The Securities and Exchange Commission issued a progress report on its mission to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility within the agency’s workforce.
The efforts were summarized by the SEC’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Annual Report to Congress. OMWI provides leadership and guidance for the SEC’s diversity and inclusion efforts.
The report is issued each year pursuant to Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The SEC emphasized several notable highlights from this year’s report.
–The representation of minorities among Senior Officers increased from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2022. Senior officers are equivalent to Senior Executive Service at other federal agencies.
–37.6 percent of the SEC contract payments made in FY 2022 were made to minority- and women-owned businesses.
–The SEC increased the number of paid internship programs from FY 2021 to FY 2022.
–35.9 percent of the commission’s workforce identify as minorities.
“It is important that our colleagues—the SEC’s most important asset—feel they can bring their whole selves to work,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “I believe that a diverse SEC workforce helps promote fairness and inclusion in the financial services industry. OMWI continues to lead our efforts to develop an inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the diversity of the public we serve, uses minority and women-owned businesses in our business operations, and engages our regulated entities.”
The SEC noted that this year’s report highlights the steps OMWI took to cultivate strategic relationships, as well as share its knowledge and resources to support the SEC’s efforts towards diversity and inclusion.
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