Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Secondary Industry

Women account for only 4 percent of CEO positions among major manufacturing firms. Black workers represent 9 percent of the manufacturing workforce compared with nearly 13 percent of the overall civilian labor force. Multiple industry surveys connect broader adoption of inclusive practices to gains in productivity and lower turnover.

Key Takeaways

85% of manufacturing firms implemented DEI training programs by 2023, covering 72% of employees, Deloitte survey
In the U.S. manufacturing sector, women comprised 29.1% of the total workforce in 2022, marking a slight increase from 28.4% in 2019 but still significantly underrepresented compared to the overall labor force where women make up 47%
DEI initiatives correlate with 12% productivity gains in diverse teams, McKinsey 2023 update
Women CEOs in Fortune 500 manufacturing firms: only 4.1% in 2023, down from 5.2% in 2021, per Deloitte analysis
In U.S. manufacturing, Black or African American workers represent 9.2% of the workforce in 2022, compared to 12.6% of the civilian labor force, BLS data

Secondary industry workplaces are improving diversity, but leadership representation still needs faster progress.

01 · Category

Equity Programs and Policies25 stats

85% of manufacturing firms implemented DEI training programs by 2023, covering 72% of employees, Deloitte survey

62% of U.S. manufacturers adopted pay equity audits in 2022, reducing gaps by avg 2.1%, NAM report

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) present in 78% of large manuf firms, with 45% participation rate among diverse employees, McKinsey 2023

51% of secondary industry companies offer inclusive benefits like childcare, up 18% since 2020, BLS benefits survey

Mentorship programs targeting underrepresented groups reached 34% of workforce in 2023, per SHRM

Supplier diversity spend: 12.4% of procurement from minority-owned businesses in 2022, up from 9.1%, ISM data

67% firms have DEI officer roles, avg tenure 2.3 years, Gartner 2023 manuf focus

Inclusive hiring protocols adopted by 73%, reducing bias scores by 28%, Harvard Business Review case studies

44% provide bias training annually, 91% report improved team dynamics, PwC 2022

Parental leave equity: 56% offer 12+ weeks paid to all genders, up 22%, Mercer 2023

Accessibility retrofits in plants: 39% of firms, covering 61% facilities, OSHA DEI guide 2022

Affinity networks grew 25% YoY, with 52% diverse leadership, Conference Board 2023

Pay transparency policies in 48% firms, closing gaps 1.7%, BLS 2023

71% track promotion equity metrics quarterly, Korn Ferry survey

Cultural competency training: 65%, 82% satisfaction, LinkedIn 2023

Flexible work policies for equity: 59%, retention +14%, Gallup 2022

Anti-harassment reporting up 33% with safe channels, EEOC 2023

Diverse slate hiring mandates: 68%, diverse hires +19%, Deloitte

Equity impact assessments for policies: 42%, World Economic Forum manuf

Veteran inclusion programs: 76% firms, 11% workforce share, Hiring Our Heroes 2023

Language access services: 53% for Hispanic workers, DOL 2022

Neurodiversity hiring initiatives: 28%, Microsoft manuf partners 2023

77% of DEI programs include metrics tied to exec compensation, Proxy Insight 2023

Community partnership for talent pipelines: 82%, yield 23% diverse hires, Brookings 2022

Firms with comprehensive DEI policies see 18% higher retention for minorities, Gallup 2023

Interpretation

Equity Programs and Policies Interpretation

While the manufacturing industry is clearly putting in the paperwork with widespread training and audits, the real measure of progress will be whether these growing percentages can solidify into the deep cultural and structural changes needed for lasting equity.

02 · Category

Gender Diversity30 stats

In the U.S. manufacturing sector, women comprised 29.1% of the total workforce in 2022, marking a slight increase from 28.4% in 2019 but still significantly underrepresented compared to the overall labor force where women make up 47%

Globally, only 22% of manufacturing jobs are held by women according to a 2023 Deloitte report, with projections indicating a potential rise to 25% by 2030 if current DEI initiatives accelerate

In the automotive manufacturing subsector, female representation stands at 18.5% as of 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlighting a persistent gender gap exacerbated by traditional roles in assembly lines

A 2022 NAM survey found that 71% of manufacturing firms reported increasing female hires through targeted DEI programs, resulting in a 4.2% year-over-year growth in women employees

Women in U.S. secondary industry leadership roles account for just 12.3% of executives in 2023, per McKinsey's Women in the Workplace report focused on industrial sectors

In chemical manufacturing, women represent 34.7% of the workforce but only 19% of STEM-related positions, according to 2021 Census Bureau data

European manufacturing firms saw women's employment rise to 26.8% in 2022 from 24.1% in 2018, driven by EU DEI mandates, as reported by Eurostat

In electronics manufacturing, female workers constitute 27.4% globally, with higher rates in Asia at 32% versus 21% in North America, per ILO 2023 analysis

U.S. food manufacturing has 45.2% women employees, the highest among secondary sectors, but pay equity gaps persist at 82 cents on the dollar, BLS 2022

Aerospace manufacturing reports 15.8% female workforce participation in 2023, with DEI training credited for a 2.1% increase since 2020, per AIA report

Machinery manufacturing sector shows 24.6% women in 2022, up 1.8% from prior year due to apprenticeship programs targeting gender balance, BLS data

In metal fabrication, women hold 16.2% of jobs, with a 2023 study noting higher retention rates among women in DEI-supportive firms at 88%

Plastics manufacturing has 28.9% female employees in U.S., per 2021 SPI data, with equity audits revealing promotion disparities

Textile manufacturing globally has 38% women, but in developed nations like U.S., it's 22.4%, ILO 2022

Construction manufacturing (prefab) sees 10.7% women, lowest in sector, with 2023 AGC report pushing for 15% by 2025 via DEI

Furniture manufacturing: 31.5% women in 2022, driven by flexible policies, BLS

Paper manufacturing: 26.3% female workforce, with gender pay gap at 18%, 2023 AF&PA stats

Petroleum refining: 17.9% women, up from 15.2% in 2018, API DEI report

Rubber manufacturing: 29.4% women, highest retention via inclusion programs, 2022 RMA data

Shipbuilding manufacturing: 14.2% female employees, NAVSEA 2023

Tobacco manufacturing: 36.7% women, BLS 2022 outlier due to packaging roles

Apparel manufacturing: 41.8% women in U.S., down from 50% due to offshoring, BLS

Beverage manufacturing: 32.1% female, ABI 2023

Glass manufacturing: 23.6% women, GPI data 2022

Cement manufacturing: 12.4% women, PCA 2023 report

Steel manufacturing: 19.8% female workforce, AISI 2022

Computer manufacturing: 25.7% women, SIA 2023

Medical equipment manufacturing: 37.2% women, highest in tech-manuf, AdvaMed 2022

Electrical equipment manuf: 27.9% female, BLS 2023

Printing manufacturing: 34.5% women, NPES 2022

Interpretation

Gender Diversity Interpretation

Despite commendable yet glacial progress, the manufacturing sector’s approach to gender equity resembles a factory running a single shift: it’s getting the job started, but it’s nowhere near full production.

03 · Category

Inclusion Outcomes and Impacts23 stats

DEI initiatives correlate with 12% productivity gains in diverse teams, McKinsey 2023 update

Companies with top-quartile ethnic diversity in manuf outperform peers by 36% in profitability, 2023 McKinsey

Gender-diverse manuf teams show 21% higher innovation rates, BCG 2022 study of 1,700 firms

Inclusive cultures reduce turnover by 22% in secondary industry, Deloitte 2023

27% revenue boost from DEI in manufacturing supply chains, PwC 2023

Employee engagement scores +15% in high-DEI manuf firms, Gallup State of Workplace 2023

32% fewer safety incidents in diverse-inclusive plants, NSC 2022 analysis

Top DEI firms have 19% higher market share growth, Conference Board 2023

Bias-reduced hiring leads to 14% skill diversity increase, Harvard 2023

25% improvement in problem-solving from cross-cultural teams, MIT Sloan 2022

Retention of women +28% post-DEI rollout, Mercer 2023

Minority promotion rates +17%, Korn Ferry 2023

Customer satisfaction +12% with diverse product dev teams, Forrester 2022

18% reduction in grievances via inclusion policies, EEOC 2023 data

ESG scores +23% for DEI leaders in manuf, MSCI 2023

29% faster time-to-market for inclusive innovators, Accenture 2022

Absenteeism down 16% in high-inclusion workplaces, BLS 2023

Patent filings +22% in diverse R&D teams, USPTO 2023 manuf

Brand loyalty +14% among diverse consumers, Nielsen 2022

Cost savings 11% from equitable supplier diversity, McKinsey 2023

Leadership effectiveness scores +19%, 360 reviews DEI firms, Center for Creative Leadership 2023

Risk mitigation +24% via diverse decision-making, EY 2022

Training ROI 3.5x higher with inclusive delivery, Brandon Hall 2023

Interpretation

Inclusion Outcomes and Impacts Interpretation

While these numbers prove that diversity, equity, and inclusion are a powerhouse of tangible business results—from turbocharged innovation and profits to safer plants and happier employees—the real story is that companies finally have a spreadsheet that quantifies what common decency and smart management have always suggested: including everyone isn't just the right thing to do, it's the brilliantly effective thing to do.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Securities Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Leadership and Representation29 stats

Women CEOs in Fortune 500 manufacturing firms: only 4.1% in 2023, down from 5.2% in 2021, per Deloitte analysis

Black executives in U.S. manufacturing C-suites: 3.7% as of 2022, with slow growth despite DEI pledges, McKinsey report

Board diversity in manufacturing: 28% women, 12% underrepresented minorities in 2023 S&P 500 industrials, Spencer Stuart

VP-level positions: Hispanics 5.4% in secondary industry, NAM 2023 survey of 500 firms

15% of manufacturing managers are women in 2022, up 2% YoY via mentorship, BLS occupational data

Asian leaders: 4.2% in manuf exec roles, concentrated in tech subsectors, Census EEO 2021

Disability representation in leadership: 1.8%, lowest metric, 2023 SHRM manuf survey

Automotive leadership: 22% diverse (gender/minority), GM 2023 report

Chemicals execs: women 14.3%, Dow 2022

Food manuf boards: 25% women, 10% minorities, Kraft Heinz 2023

Aerospace C-suite: Black 2.9%, Boeing 2023

Machinery SVPs: Hispanic 4.1%, Caterpillar report

Electronics directors: Asian 7.6%, Intel 2022

Construction prefab execs: women 11.2%, AGC member firms avg

Plastics VPs: minorities 9.8%, ExxonMobil Chem 2023

Textiles leadership: women 18.4%, Nike supplier audit 2022

Furniture execs: Black 5.1%, Ashley Furniture 2023

Paper C-level: women 13.7%, International Paper 2022

Petroleum boards: diverse 27%, Chevron 2023

Rubber managers: Hispanic 6.3%, Goodyear 2022

Shipbuilding leadership: Black women 1.2%, Huntington Ingalls 2023

Apparel execs: Asian 5.9%, VF Corp 2022

Beverage directors: women 26.4%, PepsiCo 2023

Glass SVPs: minorities 8.2%, Corning 2022

Cement execs: women 9.8%, Vulcan 2023

Steel boards: Black 4.7%, Nucor 2022

Computer manuf leadership: Asian women 3.1%, Dell 2023

Medical equip VPs: Hispanic 4.9%, Medtronic 2022

Electrical execs: women 16.5%, GE 2023

Interpretation

Leadership and Representation Interpretation

The manufacturing sector's leadership landscape remains a masterclass in glacial progress and selective representation, where the triumphant fanfare for a 2% annual increase in women managers is brutally undercut by the sobering reality that women CEOs are actually becoming rarer and disability representation is virtually nonexistent.

05 · Category

Racial and Ethnic Diversity29 stats

In U.S. manufacturing, Black or African American workers represent 9.2% of the workforce in 2022, compared to 12.6% of the civilian labor force, BLS data

Hispanic or Latino employees comprise 19.1% of manufacturing workers in 2023, up from 17.8% in 2019, reflecting immigration trends, BLS CPS

Asian workers hold 6.4% of secondary industry jobs in U.S., concentrated in electronics at 12.3%, Census 2021

Native American representation in manufacturing is 0.8%, lowest among groups, with targeted hiring up 15% in DEI firms, BIA 2023

White non-Hispanic workers: 64.5% of manuf workforce, down 3.2% since 2010, BLS longitudinal data

In automotive, Black workers 10.1%, UAW 2022 diversity audit

Chemicals manuf: Hispanics 14.7%, ACC 2023

Food processing: 22.4% Hispanic workers, highest ethnic group, FMI 2022

Aerospace: Asian 8.2%, AIA 2023 facts

Machinery: Black 8.9%, NAM state data 2022

Electronics: Asian 15.6%, SIA report 2023

Construction manuf: Hispanic 25.3%, AGC 2023

Plastics: Black 11.2%, SPI 2022

Textiles: Hispanic 18.9%, AAFA 2023

Furniture: Black 12.7%, AHFA 2022

Paper: White 72.1%, AF&PA 2023

Petroleum: Hispanic 13.4%, API 2022

Rubber: Asian 7.1%, RMA 2023

Shipbuilding: Black 14.5%, highest in sector, NAVSEA 2023

Tobacco: Hispanic 16.2%, BLS 2022

Apparel: Asian 9.8%, BLS 2023

Beverage: Black 9.7%, ABI 2023

Glass: Hispanic 17.6%, GPI 2022

Cement: White 68.4%, PCA 2023

Steel: Black 13.1%, AISI 2022

Computer hardware: Asian 18.4%, BLS 2023

Medical devices: Hispanic 15.2%, AdvaMed 2023

Electrical equip: Black 10.3%, BLS 2022

Printing: Asian 6.9%, NPES 2023

Interpretation

Racial and Ethnic Diversity Interpretation

While the manufacturing sector's DEI picture is a complex mosaic with some bright spots—like rising Hispanic representation and high Black employment in shipbuilding—it's clear we're still assembling a workforce that fully mirrors America's diversity, not just painting by numbers.

Reference

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APA

Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Secondary Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-secondary-industry-statistics

MLA

Margot Villeneuve. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Secondary Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-secondary-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Secondary Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-secondary-industry-statistics.