10 companies leading in Black employee representation—by the %.
Out of 120 companies analyzed by the Black Dollar Index, these ten had the highest percentages of Black employees in the U.S.
In 2024, CompaniesMarketCap.com provided the following infographic breaking down the US’ largest employers. But WHO they hire tells a different story, especially when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in America.
Out of the 120 major corporations we researched, we are sharing the top ten with the highest representation (%) of Black employees across their total workforce and providing our thoughts on each.
Disclaimer: High levels of Black representation do not mean that it is distributed equally across all levels of their workforce.
#10. PEPSICO
Corporate Headquarters: Purchase, Harrison, NY (Population: 4.6% Black)
Industry: Food & Beverage
Black Workforce Representation: 22.9%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 29,774/130,125
Mid-Level/First Managers: 12.4%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 7.7%
Corporate Leadership: 10%
BDI’s POV: PepsiCo has a legacy of early investment in Black talent, dating back to the 1940s when it hired an all-Black salesforce to reach underserved Black consumer markets. Today, with nearly 30,000 Black employees and a widespread distribution network, representation remains strong at the workforce level.
That said, PepsiCo recently eliminated internal diversity targets and its Chief Diversity Officer role—raising questions about long-term commitment. While no immediate decline in Black representation is expected, BDI will be closely watching whether cultural investment continues or erodes under shifting leadership priorities.
#9. UPS
Corporate Headquarters: Atlanta, GA (Population: 46.9% Black)
Industry: Logistics & Transportation
Black Workforce Representation: 23%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 96,001/417,597
Mid-Level/First Managers: 20.7%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 16.1%
Corporate Leadership: 12.5%
BDI’s POV: UPS reports a 23% Black workforce, totaling 96,001 employees, which is strong and aligns with its Atlanta HQ (46.9% Black population). What makes UPS stand out is it is not just who they hire, but who they elevate — this trajectory is rare. Many corporations show a sharp decline in Black representation as roles gain power, but UPS maintains a relatively healthy line from entry-level to executive/senior level. UPS’ reporting doesn’t speak to their full recruitment strategy, but they do note the following:
UPS seeks to enhance our workforce by attracting new talent to the Company, promoting from within, offering a range of continuous training and talent development opportunities, and identifying employee potential to accelerate career development.
Their Black Employee Resource Group (ERG) also serves a key function in providing significant contributions to business initiatives, talent development, employee engagement, and volunteerism.
#8. DOMINO’S
Corporate Headquarters: Ann Arbor, MI (Population: 7.2% Black)
Industry: Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)
Black Workforce Representation: 23.9%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 2,583/10,814
Mid-Level/First Managers: 10.6%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 5.3%
Corporate Leadership: 5.9%
BDI’s POV: Domino’s Black workforce is national and predominately consists of service workers (delivery) followed by Operatives. What’s we find interesting is, Domino’s has an internal Truck Driver Development Program, which focuses on developing a talent pipeline for one of their most critical talent segments:
This program provides supply chain center team members working in nondriving roles the opportunity to earn their Commercial Driver License and become safe, professional semitruck drivers for Domino’s. The Driver Development Program pays for team members to go to driving school and obtain a CDL license, and offers mentoring by experienced Domino’s drivers. This program has increased our retention rate among participants by more than 25% points and exemplifies putting people first. It is also designed to enable business continuity for all our Domino’s products to reach our stores and franchises across the U.S. and Canada.
It is not clear how many Black employees go through this program, but considering representation is high at this level, it would make sense that Black employees benefit, creating access to a lucrative industry beyond QSRs.
#7. FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Corporate Headquarters: Dearborn, MI (Population: 3.3% Black); Detroit Metro area (Population: 76.8% Black)
Industry: Automotive
Black Workforce Representation: 24.2%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 20,974/86,777
Mid-Level/First Managers: 13.3%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 3.9%
Corporate Leadership: 4%
BDI’s POV: Ford Motor Company has built a Black workforce that makes up 24.2% of its U.S. employees — reflective of its proximity to Detroit, where the Black population is over 76%. Most of Ford’s Black workforce are Operatives, which are “semi-skilled” workers who operate machinery, factory-related equipment, or vehicles. Operatives have undergone less complex training than skilled workers, but more than laborers. With that said, the next largest group are “professionals” and their mid-level workforce reflects the Black population in the U.S, but they drop significantly at the executive and corporate leadership levels, which appear to be one in the same. While Ford participates in HBCU career fairs and has a long history supporting HBCUs and organizations like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, they don’t report any of these activities in their ESG report. In 2024, Ford was one of the first companies to announce cuts to their DEI initiatives, so it will be critical to keep an eye out on future reporting to see how those changes affect the composition of their workforce among other areas of impact.
#6. NIKE
Corporate Headquarters: Portland, OR (Population: 5.8% Black)
Industry: Athletic Footwear and Apparel
Black Workforce Representation: 25.4%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 10,286/40,436
Mid-Level/First Managers: Not Reported
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 6.7% (Director Level+)
Corporate Leadership: 18.2%
BDI’s POV: Nike knows that Black culture drives much of their business and appropriately, they have developed a multi-layered pipeline that reflects intention, investment, and infrastructure to uplift Black and other underrepresented talent. Their 25.4% Black workforce, combined with 18.2% Black corporate leadership, makes them a standout, although we’d like to see more transparency in their Mid-level workforce. In the last 5 years, Nike has reported a robust recruitment strategy that includes:
$10M commitment to HBCUs and HSIs, with over $4.7M invested in 2023.
Signature initiatives like:
Serena Williams Design Crew
Converse All Star Design Team
Nike Yardrunners
HBCU-focused internship programs
Strong partnerships with Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, AfroTech, and other organizations focused on underrepresented talent.
Internal pipelines such as the DEI Mentorship Program, Focused Leadership Development Program (FLDP), and Track Stretch HQ, which connect frontline employees to corporate pathways.
#5. AMAZON
Corporate Headquarters: Seattle, WA (Population: 6.6% Black)
Industry: Internet Retail/eCommerce
Black Workforce Representation: 25.7%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 269,706/1,049,676
Mid-Level/First Managers: 12.6%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 5.5%
Corporate Leadership: 0%
BDI’s POV: Amazon’s position in Black workforce representation is largely influenced by its extensive warehouse footprint employing many Black workers in "Laborers and Helpers" roles nationwide. Notably, the 12.6% representation of Black mid-level managers indicates meaningful opportunities for career advancement within corporate pathways. Amazon actively strengthens its diverse talent pipeline through innovative programs such as AHEAD, offering STEM experiences to historically underrepresented youth, and JumpStart, a youth apprenticeship program serving students from underserved communities. Furthermore, senior Black leaders at Amazon proactively engage external talent via strategic partnerships and recruitment activities at AfroTech and similar professional organizations. This holistic approach signals Amazon’s genuine commitment to nurturing Black talent at various career stages.
But Amazon is not without it’s issues. Between employees demanding better wages, benefits, and working conditions via strikes and a recent racial equity audit that shows ‘inequities,’ Amazon like the others has much work to do.
#4. DELTA AIRLINES
Corporate Headquarters: Atlanta, GA (Population: 46.9% Black)
Industry: Aviation
Black Workforce Representation: 26.8%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 29,403/109,568
Mid-Level/First Managers: 20.8%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 8.5%
Corporate Leadership: 0%
BDI’s POV: Delta’s workforce closely reflects the demographics of its Atlanta headquarters, with nearly 30,000 Black employees and robust partnerships with HBCUs and Black professional organizations across engineering, business, and aviation. Two HBCU’s currently participate in the Propel Collegiate Pilot Career Path program, which in turn creates direct pathways for more Black students to becoming a Delta pilot.
While Delta’s representation is notable across multiple levels, the absence of Black corporate leaders and recent racial discrimination claims suggest deeper inclusion and equity issues that still need attention. Representation is a powerful start—but a good reminder that it isn’t the full picture. Read our deeper breakdown here:
#3. WENDY’S
Corporate Headquarters: Dublin, OH (Population: 1.9% Black); Columbus Metro area (Population: 29% Black)
Industry: Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)
Black Workforce Representation: 29%
Black Employees/Total Employees: Not Reported
Mid-Level/First Managers: 11%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 7%
Corporate Leadership: 0%
BDI’s POV: Wendy’s outpaces both the national average and QSR industry norms for Black workforce representation (See chart below). While corporate leadership remains at 0%, the company demonstrates investment in mid-level hiring. For example, Wendy’s reported their 5th year of partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute and participated in the organization’s job fair. During the event, Wendy’s interviewed and offered internship opportunities to students in IT, Finance, HR and Operations. Additionally, Wendy’s set a goal to “increase the representation of underrepresented populations among our Company’s leadership and management, as well as the diversity of our franchisees.” In today’s Anti-DEI climate, it is unclear whether these goals still stand, but the current use of “equity” language in their strategy signals an ongoing commitment.
#2. FED EX
Corporate Headquarters: Memphis, TN (Population: 62.9% Black)
Industry: Logistics & Transportation
Black Workforce Representation: 32.5%
Black Employees/Total Employees: 134,091/412,952
Mid-Level/First Managers: 21.5%
Executive/Senior Level Managers: 9.2%
Corporate Leadership: 4.8%
BDI’s POV: FedEx’s workforce reflects the demographics of its Memphis headquarters and vast U.S. footprint. While Laborers & Helpers make up much of its Black employee base, the company also shows above-average representation at the mid-manager level — according to its most recent ESG report, FedEx outlines its commitment to diversity through outreach to HBCUs, recruitment partnerships with organizations such as the National Black MBA Association, and support for its Black Professionals Network (BPN). FedEx has also demonstrated transparency by publicly reporting its Black supplier spend. You can read more about that here:
#1. STELLANTIS
Corporate Headquarters: Hoofdorp, Netherlands / North American: Auburn Hills, MI (Population: 12% Black); Detroit Metro area (Population: 76.8% Black)
Industry: Automotive (Owns brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram)
Black Workforce Representation: 36.7%
Black Employees/Total Employees: Not Reported
Mid-Level/First Managers: Not Reported
Executive/Senior Level Managers: Not Reported
Corporate Leadership: 3.3%
BDI’s POV: Stellantis has maintained a long-standing presence in Detroit, so it is no surprise that they have a large amount of Black representation in their workforce — although their lack of transparency and low Black leadership indicate there is space to improve. Their ongoing partnerships with HBCUs and Black business networks suggest an intentional strategy to include Black talent across their North American footprint, so we hope to see progress in coming years.
Despite this, according to their 2023 Sustainability report, Stellantis was recognized by Fair360 (formerly known as DiversityInc) at #30 on their annual list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity and #17 for Black Executives.
In April 2025, Stellantis announced the temporary layoff of 900 employees, following President Trump’s global tariff announcement. Due to the high percentage of Black employees, we believe that Stellantis’ workforce will disproportionately impact Black employees.
In today’s climate, there are more and more companies eliminating measurable hiring goals, but here are three takeaways to keep in mind as the landscape shifts:
It’s not enough to just look at whether a company keeps or eliminates DEI programs as a northstar for boycotting. There are still companies that have and will continue to do the work and hire Black employees across their workforce in a way that mirrors both their customer base and the communities they occupy. Alternatively, there are other companies that will “keep” DEI and not do nearly as much work.
While representation is important, it is only one piece of the bigger puzzle. BDI assesses multiple factors: representation across all levels (including Board of Directors), Supplier Diversity Investments, Community Investments, Internal Culture & Policy, and Black Racial Discrimination Claims in order to determine the full Racial Equity picture.
Transparency is HUGE and while none of these companies are perfect, they are leaders when it comes to sharing workforce data with their customers and shareholders — and transparency is the first step to accountability.
As usual, we hope these companies continue to be transparent and committed to the work, as Anti-DEI pressure continues to wreak havoc across corporate America.
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The Black Dollar Initiative is the independent 501(c)(3) research and data hub that powers the Black Dollar Index. Your support goes towards researching, analyzing, and reporting on over 120 corporations across 20+ points of impact, that enable the Black Dollar Index to keep consumers informed. Donations are tax-deductible (EIN: 85-2383485).
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They hire a lot of black people, but how many are making over $100,000 or more?