In its 2020 rankings of “Best Employers for Diversity, Forbes ranked University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics No. 47 overall among 500 large employers nationwide and No. 11 in its Healthcare & Social category.
To compile the rankings, Forbes collaborated with the research firm Statista to survey more than 50,000 U.S. employees working for companies or organizations with at least 1,000 employees.
The surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions, according to Forbes. Respondents were first asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation equality, as well as that of general diversity. These responses were reviewed for potential diversity gaps. So, if workers from minority groups, for example, rated an organization poorly on diversity, but nonminority groups rated it highly, Statista would take that into account and adjust the company’s score accordingly.
Statista then asked respondents belonging to minority groups to nominate organizations other than their own. The final list ranks the 500 employers—across 25 industry sectors—that not only received the most recommendations, but also boast the most diverse boards and executive ranks and the most proactive diversity and inclusion initiatives.