2021 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Annual Report

TOGETHER BY DESIGN

At AT&T, we’re in the business of connecting people. We know that to connect the world, we must reflect the world. For over five decades, we’ve prioritized equity and encouraged diversity and inclusion. 

Bringing people together from diverse backgrounds isn’t always easy, and it doesn’t just happen. But when we take the time to make meaningful connections and understand one another, we often find that our differences are the source of our greatest strengths.

In 2021, we continued to rewrite the blueprints for what it means to be a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive company that brings people Together by Design.

Michelle Jordan - Chief Diversity Officer

With more than 200,000 employees across 63 countries, AT&T is one of the largest U.S.-based private employers. In 2021 we maintained a diverse workforce despite the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing societal polarization and corporate transformation.

Overall, women make up 33% of our global workforce, a percentage that compares favorably to the average across companies in our industry. While the number of women in our U.S. frontline jobs decreased in 2021, representation of women in senior leadership positions increased. The percentage of diversity in our U.S. workforce increased to 47% last year, driven by employees in frontline and management positions. While we still have an opportunity to improve diversity at the senior leadership level, overall the representation of people of color in our workforce significantly exceeds that of other telecommunications companies.

Beyond race and gender, our employees represent a wide mix of generations, identities, abilities and experiences. This collective strength is the driving force behind our active Employee Networks (ENs) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Along with advancing the professional development of their members, in 2021 our ENs and ERGs volunteered nearly 132,000 hours of their time and donated nearly $21 million in support of causes they champion – acts of service we recognized with the Excellence in Action Impact Awards at our 2021 Employee Group Conference.

In 2021 we also expanded our diversity dialogue to include faith with the launch of our new Employee Resource Group, Faith@Work. Co-founded by a Jewish employee and a Muslim employee, Faith@Work is committed to bringing together people of all faiths (or no faith at all) to learn more about different religions, collaborate on community engagement and increase understanding and respect for all expressions of religious belief.

To build a diverse and inclusive workforce, we prioritize recruiting and hiring talented people who reflect the world in which we live and work. In 2021, we collaborated with Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), sponsored conferences, completed benchmarking surveys, and supported organizations and initiatives committed to providing an equal opportunity for all. When you look at the results, the extra effort was all worth it.

GENERATIONS

thirteen point eight percent baby boomers
forty three point three percent generation x
Thirty four point 1 percent generation y
Eight point eight percent generation z

The COVID-19 pandemic affected vulnerable populations disproportionally, despite positive digital participation outcomes for people worldwide. AT&T provided access to resources and services to communities experiencing challenges. Through volunteerism, philanthropy, and community partnerships, we use the AT&T brand to design a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

In 2021 we continued to support LGBTQ+ rights and equal justice reforms, and also focused our efforts on helping to bridge the digital divide, which is the gap between those that have access to the connectivity, digital resources and skills they need to benefit from the online world and those that don’t. As a media and telecommunications company, we understand that while new technologies can create growth and opportunity, they can also heighten economic inequalities and sharpen social divisions. That’s why we made a commitment to invest $2 billion over the next three years to help bridge the digital divide for unconnected Americans, including residents of rural and underserved communities.

By expanding broadband networks, donating computers and providing free digital learning resources, we’re helping to close the homework gap and positively impact the lives of people living in underserved, underrepresented or low-income communities.

While closing the digital divide will require significant capital investment and close collaboration between the public and private sectors, CEO John Stankey noted that, “…the economic and social benefits of narrowing the digital divide will more than pay for itself.”

AT&T’s customer base is multinational and multicultural – as diverse as the world itself. We strive to keep our customers’ needs at the center of everything we do, whether it’s interacting with them in their preferred language or ensuring they are positively represented in our marketing and advertising.

Last year, we continued to celebrate and connect with the communities we serve with customer initiatives like A Ti Y A Ti, Turn Up the Love and Dream in Black. These initiatives celebrate the diversity of our customers and address the unique interests of the Native American, Hispanic/Latino, LGBTQ+ and Black communities.

As the personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic reverberated into 2021, we responded to emerging customer needs with a new hotline service to help combat the mental health crisis in America. We also addressed the continuing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with affordable connectivity plans like the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and the Affordable Connectivity Program.

By recognizing our customers for who they are, we are committed to keeping them connected to what matters to them most.

customers_component1_left.jpg
customers_component1_right.jpg

We’re proud to be one of the first U.S. corporations to have a Supplier Diversity program. Launched in 1968 during a period of civil unrest, this program sought to alleviate the economic disparities many diverse businesses encountered at that time. Over the years our goal has remained simple: connect diverse businesses with opportunities to provide products and services to AT&T globally.

In 2021, AT&T spent $13.3 billion with certified diverse businesses, exceeding our 21.5% goal.* We also surpassed a $3 billion commitment to drive diversity, equity and inclusion across our business and the communities where we live and work by spending $3 billion with Black-owned suppliers. Through our continued commitment to our supplier outreach and development programs, we now have more than 20,000 suppliers around the world, representing the wide range of trades we engage with across our operating units.

Beyond the companies we do business with, AT&T’s Supplier Diversity program seeks to make meaningful and measurable contributions to the economic growth of diverse companies and communities. To that end, DE&I performance is a key component of AT&T Supplier Diversity strategy. In 2021, our supplier spend contributed directly to supporting over 400,000 diverse jobs with our suppliers and their subcontractors - 190,000 jobs for people of color and 220,000 jobs for women.**

With $214 billion spent with diverse suppliers over the past 53 years, we remain committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive supply chain because we know it makes us a stronger company.

 

thirteen point three billion spent with diverse businesses
Over twenty thousand suppliers globally
suppliers_stats3.png

2021 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AWARDS

Although awards and recognition are not the driving force for our commitment and work toward diversity, equity and inclusion, we celebrate achieving recognition by a community of peers and industry leaders.

Here are the awards we received in 2021 for achieving our goals and honoring our values.

3BL MEDIA
100 Best Corporate Citizens List

AMERICAN INDIAN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SOCIETY
Top 50 Workplaces for STEM Native Professionals

BLOOMBERG
Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

CALVERT U.S. LARGE CAP CORE RESPONSIBLE INDEX FUND
AT&T is a constituent of the Responsible Index Fund.

DFW MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
2021 Corporation of the Year
Buy Those That Buy Us Award 2021

DISABILITY:IN
100% Disability Equality Index
AT&T has received 100% on this index for 7 consecutive years.

DIVERSITYINC TOP 50 COMPANIES FOR DIVERSITY
2021 Hall of Fame
2021 Specialty List

  • #3 Executive Diversity Councils
  • #4 Supplier Diversity
  • #4 Mentoring
  • #6 Top ESG
  • #10 LGBTQ (First year ranking has been implemented)

DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY NORTH AMERICA INDEX
Named to DJSI North America List

 

ETHISPHERE
World's Most Ethical Companies

FLORIDA STATE MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
2021 Corporation of the Year

FORTUNE
World's Most Admired Companies

GEORGIA MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
2021 Corporation of the Year

GEORGIA WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL
Top Corporation for Women Owned Businesses

HISPANIC ASSOCIATION ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY (HACR) CORPORATE INCLUSION INDEX
5 Stars for Employment
5 Stars for Procurement
5 Stars for Philanthropy
4 Stars for Governance
AT&T has been recognized on this index for 11 consecutive years.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN (HRC)
100% Corporate Equality Index
AT&T has achieved 100% on this index for 16 consecutive years.

HRC MEJORES LUGARES PARA TRABAJAR POR EQUIDAD
Ranked #1 in Telecom and 8 Overall

JUST CAPITAL / FORBES
JUST 100 - Ranked #1 in Telecom and 8 Overall

LOS MEJORES LUGARES PARA TRABAJAR
2021 Great Place to Work

 

MILITARY FRIENDLY MAGAZINE
2021 Military Friendly Employer
2021 Military Friendly Spouse Employer
2021 Military Friendly Supplier Diversity Program
2021 Military Friendly Top 10 Brand (Rank: #10)

MILITARY TIMES
Best for Vets
AT&T has been recognized on this list for 9 consecutive years.

NATIONAL BUSINESS INCLUSION CONSORTIUM
2021 Best of the Best Corporations for Inclusion

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION ON DISABILITY (NOD) EMPLOYMENT TRACKER
Awarded the NOD 2021 seal.
AT&T has been recognized on this list for five consecutive years.

NEW JERSEY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES SUPPLIER DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (SDDC)
COVID-19 Responder Award 2021

PAR RANKING DE EQUIDAD DE GÉNERO EN LAS ORGANIZACIONES     
#2 México
Top 10 LATAM

POINTS OF LIGHT 
The Civic 50 - Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S.

WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE NATIONAL COUNCIL
2021 America's Top Corporation for Women Businesses

HTML Editor Component
*Contents may not have visible height

Back to Top Customizations