Signal 38% embed D&I into talent systems and 39% prioritize pay equity

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey shows organizations building diversity and inclusion into core people systems rather than running it as separate programs. Thirty-eight percent of respondents say their organizations are embedding D&I into talent processes such as sourcing, hiring, and promotion. A slightly larger share, 39 percent, are putting pay equity at the center of their D&I strategies, and a similar proportion prioritizes flexible work and leave policies. The report cites wider recruiting, blind hiring, open succession planning, equal pay, and fair care-leave rules as systemwide changes that send a strong signal. The aim is to make inclusion part of the operating model rather than a one-time initiative.