Certification Programs

The Clear and Comprehensive Standard Committed Employers Need to Make Real Progress

Why Focus on Racial Equity?

Employees, consumers, investors, and activists expect employers to help address the stark, persistent racial inequities. Inaction or token action concerning racial equity is now an enterprise risk and competitive disadvantage.

Black and Hispanic communities experience systemic barriers to career success, expanding economic disparities. The need for change is clear and the time for change is now.

Black Equity at Work

The pandemic and civil unrest have highlighted appalling inequities negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of Black Americans.

The profound and persistent inequities between Black and White Americans — in wealth, income, and health outcomes, to name just a few — are the product of past and present systemic and individual racism.

Why Focus on Black Equity?

Black households have the lowest median net worth.

As well as the lowest homeownership rates.

And the least chance of rising up from poverty. If born into the bottom income quintile, the chance of making it to the top three quintiles are:

Black professionals are underrepresented in leadership of Fortune 500 companies that report diversity data…

…with many experiencing prejudice in their workplaces, and as a result, becoming the most likely to leave.

Hispanic Equity at Work

Using the strong foundational blueprint of the MLT Black Equity at Work Certification Program and MLT’s insights and 20+ years of experience working directly with Black and Hispanic talent, MLT launched the Hispanic Equity at Work Certification Program.

MLT’s Hispanic Equity at Work Certification program adopts its best-in-class structure from the Black Equity at Work Certification program:

Rigorous framework that addresses internal and external mechanisms that contribute to equity
Resources and support to aid in Employer progress
Public recognition of a significant commitment to advancing Hispanic Equity
Carefully adapted to meet the needs of the Hispanic/Latine community
Incentives for nuanced understanding of employee population along ethnic and racial lines.
Recommended practices tailored towards Hispanic/Latine populations, including hiring practices inclusive of DACA recipients

The pandemic and civil unrest have highlighted the stark realities and appalling inequities that negatively impact Hispanic communities around the country.

There are persistent inequities between Hispanic and White Americans — in wealth, access to resources, and health outcomes, to name just a few — are the product of past and present systemic and individual racism.

Why Focus on Hispanic Equity?

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing community of color in the U.S. Hispanic households are over two times as likely to live in poverty as white households.

Compared with white households, Hispanic households have significantly lower household income…

…And significantly lower median household wealth.

Representing 18.7% of the U.S. population, Hispanics are vastly underrepresented among the leadership of Fortune 500 companies.