The tech industry’s lack of diversity—race, gender and ethnicity — has been a hot topic in recent months. It started earlier last year when civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, among others, pressured tech giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter to publicly disclose the demographic breakdown of their staffs. Since then, other companies, including Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, have followed suit. (Some, like Cisco and Intel, have published so-called “diversity reports” for years.)
But despite the push for full transparency, a significant handful of technology companies both in and out of Silicon Valley have yet to make their numbers available.
Below are six tech giants — IBM(IBM), Oracle(OCLCF), EMC(EMC), Broadcom(BRCM), SanDisk(SNDK) and Qualcomm(QCM) — that have yet to release their data. A spokesperson for Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle says the company has no plans to do so. A few other tech companies Coins2Day spoke to were more thoughtful in their responses, asserting that while they have yet to disclose their diversity numbers, they are engaged in active, internal conversations to determine when and how they should go about doing so.
Even among those technology firms that have released diversity data, some companies are more transparent than others. For example, not all tech firms have published the entire contents of their annual EEO-1 reports, a government form requiring many employers to provide a count of their employees by job category, ethnicity, race and gender.
And, of course, there is the issue of what happens after a company releases such data—after all, transparency alone isn’t enough to move the needle on diversity and inclusion. But the flow of disclosures has led to some real action in the Valley, including a recent move by Intel to invest $300 million in STEM education in underserved regions and startups founded by women and minorities.
The real question for the companies that haven’t made their numbers available—in particular those that don’t intend to do so—is why? Yes, it is only a starting point. But judging by the tsunami of conversations the disclosures have led to, it’s an important one.
IBM
Despite the fact that Big Blue is led by a woman CEO, Ginni Rometty, it has yet to disclose its diversity numbers. A spokesperson notes that the company has been committed to an "equal opportunity" workplace for decades. “The company has a long history of leadership in workforce diversity around access to opportunity and eliminating discrimination wherever it existed in society—a legacy we continue to recalibrate and advance,” an IBM spokesperson wrote in an email to Coins2Day. Which makes it all the more puzzling why IBM wouldn't opt for full transparency when it comes to the demographic breakdown of its humongous employee base.
Oracle
The Redwood Shores, Calif.-based enterprise giant, currently led by co-CEOs Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, is another tech heavyweight that has yet to release its diversity numbers. A spokesperson says the company has no plans to do so at the moment.
Qualcomm
Qualcomm may be a little late to the party, but a spokesperson for the San Diego, Calif.-based chipmaker told Coins2Day it will release a diversity report soon. According to the company: "Qualcomm believes that a diverse, inclusive workforce is a powerful contributor to innovation and strong business performance. As part of our ongoing diversity initiatives, we will be releasing our demographic data within the next couple of months."
EMC
The data storage provider has yet to disclose its demographic breakdown, but says it is "closely looking" at its numbers.
Broadcom
The Irvine, Calif.-based semiconductor company has yet to disclose the demographic breakdown of its workforce. It didn't respond to a request for comment.
SanDisk
Flash memory maker SanDisk is another longstanding Silicon Valley company that hasn't disclosed its diversity numbers. It didn't respond to a request for comment.