ADT Approach
A diverse workforce at every level has always been part of our foundation. We continue to focus on progressing all talent in our organization. We’re learning that where we focus, we make progress. We are building the next generation of leaders, not just for our company but for the world. We understand that there are so many possibilities in our world, but access to those opportunities is not equal for everyone. We are changing that, starting within our doors. Advancing Diverse Talent (ADT) is Synchrony’s global diverse talent methodology designed to increase and sustain our focus on representation and progression across our most underrepresented groups.
Annually, we examine our workforce representation data, identify opportunities, and inform strategies to advance underrepresented talent.
Our analyses help us identify our most underrepresented groups, but it doesn’t mean we take our eyes off other groups. Rather, as ADT has matured, we’ve expanded our focus to analyze our full talent ecosystem, making sure we are increasing access to opportunities, that we have people in our internal and external pipelines, and that they can compete for and ultimately win jobs. As a result, we are better equipped to provide the necessary support and help our leaders take action.
We know there is no finish line, but, energized by our Guiding Principles, we are building a culture of continuous improvement. A workplace where we evolve with society and our people have the chance to chart their own paths on their terms.
Michael Matthews
Synchrony Chief Diversity &
Corporate Responsibility Officer
ADT Methodology
Without the right application, data is just numbers. We take representation seriously and are committed to getting it right—and that comes with getting real about the numbers and the story they tell. We take a multi-pronged approach to how we assess data and progress: even when we see an improvement in net new numbers, we go deeper to make sure that a positive change in numbers actually signals progress and not simply changes in our employee population. For example, if our overall employee population decreases, our diverse representation may go up as a result. That’s not true positive change. We want to know the difference.
For us, it’s about placing the data into context, and using the following approach helps us best understand our numbers:
- Focus on net new increases in overall headcount amongst our areas of focus.
- Monitor the changes in the total workforce population to ensure we have the best context.
We can’t continuously strive for MORE without understanding where we have been and where we are right now. While not perfect, this approach allows us to proactively address representation progress or the lack thereof. It enables us to reflect movement relative to total workforce fluctuations accurately.
We continue to focus on diversity while staying true to our core value that the best qualified candidate will always win the job.
ADT Outcomes (U.S.)
While our progress has not always resulted in linear outcomes, rather than getting defeated, we’ve strengthened our focus. We applied learnings to make incremental changes and improvements that have led to us seeing significant progress.
In our fourth year, we identified two new areas of focus, including women and Native, in addition to continuing to focus on Black and Hispanic talent—all at the vice president level and above.
Level 15+ | Total Headcount by ADT Area of Focus
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
Level 15+ | Senior and Executive Vice Presidents
Since January 2, 2020, U.S. ADT progress had included:
-
An increase in Black Representation by 6%
- 30% of 37 external hires
- 15% of 81 promotions*
-
An increase in Hispanic Representation by 3%
- 27% of 37 external hires
- 6% of 81 promotions*
Since January 1, 2023, U.S. ADT progress included the addition of Native and women (no Native representation at L15+):
-
An increase in Women's Representation by 2%
- 55% of 11 external hires
- 52% of 25 promotions*
Level 12 – 14 | Total Headcount by ADT Area of Focus
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
Level 12 – 14 | Vice Presidents
Since January 2, 2020, U.S. ADT progress had included:
-
An increase in Black Representation by 1%
- 16% of 332 external hires
- 11% of 399 promotions**
-
An increase in Hispanic Representation by 1%
- 11% of 332 external hires
- 8% of 399 promotions**
Since January 1, 2023, U.S. ADT progress included the addition of Native and women:
-
An increase in Native Representation by <1%
- No external hires
- 2% of 157 promotions**
-
An increase in Native Representation by <1%
- 36% of 118 external hires
- 54% of 157 promotions**
- Headcount for Black and Hispanic based on data from January 2, 2020 – January 1, 2024.
- Headcount for Native and Women based on data from January 1, 2023 – January 1, 2024, because they were added as a focus area in 2023.
- *Promotions reflect first time Senior Vice Presidents only.
- **Promotions reflect first time Vice Presidents only.
ADT Outcomes (India)
Leveraging our learnings from the U.S., in 2023 we deepened our focus on Advancing Diverse Talent in Asia to increase gender diversity in India and sustain our progress in the Philippines. We understand that there are cultural nuances related to geography, so we create country-specific strategies. Our efforts have contributed to broadening the diversity of our teams, while also helping shape policies and benefits that are meaningful to a varied workforce.
