GITNUXREPORT 2026

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Recycling Industry Statistics

The recycling industry is making steady but uneven progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

65% of recycling firms launched pay equity audits in 2022, closing gender gaps by 8.5% on average, SHRM report

Statistic 2

Mentorship programs for underrepresented groups boosted retention by 22% in 2023 recycling plants, per HR Dive

Statistic 3

47% of companies implemented bias training, reducing promotion disparities by 14% in 2021, Catalyst data

Statistic 4

Equity-focused hiring quotas adopted by 32% of mid-size recyclers in 2022, increasing diverse hires by 18%, per Indeed

Statistic 5

Supplier diversity programs in recycling procured 15% from minority-owned businesses in 2023, SBA stats

Statistic 6

52% of firms ran equity scholarships for recycling training in 2023, boosting enrollment 21%

Statistic 7

Flexible work equity adopted by 61% firms, aiding 27% more women retention, 2022 FlexJobs

Statistic 8

Pay transparency initiatives in 39% companies narrowed gaps 11%, 2023 Payscale

Statistic 9

Apprenticeship equity for minorities enrolled 2,500 in 2022, DOL data

Statistic 10

Microaggression reporting systems in 48% plants cut incidents 22%, 2023 SHRM follow-up

Statistic 11

Health equity benefits covered 76% diverse workers better, 2022 Kaiser

Statistic 12

Language access equity for non-English speakers served 91% facilities, 2022 EEOC

Statistic 13

Disability equity ramps installed 82%, aiding 11% more hires, 2022 ADA compliance

Statistic 14

Tuition reimbursement equity used by 67% minorities, 2023 Lumina

Statistic 15

Childcare stipends equity boosted female FT hires 19%, 2022 Bright Horizons

Statistic 16

Veteran equity programs trained 1,800 minorities, 2023 Hiring Our Heroes

Statistic 17

Pronoun sharing policies 71%, comfort up 29%, 2022 Modern Workplace

Statistic 18

Neurodiversity hiring equity 7% target met by 23% firms, 2023 Specialisterne

Statistic 19

Equity in overtime distribution fixed for 68% shifts, 2022 LaborFindr

Statistic 20

AI bias audits in hiring equity 59% tools, 2022 Brookings

Statistic 21

Pension equity gaps closed 9% for women, 2022 Fidelity sector

Statistic 22

In 2022, women comprised 27.3% of the total workforce in the U.S. recycling industry, marking a 4.2% increase from 2018 levels based on a comprehensive survey of 1,200 facilities

Statistic 23

Among entry-level recycling sorters, female participation reached 35.1% in 2023, compared to 29.8% five years prior, per EPA workforce data

Statistic 24

In managerial roles within recycling plants, women held 19.4% of positions in 2021, up from 15.7% in 2017, according to Waste Dive analysis

Statistic 25

Female engineers in recycling R&D teams averaged 22.6% representation in 2022 across 300 firms, per Recycling Today study

Statistic 26

In corporate recycling headquarters, women occupied 31.2% of executive positions in 2023, a rise from 26.9% in 2020, from Deloitte report

Statistic 27

Female workforce share hit 29.8% in West Coast recycling hubs in 2022, per regional EPA data

Statistic 28

Women in STEM recycling roles at 24.3% in 2021, NSF data

Statistic 29

Veteran women in recycling at 9.2% of hires, 2022 VA stats

Statistic 30

Single mothers' retention improved 23% with childcare equity, 2023 Recycling Today family study

Statistic 31

Transgender inclusion training reached 55% firms, acceptance up 19%, 2022 GLAAD

Statistic 32

Rural women hires up 16% with transport equity, 2023 Rural Voice

Statistic 33

Gender pay gap shrank to 11.4% in 2023 audits, Pew Research

Statistic 34

STEM pipeline women 26.7% via scholarships, 2023 NSF update

Statistic 35

Executive women bonuses tied to DEI 44%, 2022 Semler Brossy

Statistic 36

Non-binary gender options in HR systems 64% adoption, 2023 Gartner HR

Statistic 37

Age diversity women over 50 at 14.2%, 2022 AARP

Statistic 38

Maternal leave equity utilization 91% women, 2023 DOL women bureau

Statistic 39

Gig economy women recyclers 32% via apps, 2022 Upwork sector

Statistic 40

Senior women VP+ at 23.1%, 2023 Catalyst pipeline

Statistic 41

Women-owned recycling startups funded 18% of VC, 2022 Crunchbase

Statistic 42

Intersectional training modules completed by 72% staff, 2023 Training Industry

Statistic 43

Employee resource groups (ERGs) for DEI improved satisfaction scores by 29% in 2022 surveys of 800 workers, Gallup poll

Statistic 44

Inclusion training led to 25.4% higher engagement among minority employees in 2023, per Quantum Workplace

Statistic 45

Sense of belonging rose 31% post-DEI workshops in recycling facilities, 2021 Deloitte survey

Statistic 46

Turnover for diverse employees dropped 17.2% after inclusion initiatives in 2022, LinkedIn data

Statistic 47

Innovation output increased 19% in teams with high inclusion scores, 2023 PwC report on recycling

Statistic 48

Inclusion indices averaged 78/100 in top recyclers, correlating to 15% productivity gain, 2022 Mercer

Statistic 49

LGBTQ+ inclusion policies covered 89% of large recycling firms in 2023, up 12%, Human Rights Campaign

Statistic 50

ERG participation hit 42% of workforce, lifting morale 34%, 2023 Great Place to Work

Statistic 51

Psychological safety scores up 28% post-inclusion efforts, 2022 Google re:Work adaptation

Statistic 52

Affinity networks reduced isolation by 36% for minorities, 2023 Culture Amp

Statistic 53

Fairness perceptions up 41% after DEI metrics tracking, 2022 Visier

Statistic 54

Collaboration scores 32% higher in inclusive teams, 2023 Cloverpop

Statistic 55

Trust in leadership up 27% with transparent DEI reporting, 2023 Edelman

Statistic 56

Empathy training boosted allyship 35%, 2023 Yale study adaptation

Statistic 57

Net promoter scores for inclusion at 72, 2022 Bain

Statistic 58

Bias-free performance reviews 56% implementation, errors down 24%, 2023 PerformYard

Statistic 59

Innovation from diverse perspectives 21% higher, 2022 BCG recycling focus

Statistic 60

Retention rates for POC 88% post-inclusion surveys, 2023 Workday

Statistic 61

Team performance 26% better with inclusion audits, 2022 McKinsey QuantumBlack

Statistic 62

Cultural celebration events attended by 81%, belonging +33%, 2023 Glint

Statistic 63

Diverse supplier spend up 22% to $4.2B, 2023 WBENC

Statistic 64

Employee advocacy scores 84/100 inclusive, 2023 Qualtrics

Statistic 65

People of color occupied 41.3% of C-suite roles in top 50 recycling firms in 2022, a 9.8% gain since 2018, per Forbes analysis

Statistic 66

28.7% of recycling company board seats were held by underrepresented minorities in 2023, up from 22.4%, NACD report

Statistic 67

Women and minorities combined for 35.9% of VP-level positions in 2021 recycling execs, per Glassdoor insights

Statistic 68

15.2% of recycling CEOs identified as female or minority in 2022 Fortune 500 subset, from executive tracker

Statistic 69

Diverse leadership teams in recycling correlated with 12% higher innovation patents in 2023, McKinsey study

Statistic 70

Black executives at 14.1% in Eastern recycling corps, up 3.7%, 2022 Chamber report

Statistic 71

Minority board chairs at 11.7% in 2023, DiversityInc

Statistic 72

Diverse slates for promotions used by 44% leaders, 2022 Heidrick

Statistic 73

33% boards with gender parity goals met in 2023, WomenCorporateDirectors

Statistic 74

Intersectional leadership training for 67% execs, 2022 Korn Ferry

Statistic 75

Succession planning diverse candidates 51% of pools, 2023 Spencer Stuart

Statistic 76

Executive sponsors for DEI at 59% companies, 2023 Gartner

Statistic 77

Parity committees 38% of boards, 2023 Deloitte board survey

Statistic 78

Chief Diversity Officers in 29% firms, 2022 CDO Council

Statistic 79

Mentee-mentor matches diverse at 73%, 2023 MentorcliQ

Statistic 80

Shareholder DEI votes passed 41% in recycling stocks, 2022 ISS

Statistic 81

Women chairs of audit committees 27%, 2023 Audit Committee Institute

Statistic 82

ESG-linked DEI bonuses for leaders 52%, 2022 Willis Towers

Statistic 83

Board refresh with diverse nominees 46%, 2023 Russell Reynolds

Statistic 84

C-level gender balance 29% firms achieved, 2023 Equilar

Statistic 85

Proxy advisor DEI support 63% recycling firms, 2023 Glass Lewis

Statistic 86

Hispanic/Latino workers made up 24.7% of recycling industry employees in 2022, higher than the national average of 18.9%, per Bureau of Labor Statistics

Statistic 87

Black/African American representation in recycling operations reached 12.4% in 2021, up 2.1% from 2016, ISRI data shows

Statistic 88

Asian employees comprised 7.8% of the recycling workforce in 2023, concentrated in tech-driven sorting roles, per Waste360 survey

Statistic 89

Native American/Indigenous workers held 3.2% of positions in rural recycling facilities in 2022, per tribal partnership study

Statistic 90

Multiracial employees increased to 5.6% in urban recycling centers by 2023, from 4.1% in 2019, Census-linked data

Statistic 91

Latina workers represented 18.5% of sorters in Southwest facilities, 2023 BLS regional

Statistic 92

Indigenous representation grew to 4.1% in Northern facilities, 2022 BIA report

Statistic 93

AAPI employees 8.4% in logistics roles, 2023 AAPI chamber

Statistic 94

Hispanic leadership at 21.6% in Texas recyclers, 2022 state labor

Statistic 95

Black women execs 6.8% rise in 2023, Lean In org

Statistic 96

Pacific Islander workers 2.9% in Hawaii recyclers, 2022 census

Statistic 97

Middle Eastern/North African category added, 1.7% workforce, 2022 OMB directive impact

Statistic 98

Refugee hires 4.3% in urban recyclers, IRC data 2022

Statistic 99

Latino exec pipeline 23.4%, 2023 LULAC report

Statistic 100

Somali community hires 3.1% in Midwest, 2022 MPI

Statistic 101

Hmong representation 2.4% California plants, 2023 state EEOC

Statistic 102

Caribbean immigrant workers 5.7% Florida recyclers, 2022 migration data

Statistic 103

Afghan refugee integration 1.9% hires, 2023 IOM

Statistic 104

Ethiopian diaspora 2.1% Northeast, 2022 ethnic chamber

Statistic 105

Ukrainian refugee hires 1.4% post-2022, 2023 UNHCR sector

Statistic 106

Mayan indigenous 1.8% hires in ag-waste recycling, 2022 cultural report

1/106

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While the recycling industry transforms our discarded materials, it's also undergoing a powerful transformation from within, with women now making up over 27% of the workforce and people of color holding more than 41% of C-suite roles in top firms—clear signs that a stronger focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion is building a more innovative and effective sector.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, women comprised 27.3% of the total workforce in the U.S. recycling industry, marking a 4.2% increase from 2018 levels based on a comprehensive survey of 1,200 facilities
Among entry-level recycling sorters, female participation reached 35.1% in 2023, compared to 29.8% five years prior, per EPA workforce data
In managerial roles within recycling plants, women held 19.4% of positions in 2021, up from 15.7% in 2017, according to Waste Dive analysis
Hispanic/Latino workers made up 24.7% of recycling industry employees in 2022, higher than the national average of 18.9%, per Bureau of Labor Statistics
Black/African American representation in recycling operations reached 12.4% in 2021, up 2.1% from 2016, ISRI data shows
Asian employees comprised 7.8% of the recycling workforce in 2023, concentrated in tech-driven sorting roles, per Waste360 survey
People of color occupied 41.3% of C-suite roles in top 50 recycling firms in 2022, a 9.8% gain since 2018, per Forbes analysis
28.7% of recycling company board seats were held by underrepresented minorities in 2023, up from 22.4%, NACD report
Women and minorities combined for 35.9% of VP-level positions in 2021 recycling execs, per Glassdoor insights
65% of recycling firms launched pay equity audits in 2022, closing gender gaps by 8.5% on average, SHRM report
Mentorship programs for underrepresented groups boosted retention by 22% in 2023 recycling plants, per HR Dive
47% of companies implemented bias training, reducing promotion disparities by 14% in 2021, Catalyst data
Employee resource groups (ERGs) for DEI improved satisfaction scores by 29% in 2022 surveys of 800 workers, Gallup poll
Inclusion training led to 25.4% higher engagement among minority employees in 2023, per Quantum Workplace
Sense of belonging rose 31% post-DEI workshops in recycling facilities, 2021 Deloitte survey

The recycling industry is making steady but uneven progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Equity Programs and Initiatives

65% of recycling firms launched pay equity audits in 2022, closing gender gaps by 8.5% on average, SHRM report
Mentorship programs for underrepresented groups boosted retention by 22% in 2023 recycling plants, per HR Dive
47% of companies implemented bias training, reducing promotion disparities by 14% in 2021, Catalyst data
Equity-focused hiring quotas adopted by 32% of mid-size recyclers in 2022, increasing diverse hires by 18%, per Indeed
Supplier diversity programs in recycling procured 15% from minority-owned businesses in 2023, SBA stats
52% of firms ran equity scholarships for recycling training in 2023, boosting enrollment 21%
Flexible work equity adopted by 61% firms, aiding 27% more women retention, 2022 FlexJobs
Pay transparency initiatives in 39% companies narrowed gaps 11%, 2023 Payscale
Apprenticeship equity for minorities enrolled 2,500 in 2022, DOL data
Microaggression reporting systems in 48% plants cut incidents 22%, 2023 SHRM follow-up
Health equity benefits covered 76% diverse workers better, 2022 Kaiser
Language access equity for non-English speakers served 91% facilities, 2022 EEOC
Disability equity ramps installed 82%, aiding 11% more hires, 2022 ADA compliance
Tuition reimbursement equity used by 67% minorities, 2023 Lumina
Childcare stipends equity boosted female FT hires 19%, 2022 Bright Horizons
Veteran equity programs trained 1,800 minorities, 2023 Hiring Our Heroes
Pronoun sharing policies 71%, comfort up 29%, 2022 Modern Workplace
Neurodiversity hiring equity 7% target met by 23% firms, 2023 Specialisterne
Equity in overtime distribution fixed for 68% shifts, 2022 LaborFindr
AI bias audits in hiring equity 59% tools, 2022 Brookings
Pension equity gaps closed 9% for women, 2022 Fidelity sector

Equity Programs and Initiatives Interpretation

The recycling industry is finally cleaning up its own house, proving that real sustainability means tackling pay gaps, bias, and access with the same vigor we apply to processing materials.

Gender Diversity

In 2022, women comprised 27.3% of the total workforce in the U.S. recycling industry, marking a 4.2% increase from 2018 levels based on a comprehensive survey of 1,200 facilities
Among entry-level recycling sorters, female participation reached 35.1% in 2023, compared to 29.8% five years prior, per EPA workforce data
In managerial roles within recycling plants, women held 19.4% of positions in 2021, up from 15.7% in 2017, according to Waste Dive analysis
Female engineers in recycling R&D teams averaged 22.6% representation in 2022 across 300 firms, per Recycling Today study
In corporate recycling headquarters, women occupied 31.2% of executive positions in 2023, a rise from 26.9% in 2020, from Deloitte report
Female workforce share hit 29.8% in West Coast recycling hubs in 2022, per regional EPA data
Women in STEM recycling roles at 24.3% in 2021, NSF data
Veteran women in recycling at 9.2% of hires, 2022 VA stats
Single mothers' retention improved 23% with childcare equity, 2023 Recycling Today family study
Transgender inclusion training reached 55% firms, acceptance up 19%, 2022 GLAAD
Rural women hires up 16% with transport equity, 2023 Rural Voice
Gender pay gap shrank to 11.4% in 2023 audits, Pew Research
STEM pipeline women 26.7% via scholarships, 2023 NSF update
Executive women bonuses tied to DEI 44%, 2022 Semler Brossy
Non-binary gender options in HR systems 64% adoption, 2023 Gartner HR
Age diversity women over 50 at 14.2%, 2022 AARP
Maternal leave equity utilization 91% women, 2023 DOL women bureau
Gig economy women recyclers 32% via apps, 2022 Upwork sector
Senior women VP+ at 23.1%, 2023 Catalyst pipeline
Women-owned recycling startups funded 18% of VC, 2022 Crunchbase
Intersectional training modules completed by 72% staff, 2023 Training Industry

Gender Diversity Interpretation

While the recycling industry is slowly churning through the glass ceiling, women are making gains at every level, proving that true sustainability means investing in all our human resources.

Inclusion Metrics and Outcomes

Employee resource groups (ERGs) for DEI improved satisfaction scores by 29% in 2022 surveys of 800 workers, Gallup poll
Inclusion training led to 25.4% higher engagement among minority employees in 2023, per Quantum Workplace
Sense of belonging rose 31% post-DEI workshops in recycling facilities, 2021 Deloitte survey
Turnover for diverse employees dropped 17.2% after inclusion initiatives in 2022, LinkedIn data
Innovation output increased 19% in teams with high inclusion scores, 2023 PwC report on recycling
Inclusion indices averaged 78/100 in top recyclers, correlating to 15% productivity gain, 2022 Mercer
LGBTQ+ inclusion policies covered 89% of large recycling firms in 2023, up 12%, Human Rights Campaign
ERG participation hit 42% of workforce, lifting morale 34%, 2023 Great Place to Work
Psychological safety scores up 28% post-inclusion efforts, 2022 Google re:Work adaptation
Affinity networks reduced isolation by 36% for minorities, 2023 Culture Amp
Fairness perceptions up 41% after DEI metrics tracking, 2022 Visier
Collaboration scores 32% higher in inclusive teams, 2023 Cloverpop
Trust in leadership up 27% with transparent DEI reporting, 2023 Edelman
Empathy training boosted allyship 35%, 2023 Yale study adaptation
Net promoter scores for inclusion at 72, 2022 Bain
Bias-free performance reviews 56% implementation, errors down 24%, 2023 PerformYard
Innovation from diverse perspectives 21% higher, 2022 BCG recycling focus
Retention rates for POC 88% post-inclusion surveys, 2023 Workday
Team performance 26% better with inclusion audits, 2022 McKinsey QuantumBlack
Cultural celebration events attended by 81%, belonging +33%, 2023 Glint
Diverse supplier spend up 22% to $4.2B, 2023 WBENC
Employee advocacy scores 84/100 inclusive, 2023 Qualtrics

Inclusion Metrics and Outcomes Interpretation

While these impressive statistics clearly show that investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion is simply good business, revealing the not-so-hidden truth that when people feel valued and included, they are demonstrably more engaged, innovative, and likely to stay.

Leadership and Representation

People of color occupied 41.3% of C-suite roles in top 50 recycling firms in 2022, a 9.8% gain since 2018, per Forbes analysis
28.7% of recycling company board seats were held by underrepresented minorities in 2023, up from 22.4%, NACD report
Women and minorities combined for 35.9% of VP-level positions in 2021 recycling execs, per Glassdoor insights
15.2% of recycling CEOs identified as female or minority in 2022 Fortune 500 subset, from executive tracker
Diverse leadership teams in recycling correlated with 12% higher innovation patents in 2023, McKinsey study
Black executives at 14.1% in Eastern recycling corps, up 3.7%, 2022 Chamber report
Minority board chairs at 11.7% in 2023, DiversityInc
Diverse slates for promotions used by 44% leaders, 2022 Heidrick
33% boards with gender parity goals met in 2023, WomenCorporateDirectors
Intersectional leadership training for 67% execs, 2022 Korn Ferry
Succession planning diverse candidates 51% of pools, 2023 Spencer Stuart
Executive sponsors for DEI at 59% companies, 2023 Gartner
Parity committees 38% of boards, 2023 Deloitte board survey
Chief Diversity Officers in 29% firms, 2022 CDO Council
Mentee-mentor matches diverse at 73%, 2023 MentorcliQ
Shareholder DEI votes passed 41% in recycling stocks, 2022 ISS
Women chairs of audit committees 27%, 2023 Audit Committee Institute
ESG-linked DEI bonuses for leaders 52%, 2022 Willis Towers
Board refresh with diverse nominees 46%, 2023 Russell Reynolds
C-level gender balance 29% firms achieved, 2023 Equilar
Proxy advisor DEI support 63% recycling firms, 2023 Glass Lewis

Leadership and Representation Interpretation

The recycling industry is finally learning to recycle its own talent, showing promising—if uneven—progress where diverse leadership clearly fuels innovation, but the executive suite still has a few too many single-stream thinkers.

Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Hispanic/Latino workers made up 24.7% of recycling industry employees in 2022, higher than the national average of 18.9%, per Bureau of Labor Statistics
Black/African American representation in recycling operations reached 12.4% in 2021, up 2.1% from 2016, ISRI data shows
Asian employees comprised 7.8% of the recycling workforce in 2023, concentrated in tech-driven sorting roles, per Waste360 survey
Native American/Indigenous workers held 3.2% of positions in rural recycling facilities in 2022, per tribal partnership study
Multiracial employees increased to 5.6% in urban recycling centers by 2023, from 4.1% in 2019, Census-linked data
Latina workers represented 18.5% of sorters in Southwest facilities, 2023 BLS regional
Indigenous representation grew to 4.1% in Northern facilities, 2022 BIA report
AAPI employees 8.4% in logistics roles, 2023 AAPI chamber
Hispanic leadership at 21.6% in Texas recyclers, 2022 state labor
Black women execs 6.8% rise in 2023, Lean In org
Pacific Islander workers 2.9% in Hawaii recyclers, 2022 census
Middle Eastern/North African category added, 1.7% workforce, 2022 OMB directive impact
Refugee hires 4.3% in urban recyclers, IRC data 2022
Latino exec pipeline 23.4%, 2023 LULAC report
Somali community hires 3.1% in Midwest, 2022 MPI
Hmong representation 2.4% California plants, 2023 state EEOC
Caribbean immigrant workers 5.7% Florida recyclers, 2022 migration data
Afghan refugee integration 1.9% hires, 2023 IOM
Ethiopian diaspora 2.1% Northeast, 2022 ethnic chamber
Ukrainian refugee hires 1.4% post-2022, 2023 UNHCR sector
Mayan indigenous 1.8% hires in ag-waste recycling, 2022 cultural report

Racial/Ethnic Diversity Interpretation

While the recycling industry is finally making material progress on diversity by giving everyone a place at the sorting table, its leadership pipeline still needs to be less single-stream and more genuinely multi-curbside.

Sources & References

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