Inclusion and Diversity
We believe that having a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace helps us innovate, helps our global team of teams perform, and creates an environment where everyone can belong. We have set out a comprehensive, long-term I&D strategy with the goal of becoming a magnet for diverse talent, known for a culture of belonging and equality, and agreed on an actionable program of work to help us achieve this aim.
Encouragingly in our 2022 People Perspectives Survey, 83% of employees reported that they can be themselves, an increase from 80% in last year’s survey, although this does vary according to demographics:
I feel I can be myself around here:
People here are treated fairly regardless of:
KBR has been focusing on I&D for a number of years, starting with a primary focus on gender as the imbalance in our workforce compared to society at large is plain to see. More recently this has expanded to include race and ethnicity, veterans, and LGBTQ+. There are some who feel this focus on I&D is not appropriate – as one colleague put it “KBR is too 'woke' for our industry, making us not competitive.” We wholeheartedly agree that everyone comes to KBR to do a good job for our customers, and we respect everyone’s right to their own opinion. In the leadership team’s view, I&D can only be good for business, enabling us to access a wider talent pool, and create a work environment where everyone can contribute to their full potential. The majority of our employees appear to support this view, as illustrated in their own words:
“I love that KBR allows me to be a great mom and a great employee. In my 2 years here I have never had to choose my job over my family. I love that I am treated like an actual person not just a number. I have also really enjoyed working from home. Working from home has allowed me to enjoy my children's infancy, and I will always be grateful for such an understanding company and manager.”
“I see many African American women in positions of authority, which I have not seen in previous companies.”
“Management passionately persue equality for gender, sexuality, and racial background. I have progressed in my views on equality since working for KBR and I love that.”
“Being able to be authentically you is one of the many things that makes KBR a great place to work.”
In 2022 the I&D-focused Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) continued to work closely together with All In, our global community dedicated to promoting and strengthening our I&D culture. These groups are a tremendous asset to our people and our company, and we encourage all employees and managers to play an active role supporting their respective missions. Also in 2022, we have continued our focus on diverse candidate outreach, provided further I&D training, acted on our pay equity analysis, and increased transparency with the publication of I&D goals and our first annual employee report on I&D. For the second time, tailored I&D improvement plans have been developed by local leaders, which is helping embed this culture at all levels, targeted at their own demographics and talent pool. The survey responses show there is more to do, and we will continue our I&D journey throughout 2022 and into the future.
