Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Wellness Industry

Consumer demand is clear. Thirty-three percent of consumers want wellness content and services that include different body types, ages, and abilities, and 72% expect brands to be transparent about diversity and inclusion initiatives. The stakes are medical as well. A peer-reviewed meta-analysis reports discrimination is associated with worse health outcomes, while inclusion inside organizations is linked to higher engagement and greater likelihood of staying.

Key Takeaways

33% of consumers say they want wellness content and services that are inclusive of different body types, ages, and abilities.
72% of consumers want brands to be transparent about diversity and inclusion initiatives.
2.4x: inclusion (team belonging) is associated with 2.4x higher likelihood of recommending employer per a Gallup workplace inclusion analysis.
1.7x: employees perceiving inclusive culture are 1.7 times more likely to be engaged (Gallup).
9.6% lower: one peer-reviewed meta-analysis reports that discrimination is associated with worse health outcomes (effect size varies by study).
32% of employees believe leadership lacks commitment to DEI (employee perception).
54% of HR leaders reported that diverse talent recruitment is a top DEI priority.
38% of healthcare workers report being more likely to stay when their workplace is inclusive (employee intention metric).
67% of employees say inclusion improves their willingness to stay.
7.9% CAGR: the global wellness economy is projected to grow at 7.9% CAGR from 2022 to 2027 (industry forecast).
$8.5 billion: estimated U.S. wellness tourism revenue in 2023 (industry tracking).
12.5% growth: global corporate wellness market forecast growth rate for 2023–2028 (industry forecast).
31% of adults in the U.S. report having a disability, indicating a large population impacted by accessibility and inclusive program design.
11.7% of the U.S. population is foreign born (2023 estimates), affecting language/cultural inclusion in wellness access and services.
12.0% of private-sector workers in the U.S. were union members in 2023, providing a context for inclusive workplace practices and collective protections.

Inclusion and transparency drive wellness engagement, retention, and better health outcomes.

01 · Category

Consumer Behavior2 stats

33% of consumers say they want wellness content and services that are inclusive of different body types, ages, and abilities.

72% of consumers want brands to be transparent about diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Interpretation

Consumer Behavior Interpretation

From a consumer behavior standpoint, 72% of people say brands need to be transparent about diversity and inclusion efforts, and 33% specifically look for wellness content and services that include different body types, ages, and abilities.

02 · Category

Performance Metrics3 stats

2.4x: inclusion (team belonging) is associated with 2.4x higher likelihood of recommending employer per a Gallup workplace inclusion analysis.

1.7x: employees perceiving inclusive culture are 1.7 times more likely to be engaged (Gallup).

9.6% lower: one peer-reviewed meta-analysis reports that discrimination is associated with worse health outcomes (effect size varies by study).

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

In the wellness industry’s performance metrics, inclusion signals strong results, with 2.4x higher employer recommendation and 1.7x greater employee engagement tied to inclusive culture, while discrimination is linked to 9.6% worse health outcomes overall.

03 · Category

Talent & Leadership3 stats

32% of employees believe leadership lacks commitment to DEI (employee perception).

54% of HR leaders reported that diverse talent recruitment is a top DEI priority.

38% of healthcare workers report being more likely to stay when their workplace is inclusive (employee intention metric).

Interpretation

Talent & Leadership Interpretation

Talent and leadership remain a key DEI leverage point, since 54% of HR leaders prioritize diverse recruitment yet 32% of employees say leadership lacks commitment to DEI.

04 · Category

Workplace Inequality1 stats

67% of employees say inclusion improves their willingness to stay.

Interpretation

Workplace Inequality Interpretation

With 67% of employees saying that inclusion improves their willingness to stay, it’s clear that workplace inequality in the wellness industry can directly affect retention.

05 · Category

Market Size3 stats

7.9% CAGR: the global wellness economy is projected to grow at 7.9% CAGR from 2022 to 2027 (industry forecast).

$8.5 billion: estimated U.S. wellness tourism revenue in 2023 (industry tracking).

12.5% growth: global corporate wellness market forecast growth rate for 2023–2028 (industry forecast).

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

From a market size perspective, the wellness industry is expanding fast with a projected 7.9% CAGR from 2022 to 2027, alongside rising demand such as $8.5 billion in US wellness tourism revenue in 2023 and 12.5% growth in global corporate wellness between 2023 and 2028, creating a bigger stage for DEI-focused offerings.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Supply Chain Industry Statistics

06 · Category

Workforce Representation2 stats

31% of adults in the U.S. report having a disability, indicating a large population impacted by accessibility and inclusive program design.

11.7% of the U.S. population is foreign born (2023 estimates), affecting language/cultural inclusion in wellness access and services.

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

With 31% of U.S. adults reporting a disability and 11.7% of the population being foreign born, workforce representation in wellness should prioritize both accessible roles and culturally and linguistically inclusive support to meet the needs of a large, diverse talent and client base.

07 · Category

Workplace Equity4 stats

12.0% of private-sector workers in the U.S. were union members in 2023, providing a context for inclusive workplace practices and collective protections.

3.7% wage gap: women earned 0.82 dollars per every dollar paid to men in 2023 among full-time, year-round workers, supporting the business case for equity in compensation.

0.9 percentage points: the overall difference in employment rates between disabled people and those without disabilities in the U.S. narrowed to 31.0% vs 30.1% (2010 vs 2019 trend figures vary), motivating improved accessibility and inclusive design.

10.2% of employees in the U.S. report that they do not feel safe being themselves at work (2023 Gallup workplace measure reported via public summaries).

Interpretation

Workplace Equity Interpretation

Workplace Equity remains a pressing business issue because in 2023 women earned just 0.82 dollars for every dollar men earned while 10.2% of U.S. employees say they do not feel safe being themselves at work.

08 · Category

Talent Attraction1 stats

47% of job seekers report they are more likely to apply to a company with a reputation for DEI (2023 survey).

Interpretation

Talent Attraction Interpretation

In the wellness industry, 47% of job seekers say they are more likely to apply when a company has a strong DEI reputation, showing that DEI credibility is a key lever for attracting top talent.

09 · Category

Customer Demand1 stats

46% of consumers say they would switch brands to one that supports their social or environmental values (2022).

Interpretation

Customer Demand Interpretation

With 46% of consumers saying they would switch brands to one that supports their social or environmental values, customer demand in the wellness industry is clearly rewarding DEI aligned offerings.

10 · Category

Health Outcomes5 stats

In a 2023 pooled analysis, higher perceived discrimination was associated with worse self-rated health across multiple studies (meta-analytic direction consistent), reinforcing DEI as health-relevant.

A 2022 systematic review found that workplace discrimination is associated with higher levels of psychological distress (effect sizes vary across studies).

A 2020 meta-analysis reported that perceived discrimination is associated with increased depressive symptoms (directional association; magnitude varies by study).

In a 2019 cohort study, patients experiencing discrimination in healthcare settings had higher odds of adverse health outcomes (reported odds ratios > 1 across outcome categories).

In 2022, 19.6% of adults in the U.S. reported unmet need for mental health care, indicating gaps that inclusive, accessible wellness programs can help address.

Interpretation

Health Outcomes Interpretation

Across these health outcomes findings, discrimination is consistently linked to worse mental and general health, including a 2022 systematic review showing workplace discrimination relates to higher psychological distress and a 2020 meta-analysis tying perceived discrimination to increased depressive symptoms, alongside the fact that 19.6% of US adults reported unmet mental health care needs in 2022.

Reference

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APA

Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Wellness Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-wellness-industry-statistics

MLA

Min-ji Park. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Wellness Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-wellness-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Min-ji Park. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Wellness Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-wellness-industry-statistics.