No local companies make diversity list

Globe Staff

Tough times have taken a toll on corporate diversity, according to Black Enterprise, a magazine that describes itself as a "business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans."

The magazine's July issue unveiled its sixth annual listing of the "40 Best Companies for Diversity," and no Massachusetts-based companies made this year's list.

The magazine invited roughly a thousand companies nationwide to participate in its survey, said Stacia Tackie, Black Enterprise's vice president of research. Some companies choose not to participate. The survey examined the number of African-Americans in a company's workforce, the number that held senior management positions, and the number that had seats on a company's board of directors. Also factored in was the amount of business companies did with minority owned suppliers.

One company that did well "across the board" was McDonald's Corp., Tackie said. Also making the list was Procter & Gamble Co., which has a presence in Massachusetts since its acquisition of Gillette Co. Another top 40 diversity company is Bank of America Corp., which also has a big presence in Massachusetts.

The Coca-Cola Co., Ford Motor Co., and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are some other well known companies that made the list.

“As the economy recovers, the organizations on our list of the '40 Best Companies for Diversity' continue to use inclusion as part of their business strategy,” Black Enterprise Careers/Lifestyle editorial director Sonia Alleyne said in a statement. “Although they have been forced to make organizational changes in the current environment, these companies have maintained their commitment to diversity across the board. They realize that hiring diverse employees and leveraging differences sharpens their competitive edge.”