Supporting Diversity & Inclusion

Fostering Diversity & Inclusion

Cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to fostering innovation, ensuring that we have the richness of perspective needed to understand market dynamics, and meeting the nuanced needs of our global clients.  By leveraging our differences and encouraging a diversity of ideas, backgrounds, experiences, and origins, we elevate our client service and our competitive advantage as an industry leader.

Our Guiding Principles

BlackRock's diversity guiding principles reflect our respect for differences and our goal of employing a workforce as diverse as the markets in which we operate.  We have adopted formal guiding principles on diversity, which are to:

• Attract and retain talented people that reflect the diverse communities in which we operate
• Foster a meritocracy in which we can all develop and be appropriately rewarded
• Leverage our differences to achieve BlackRock's business goals by recognizing and utilizing the full potential of each individual

Leveraging Differences at BlackRock

Employee Networks strengthen the development and retention of employees at BlackRock. They also provide a platform for establishing informal mentoring relationships, networking and for meeting other employees throughout the firm.  Senior Leaders serve as sponsors for each of the networks, advocating priorities and ensuring alignment with firm-wide business objectives.

Women's Initiative Network – sponsored by Sue Wagner, Founder and Vice Chairman
Multicultural Network – sponsored by Robert Kapito, Founder and President
OUT Network – sponsored by Ann Marie Petach, CFO and Peter Fisher, Senior MD
Veteran's Network – sponsored by Ken Wilson, Vice Chairman

Attracting Diverse Talent

BlackRock believes in casting a wide net to attract the best and the brightest people. Whether on campus or through professional networking, our strategic approach to diversity sourcing has enabled us to identify a broad spectrum of exceptional talent. We also invite employees to participate in our recruiting efforts by referring candidates or by participating in our campus program or other firm-wide recruiting initiatives.

Corporate Partnerships

BlackRock partners with a number of organizations that are engaged in expanding educational and employment opportunities for under-represented groups. These organizations include the Robert Toigo Foundation, Catalyst, Out for Business, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, Prep for Prep, The Forte Foundation, and National Association of Securities Professionals.

Supporting Diversity in Our Communities

BlackRock has focused its philanthropic resources on helping low-income/under-served youth gain access to and succeed in higher education. In the US, we are making significant contributions of both financing and expertise to organizations like Juma, College Summit, College Success, and Prep for Prep.