DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
We strive to ensure the composition of our associates and suppliers includes and equitably represents our customers and the communities we serve.
At The Home Depot, we define diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) as:
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Diversity: Composition of people, such as their similarities and differences (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation)
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Equity: Norms, practices and policies in place that ensure just and fair opportunities and outcomes, allowing individuals to reach their full potential
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Inclusion: How we embrace and enable our associates to feel safe, respected, engaged, motivated and valued for who they are and their contributions
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion program seeks continual improvement through strategic action, review of practices and reporting of our initiatives. These actions support our business objectives by promoting associate satisfaction and retention, community partnerships, and innovation across our value chain. Guided by our core value of Respect for All People, we also seek to foster equitable pay and promotion opportunities within our company.
+CHECK IT OUT: Wilbert Slowman reflects on his journey from part-time cashier to store manager and how his Navajo Heritage and strong family ties continue to inspire him.
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
The Home Depot’s learning and development programs expand skills and capabilities so associates can master their current roles and prepare for future ones. Our associates are essential in helping us sustain the customer experience we strive to offer. To provide the best customer experience, we must invest in cultivating the best associate experience. Our approach to turning front-line jobs into careers, has helped more than 90% of our U.S. store leaders, who started as hourly associates.
+CHECK IT OUT: Hear how a 20-year associate was able to overcome obstacles with support from her team.
ASSOCIATE ENGAGEMENT
Associate engagement the emotional connection associates have to our company and our goals, is vital to The Home Depot’s culture and success.
Voice of the Associate Survey
Our highly engaged associates care about their work and the performance of The Home Depot. We're passionate about maintaining an engaging and inclusive workplace, and we do so by proactively engaging with our associates, while also listening and responding to their feedback.
In fiscal 2022, we again conducted our Voice of the Associate (VOA) survey which includes all our associates and provides an in-depth look at our associates' engagement and satisfaction with their job, their leaders, and The Home Depot.
We also collect additional associate insights at different life cycle stages through onboarding and exit surveys. This feedback helps us to continuously improve as an enterprise.
Engagement Platform
In fiscal 2022, our voluntary associate engagement platform – Viva Engage – helped associates to build community with one another at a local level and at large.
Whether through on-site desktops or on-the-go mobile devices, more than 450,000 associates across the U.S. and Canada have access to Viva Engage. As our associates continue to drive engagement, now with more than 800 active communities in the network, the digital hub links associates across North America. It serves as a central hub to recognize associates for living our values, promote company news, cultivate connections between front-line and corporate associates and fuel the orange-blooded spirit that’s part of what drives our culture.
+DID YOU KNOW: In fiscal 2022, Home Depot’s Viva Engage network held three of the top 10 most thriving communities out of approximately 3,200 around the world, according to SWOOP Analytics.
Associate Resource Groups
Our associate resource groups (ARGs) drive associate engagement and promote inclusion through fostering development, raising cultural awareness, celebrating diversity and community outreach.
In 2022, our ARGs continued to further support the career development of associates who voluntarily lead these groups. We also remained focused on growing membership across our ARGs since expanding company-wide access to all associates, including in stores and distribution centers. We hosted approximately 40 virtual ARG events in fiscal 2022 to celebrate diversity, raise cultural awareness and foster professional development. Going forward, we'll continue to expand the outreach efforts of our ARGs.