SACRAMENTO, Calif.– For the second year in a row, Sutter Health was named one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity. This prestigious award, presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., reflects results from an independent survey of over 170,000 Americans who work for companies that employ at least 1,000 people in the U.S.

The nature of the study, which relies on organic recommendations, underscores Sutter’s reputation for embracing diversity.

“Working in diverse, equitable and inclusive environments provides opportunities for our employees and physicians to use their unique experiences and backgrounds to elevate patient care as well as grow in their careers,” said Sutter Health President and CEO Warner Thomas. “At Sutter, fostering a diverse workplace is essential to helping support equitable patient outcomes and clinical innovations.”

Extensive industry research shows that when patients are treated by health care professionals who mirror their personal characteristics, they are more likely to agree to recommended care, have better overall perceptions of care and ultimately experience better health outcomes. As one of the largest health care providers in one of the most diverse regions in the country, Sutter has had a diversity focus for years and is accelerating this work.

“We are implementing a systemwide, holistic and comprehensive plan that embeds diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of our organization to better serve our workforce, our patients and our communities,” says Dana Beckton, Sutter Health’s chief diversity & inclusion officer. “DEI is a core ingredient in our focus to expand access to care for our patients while continuing to be the best place to work, practice and receive care.”

In addition to focusing on the people and culture at Sutter, the organization is also focused on promoting equitable care. Sutter’s Institute for Advancing Health Equity was created in 2020 to identify, inform and develop data-driven solutions to ending health disparities.

Forbes and Statista Inc. used several tools to measure a company’s commitment to diversity:

• Personal Recommendations: Employees were asked to give their opinions on a series of statements regarding general diversity in their current workplace. Additional questions sought to understand opinions about workplace diversity by age, gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBTQIA+ identity.
• Public Recommendations: Participants were also given the chance to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stand out either positively or negatively with regard to diversity.
• Key Performance Indicators: Extensive research was carried out to evaluate how companies fared across a range of diversity-related best-practices. This included things like representation, accountability and communication, internal initiatives and external involvement.

Sutter is among the top 10 hospitals and health systems recognized on the Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity list, this year. The entire list can be viewed on the Forbes website.