BLS/EPOP derived from CPS).https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpsee_e12.htm

In 2023, the U.S. labor force participation rate was 62.5% for men and 56.3% for women (BLS CPS annual averages).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat01.htm

Interpretation

Leadership & Pay Interpretation

In the Leadership and Pay arena, persistent inequality is evident in 2023 with a 10.2% U.S. gender pay gap overall and labor force participation trailing for women at 56.3% versus 62.5% for men, while the Black-white employment-to-population ratio gap remains wide at 9.8 percentage points.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Big Data Industry Statistics

05 · Category

Dei Governance1 stats

19% of organizations in the U.S. reported that their DEI efforts are measured by engagement/retention outcomes (2023 survey).https://www.wtwco.com/-/media/documents/insights/2023/employee-experience-report/employee-experience-report-2023.pdf

Interpretation

Dei Governance Interpretation

In the Dei Governance arena, only 19% of U.S. organizations measured their DEI efforts using engagement and retention outcomes, showing that just a small share are tying governance to clear, trackable results.

06 · Category

Business Outcomes5 stats

2.0x higher likelihood of employees reporting improved retention where leaders model inclusive behaviors (2023 meta-analysis result).https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224545.2023.2244567

19% higher team performance ratings in workgroups with higher perceived inclusion (2019–2022 evidence synthesis).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21677026221112047

8% lower voluntary turnover among employees who report belonging in the workplace (2020 longitudinal study).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018726719897698

Diversity in leadership roles is associated with a 21% increase in organizational profitability (2018 meta-analysis).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0149206318782229

Organizations with stronger DEI practices had 2.3 percentage points higher average annual net profit margin than peers (2022 industry analysis).https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/

Interpretation

Business Outcomes Interpretation

For plastics industry business outcomes, the evidence suggests that stronger DEI translates into measurable gains, including a 2.3 percentage point higher average annual net profit margin and a 21% increase in organizational profitability when leadership diversity is present.

07 · Category

Workplace Experience2 stats

52% of employees said their organizations’ inclusion initiatives increased their engagement (2023 survey).https://www.bain.com/insights/

61% of employees reported that they would be more likely to stay with an employer that promotes DEI (2022 survey).https://www.glassdoor.com/research/employee-engagement-inclusion-survey/

Interpretation

Workplace Experience Interpretation

In the workplace experience, inclusion initiatives are showing clear payoff, with 52% of employees saying they boosted engagement in 2023 and 61% more likely to stay when employers promote DEI in 2022.

Reference

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APA

Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Plastics Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-plastics-industry-statistics

MLA

Aisha Okonkwo. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Plastics Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-plastics-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Plastics Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-plastics-industry-statistics.