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13 Fairfax County-based companies make Forbes ranking of ‘America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2020’  

January 22, 2020 – Fairfax County, Virginia – Thirteen Fairfax County companies rank among the top 500 on Forbes magazine’s third annual America’s Best Employers for Diversity list for 2020. The list recognizes 500 companies across all industries that demonstrate a dedication to diversity and inclusion.

The Fairfax County-based businesses account for half of the 26 companies on the list from the Washington, D.C., area. Fairfax County also has more companies on the list than 38 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

“The workforce today – and the workforce of tomorrow – want to see a commitment to diversity and inclusion by employers, and it is a testament to these Fairfax County companies’ efforts to attract talented employees from all backgrounds and walks of life that they are part of this impressive national ranking,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.

The Fairfax County-based businesses represent a broad range of industry sectors and employ more than 1.3 million people worldwide. One of the companies on the list, Mars, Incorporated, is a global manufacturer of confectionery, pet food and other food products, and a provider of pet-care services.

“Mars is dedicated to inclusion and diversity across our U.S. business,” said Brad Figel, vice president of public affairs at Mars, Incorporated. “We value each of our associates and are committed to fostering an environment where everyone is comfortable being their full selves at work.”

Here are the Fairfax County companies on the new Forbes “America’s Best Employers for Diversity” list:

Rank Company Industry
   51. Navy Federal Credit Union Financial services
   54. Booz Allen Hamilton Technology consulting
   91. SAIC Technology consulting
 282. Hilton Worldwide Hospitality
 302. Capital One Financial Financial services
 316. Northrop Grumman Aerospace and defense
 355. Mars Food products
 368. Five Guys Restaurants
 436. CGI Group Technology consulting
 441. Volkswagen Group of America Automotive
 447. Gannett Media
 455. Leidos Technology consulting
 500. Bechtel Engineering and construction

 

In addition, the top-ranked company on the list, SAP, has operations in Fairfax County. An additional firm, Nestle, is based in neighboring Arlington County.

Forbes developed the rankings in partnership with market research firm Statista. To create the list, employers were identified in an independent survey from a sample of more than 60,000 U.S. employees working for companies with at least 1,000 people in their U.S. operations. According to Forbes, additional factors were considered such as diversity levels among executives, existence of a leadership position responsible for diversity, proactive communication about diversity and the presence of a diverse company culture.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, which promotes and markets Northern Virginia outside the region. Other members of NOVA EDA are the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development.