TORONTO – When Canadians were asked to think on a top-of-mind basis of companies which are championing diversity and inclusion for Canadians of varied backgrounds, Walmart, Nike, RBC, Tim Hortons and TD emerged as the top five according to the phase I results of Solutions Research Group’s new Diversity & Inclusion Monitor syndicated study.
Walmart was the top-ranked company mentioned by Canadians in Western Canada, Quebec and Atlantic Canada and was ranked number seven in Ontario, behind TD and Apple. In follow-up interviews, consumers were particularly likely to point out the one reason they believe Walmart is a leader is because of the diversity of its workforce, says SRG. (See regional results below)
Twenty-two of the top 25 companies (above) came from six sectors: retail (five companies), banking (five), communications (four), sports/leisure (three), QSR/food service (three) and Technology (two).
Canadian communications companies were a significant presence on the list: Bell was ranked in the 12th spot nationally, Telus came in at 14, CBC was ranked 18th and Rogers was ranked 22nd. Notably, CBC was the only media brand in the top 25 list. Regionally, Telus was ranked sixth in Western Canada while Bell was ranked fifth in both Quebec and Atlantic Canada, according to the SRG study.
The survey found a company’s employees, advertising and sponsorships are the main drivers of consumers’ perceptions of a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
In follow-up interviews with respondents, when asked about why they think of certain companies they way they do when it comes to diversity, inclusion and equity, five themes emerged.
- A company’s employee base and the composition of their teams is a big driver of impressions for customer facing companies.
- Many consumers also speak as employees in the research – if their company is actively promoting and supporting inclusive practices, this positively impacts their feelings as an employee.
- A company’s advertising – the themes of their ads, as well as casting, are big contributors to public perceptions.
- Women in particular were likely to mention brands that they felt had realistic and inclusive portrayal of women.
- Sponsorships, support of charities and communities are also noticed and mentioned.
The survey is from a polled a representative sample of 1,350 Canadians done nationally in July 2020 in both official languages and unaided mentions of companies which are perceived to be champions of diversity and inclusion were tabulated to create national as well as regional rankings, says SRG. In September 2020, follow-up interviews were conducted with a sample of 420 Canadian consumers to better understand what influenced their perceptions.
Expanded Phase II research be conducted in November with a large-sample of Canadian consumers with results becoming available in January 2021. For more information, please click here.
