The National Credit Union Administration says it has made "steady strides" toward having greater diversity among its workforce and operations, but that progress is "just the beginning."
The regulator Wednesday released its 2020 Office of Minority and Women Inclusion Annual Report to Congress, which highlights the advances the NCUA has made in promoting diversity in management, employment and business activities.
NCUA Chairman Todd Harper said workforce diversity and workplace inclusion was critical during the coronavirus pandemic as things like family status, socio-economic status and health impacted employees’ ability to contribute.
"OMWI skillfully shifted to maximize effectiveness and ensure that diversity and inclusion remained a vital part of who the NCUA is and how the agency does business," Harper wrote in the report.
The report showed that 41.5% of the agency's new hires in 2020 were people of color. Additionally, gender diversity among senior executives achieved parity for the first time.
Additionally, the agency said that 15.4% of its workforce identify as having disabilities, and 4.2% have targeted disabilities.
"By intentionally including and advancing understanding, we can foster a feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves and mattering to others," Harper wrote.
Still, Harper says there is work to be done.
The agency’s workforce is comprised of 43.0% women, compared to 43.6% last year. And the minority population among credit union examiners is 4.7 percentage points lower than the total NCUA minority population of 30.5%.
"The NCUA’s commendable record of achievement on diversity, equity, and inclusion during the last decade — and especially its accomplishments during the last year — is only a beginning. In 2021, I look forward to another year of continued progress in this critical work," Harper said.
