Consumer Watch: The First Automotive Diversity Report Card

If you consider yourself to be a socially-conscious consumer, you should check out this brand-new automotive report conducted by Rainbow PUSH Coalition before purchasing your next automobile.

– In 2012, Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund distributed an automotive diversity survey to each automaker to establish benchmarks and best practices in the automotive industry as it relates to diversity.  During the Rainbow PUSH/CEF (RPC/CEF) Global Automotive & Energy Summit held in the fall, RPC/CEF announced that they would release the results of the survey during the 2013 North American International Auto Show. 

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, chose Tuesday, January 15, 2013, which was the actual birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to announce the results of the first Rainbow PUSH/CEF Automotive Diversity Score card.  “What a fitting day to celebrate our diversity while challenging automakers to practice the principle of economic parity,” said Rev. Jackson.  “The automotive industry continues to show gains in production and sales, with a strong finish in 2012.  Minority companies must share in their growth.  If Dr. King where alive today, he would applaud our strides of inclusion, but in the same breathe, state that there is still work to be done.”

For the first time, an Automotive Diversity Scorecard has been developed by RPC/CEF to provide a snapshot of each manufacturer’s success at building and sustaining ethnic diversity and inclusion.  The Scorecard reflects the most visible indicators of a commitment to diversity by key stakeholders, minority constituencies and minority companies.

The areas of measurement include:  Employment, Philanthropy, Supplier Diversity, Advertising, Marketing and Minority Dealer Development.  The scoring system was based on a three-color system. 

• Green -- Best Practices automotive company for ethnic diversity.  Companies that provided full disclosure of goals, initiatives and dollar investments with some accountability and growth. 
• Yellow -- Some indication of ethnic diversity evident.  Dollar investments, key figures and other scorecard factors undisclosed. 
• Red -- Diversity initiatives and investments well below the norm. Did not provide enough relevant information for scoring.  Did not submit a completed questionnaire.

The companies surveyed included:  BMW, Chrysler Group, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota and Volkswagen.  Mercedes Benz did not respond to the survey.

Looking at the six score card factors, companies landed in the following areas:

• Employment      
• Green - Ford, Toyota and General Motors
• Yellow- Chrysler, Subaru, Honda and Volkswagen
• Red -BMW, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes Benz

• Philanthropy 
• Green – Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Chrysler and Honda
• Yellow – Subaru
• Red – BMW, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz

• Advertising 
• Green – Ford, Toyota, General Motors and Chrysler
• Yellow – BMW, Honda and Volkswagen
• Red – Subaru, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes Benz

• Marketing 
• Green – Ford
• Yellow – Toyota, General Motors, Chrysler, BMW, Subaru, Honda and Volkswagen
•  Red – Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes Benz

• Supplier Diversity
• Green – Ford, Toyota, General Motors Chrysler
• Yellow – Honda and Volkswagen
• Red – BMW, Subaru, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes Benz

• Minority Dealer Development      
• Green – Toyota and Honda
• Yellow – Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, BMW, Subaru, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen
• Red – Mercedes Benz

The Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project led by Rev. Jackson and Glenda Gill, the director of Rainbow PUSH automotive projects, plans to meet with automotive companies to review their scores and plans for progress in the area of diversity.  “While ethnic minorities are supporting automotive companies with over 22 percent of new vehicle purchases, and 40 percent of the population, these companies must come to the table and begin to institutionalize diversity into their core plans,” says, Rev. Jackson.  “We must be mindful in making purchasing decisions by supporting companies who are supporting our communities.”