Diversity and inclusion initiatives are crucial for modern businesses, but measuring their success can be challenging. This article presents key metrics and insights for evaluating D&I efforts effectively. Drawing from expert knowledge, it offers practical strategies to quantify and improve diversity throughout organizations.
- Diverse 3PL Partners Drive Industry Change
- Retention and Advancement Across Demographics Matter
- Defining and Measuring Key Diversity Metrics
- Analyze Diversity Throughout the Hiring Funnel
- Monitor Turnover Rates by Demographic Groups
- Track Retention and Employee Sentiment
- Measure Underrepresented Groups’ Leadership Progression
- Assess Representation Impact Beyond Numbers
Diverse 3PL Partners Drive Industry Change
We measure the success of our diversity and inclusion initiatives through both quantitative metrics and qualitative indicators that reflect our industry’s unique challenges.
One key metric we focus on is the diversity of our 3PL partner network. We’ve intentionally built relationships with logistics providers owned and operated by individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Currently, about 27% of our partner network qualifies as diverse-owned businesses—a figure we’re working to increase annually.
But numbers only tell part of the story. What’s equally important is how we integrate these diverse partners into our matching process. When a client has specific values around working with diverse-owned businesses, our platform can prioritize these matches. This has led to meaningful business relationships that might not have formed otherwise.
I’ve seen firsthand how diversity strengthens the logistics ecosystem. During supply chain disruptions in 2021, our diverse network of partners provided resilience through varied operational approaches and geographic positioning. This wasn’t just good for diversity metrics—it delivered tangible business value.
We also track inclusion through regular feedback cycles with our partners, measuring their satisfaction with our onboarding, ongoing support, and equitable access to opportunities. This helps us identify and address barriers that might disproportionately affect certain groups.
The logistics industry has traditionally lagged in diversity efforts, but I believe our marketplace model positions us to drive meaningful change. By connecting diverse 3PLs with growing eCommerce brands, we’re creating economic opportunities while building a more representative industry landscape.
Our ultimate success indicator? When diversity becomes so embedded in our operations that it’s simply how we do business, not a separate initiative to manage.
Joe Spisak
CEO, Fulfill(dot)com
Retention and Advancement Across Demographics Matter
We measure the success of our diversity and inclusion initiatives by tracking retention and advancement rates across different demographic groups. It’s not enough to bring diverse talent in the door; we want to ensure that employees from all backgrounds feel supported, valued, and able to grow within the firm. By comparing retention data and promotion timelines across gender, race, and other identity markers, we can spot disparities and take meaningful action to address them.
One key metric we focus on is the employee experience score, collected anonymously through regular pulse surveys, which measures how included, respected, and heard team members feel. This qualitative insight often reveals more than hiring statistics alone. If people feel like they belong and are empowered to contribute authentically, that’s a true sign our D&I efforts are working. It’s a reminder that inclusion isn’t a checkbox; it’s an ongoing commitment to equity in everyday workplace culture.
Ed Hones
Attorney at Law, Hones Law Employment Lawyers PLLC
Defining and Measuring Key Diversity Metrics
To see the changes, you need to have at least two parameters: initial and current. We started the process of implementing a DEI policy more than a year ago. It has now been implemented, and it took a lot of effort and many people were involved.
The first thing we did was to identify the diversity metrics that we felt were key. This gave us an understanding of where our company is today, its current state. We then defined for ourselves what we wanted to be and what we needed to do to achieve this. This way, we had a policy that was in line with our goals and expectations.
A year later, we measured these indicators, and in some of them, we achieved our goals. For example, the number of women represented in the company’s management has increased, as has the number of nationalities represented in the company.
Sergio Artimenia
CEO, GEOR
Analyze Diversity Throughout the Hiring Funnel
Tracking demographics throughout the entire hiring funnel and retention is essential. Looking at how many women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people with disabilities apply for jobs, advance to interviews, receive offers, accept positions, and stay with the company reveals where diversity and inclusion efforts might be breaking down.
For example, if many people from underrepresented groups apply but few get interviews, the screening process may need examination. If they’re hired but don’t stay long, company culture might need attention. These metrics provide indicators of which stages need improvement.
Veni Kunche
CEO, Diversify Tech
Monitor Turnover Rates by Demographic Groups
The key metric we pay the most attention to is turnover. It’s not too difficult to hire a diverse workforce, but unless you’re doing a good job of making those hires feel welcomed and valued, they won’t stick around and they definitely won’t earn promotions at the same rate. Low turnover is always a goal for us, but we also break down that turnover by gender and race to look for and address discrepancies.
Hayden Cohen
CEO, Hire With Near
Track Retention and Employee Sentiment
Diversity and inclusion efforts fall short if you cannot measure what matters. The one metric we consistently track is retention rate across demographic groups—race, gender identity, and cultural background. If certain groups are quietly exiting faster than others, that’s a red flag indicating the environment isn’t as inclusive as we believe.
We pair that data with anonymous quarterly pulse checks that ask directly: “Do you feel seen, heard, and supported here?” The written comments are often more revealing than the scores. Together, these indicators provide us with a clear picture of whether our inclusion efforts are merely surface-level or actually effective.
Inclusion doesn’t stem from posting values on a wall—it comes from hard data, honest feedback, and a willingness to fix what isn’t working. That’s how we maintain accountability.
Andy Danec
Owner, Ridgeline Recovery LLC
Measure Underrepresented Groups’ Leadership Progression
The success of our diversity and inclusion programs is measured by the progression of underrepresented groups into leadership positions. A key metric we track is the percentage of promotions among these groups. When we see steady growth in this area, it signals that our initiatives are fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. Tracking these metrics also allows us to pinpoint areas where we need to make improvements to ensure fair representation across all levels of the organization.
C. Lee Smith
Founder and CEO, SalesFuel
Assess Representation Impact Beyond Numbers
For me, success in diversity and inclusion isn’t just about numbers—it’s about representation with impact. One key indicator I focus on is visibility: Are more Asian women being seen, heard, and valued in leadership roles, media, and conversations where we’ve historically been excluded?
Through my podcast, “The Tao of Self-Confidence,” I track the ripple effect. Are guests gaining new opportunities after sharing their stories? Are listeners reaching out saying they finally feel seen? That kind of feedback matters just as much—if not more—than metrics. Because real inclusion means creating space where people not only show up but feel safe and empowered to stay.
At the end of the day, if our initiatives aren’t shifting mindsets or creating lasting change, then we’re not measuring the right things.
Sheena Yap Chan
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Sheena Yap Chan