Amtrak recognised for diversity excellence

Amtrak has been honoured for diversity excellence on the Forbes Best Employers for Diversity in 2023 list. The achievement comes as Amtrak builds a workforce to modernise infrastructure, improve stations and expand train services, reaching more of America, from rural towns to major metropolitan areas.

Winners were selected from a survey of 45,000 U.S. employees based on age, gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQIA+ and general diversity.

“Amtrak is building a new era of passenger rail that will change how America moves,” Qiana Spain, Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer, said, “This includes a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy that supports recruiting, developing and retaining our people. Being recognised as Forbes Best Employers for Diversity validates our efforts as we work to deliver more trains to more people.”

Extensive research evaluated how companies fared including employee resource groups (ERGs), diversity data and the share of women in board and executive positions. Recommendations of women, older adults and people of colour were weighted higher than their counterparts. Participants were also given the chance to evaluate other employers that stood out in their diversity efforts. Employees were consulted anonymously through online access panels to avoid employer influence.

With a growing workforce of more than 20,000 employees, Amtrak has more than 4,000 positions to support future growth. Amtrak’s moves toward the future also include acquiring new trains, making station upgrades and accessibility improvements, undertaking major infrastructure projects and improving track capacity.

Amtrak remains focused on people, the workplace and community through continued development of ERGs, while increasing its visibility as an employer of choice. The honour follows two external recognitions for diversity, inclusion and belonging progress to date – including receiving top scores on the 2022 Disability Equality Index and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index.