Economics & Equality: What a Drop in Promotions for Black Workers Says About Corporate Diversity Efforts

A push to elevate Black men and women into management roles is losing ground in big companies.

U.S. companies have lost momentum in promoting Black professionals into management, according to new data from McKinsey & Co.

After the May 2020 murder of George Floyd set off a national conversation about race, equity and opportunity, American companies set ambitious goals for advancing Black talent in their ranks. They have made some strides in hiring and promoting more Black professionals, especially at the highest levels of the company; there are now eight Black chief executives in the Fortune 500, compared with four in 2020.

WSJ News Exclusive | What a Drop in Promotions for Black Workers Says About Corporate Diversity Efforts

An effort to promote Black men and women into management roles is losing ground in big companies.

The Wall Street JournalRay A. Smith and Vanessa Fuhrmans

Related:

The historic labor gains made in the years following the pandemic now look more like a fleeting moment than a meaningful change in the labor market.

Black Men’s Historic Labor Gains Unravel as Fed Fights Inflation

The historic labor gains made in the years following the pandemic now look more like a fleeting moment than a meaningful change in the labor market.

BloombergCatarina Saraiva