While the number of LGBTQ+ respondents had improved year on year they reported a lower sense of inclusion. 28% also said they’d been made to feel uncomfortable at work in last 12 months.

Women and ethnic minorities in particular felt underrepresented in senior positions, with men are twice as likely to be in C-suite roles. Only a third (33%) of women agreed their company provided equal pay for equal jobs, versus 47% of men.  

“There’s not a lack of people recognizing the importance of DEI in the industry, it’s about the level of action needed to really impact change,” said Jason Mander, chief research officer at GWI, which helped conduct the study.

Mental health is another key theme that cropped up throughout the report, with 42% of respondents saying they felt stressed and anxious at work.

Since the first Census ran, the WFA has unveiled a Global Charter for Change. These are a set of universal requirements for global organizations to improve their employees’ lived experiences and ideas for initiatives that companies can adopt.

The full results of the census will be available soon.