Together, we drive equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship

2023 EDIC Report

Brian Doubles

President & CEO

Michael Matthews

Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Responsibility Officer

At Synchrony, driving actionable change is what we do - for our employees, for our customers and for our communities. Our holistic approach has empowered us to make some significant progress on our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Citizenship (EDIC) journey, while making adjustments based on our lessons learned along the way.

Over time, we have been deliberate and thoughtful in our actions to create an authentic and impactful focus on equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship. Along the way, we've had to be vulnerable enough to acknowledge our own internal barriers and brave enough to move forward without having all the answers. Our leadership is committed to this journey and maintaining the organization's confidence that we are going to do right by our people.

- Brian Doubles, President and CEO of Synchrony and Michael Matthews, Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Responsibility Officer

We lead with equity...
on purpose

At Synchrony, we lead with Equity in everything we do. This is intentional. More than a consideration, Equity is at the foundation of our initiatives and enables us to make profound, long-lasting change.

Our guiding principles - we are committed to outcomes, we are driven by data and we model collaborative governance and accountability - provide the groundwork for how we approach equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship and are embedded in all of our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Citizenship efforts.

At Synchrony, we are committed to enriching every life we touch by leading with equity in everything we do

Our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Citizenship North Star is Synchrony's compass, giving us direction and clarity into what progress looks like for the organization.

Evolve the workforce to reflect the Diversity of the populations in the communities we serve

Achieve 50% gender diversity across all groups globally
Achieve ethnic representation commensurate with the U.S. census across all groups
Achieve and maintain 100% pay equity

Nurture a culture of Inclusion where employees can be their authentic selves and valued

Achieve or exceed 90% or better on employee survey indexes
75% employee participation in our Diversity Networks
95% employee participation in self-ID survey

Increase access to education in our Communities’ underserved populations

Improve the life of every individual we touch by providing educational support, resources and training that is comparable to their advantaged peers
Evolve Education as an Equalizer into a replicable, in-demand corporate model

Evolve the workforce to reflect the Diversity of the populations in the communities we serve

Achieve 50% gender diversity across all groups globally
Achieve ethnic representation commensurate with the U.S. census across all groups
Achieve and maintain 100% pay equity

Nurture a culture of Inclusion where employees can be their authentic selves and valued

Achieve or exceed 90% or better on employee survey indexes
75% employee participation in our Diversity Networks
95% employee participation in self-ID survey

Increase access to education in our Communities’ underserved populations

Improve the life of every individual we touch by providing educational support, resources and training that is comparable to their advantaged peers
Evolve Education as an Equalizer into a replicable, in-demand corporate model
2023 EDIC Report

Global workforce representation

Our WHY is simple – a diverse workforce isn’t a “nice to have”: it’s a business imperative that drives real outcomes.

Global gender representation

Global gender representation

Global gender by level

Global gender by level
Read the report

ADT: Advancing diverse talent

We are building the next generation of leaders, not just for our company but for the world. We understand that there are so many possibilities in our world, but access to those opportunities is not equal for everyone. We are changing that, starting within our doors.

ADT is Synchrony's global diverse talent methodology designed to increase and sustain our focus on representation and progression across our most underrepresented groups. Our MOSAIC Leadership Institute gives diverse talent greater access to the executive leadership team and hones a commitment to five tenants of their leadership journey: inspire, innovate, engage, achieve and become.

Increasing diverse representation year-over-year amongst our ADT areas of focus is now one of the metrics used by our Board of Directors in determining bonus funding for more than 4,500 leaders across the company.

We go beyond listening; we take action

Our people are empowered to be vulnerable and have the courage to lead and weigh-in on tough conversations. We acknowledge how experiences that occur outside of our walls can affect us, so we can make space for the varied ways we show up.

Inclusive benefits for all

Synchrony offers a suite of benefits to support every employee and their diverse needs. Here are a few examples:

  • Industry-leading 22-Week Maternity/Parental Leave
  • Enhanced Fertility and Family Planning
  • Gender Affirming Benefits
  • Enhanced Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Search Criteria
  • Diverse Well-Being Coaches

Global diversity experience

Annually, since Synchrony’s IPO in 2014, hundreds of employees – from hourly call center associates to members of our Board of Directors, from the U.S. to India and the Philippines – come together for our Global Diversity Experience.

The conversations and new relationships that continue after the yearly event create an organic network of equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship champions. The Global Diversity Experience mirrors the space we create every day at Synchrony, where we go beyond the boundaries of a traditional corporate environment to create a place where all points of view can be shared and respected.

Our diversity networks+

More than 50 percent of our workforce – over 9,500 employees – belong to one or more of our eight Diversity Networks+.

Our Diversity Networks+ help amplify diverse voices and bring Synchrony employees together for support, development, and connection. These voluntary, employee-led groups help cultivate a culture of inclusion. The ideas, actions and passion they bring helps foster a workplace where everyone feels not only welcomed but accepted and valued for who they are.

The “+” in “Diversity Networks+” is deliberate. It’s there to remind our employees that they can participate in allies, even if they don’t belong to the demographic represented by a particular network – that we don’t just want them to be partners, we need them to “be the plus” in our work in order to further equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship at Synchrony.
Asian Professional Engagement Network+Black Experiences+Hispanic Network+Pride+ NetworkIndigenous Network+Enabled+ NetworkVeterans NetworkWomen's Network+
previous
previous

EAE: Education as an equalizer

At Synchrony, we believe that education has the potential to change the trajectory of one’s life, and therefore that of their children’s too.

Through investment, engagement, and collaboration with academic institutions, nonprofits, government and business, we hope to provide new and greater opportunities to underserved individuals and to light a path to a prosperous and fulfilling future for them and their children.

In 2021, we launched Education as an Equalizer and committed $50 million to the effort. Our three focus areas are:

  • Pathways to college completion: Help low- and moderate-income, minority and marginalized students earn a four-year college degree
  • Building skills for the future: Help low- and moderate-income, diverse students attain the skills and training needed for meaningful and gainful employment, including at the Synchrony Skills Academy and with OneTen
  • Closing the Financial Knowledge Gap: Provide education that allows people to gain the necessary skills to understand and manage their personal finances

Integrating ESG into our business

Because building a more equitable, inclusive economy is a business imperative, in 2021, Synchrony Ventures committed $15 million in venture capital funds led by diverse partners with a track record of investing in minority-owned startups. In 2022, Synchrony Ventures committed a further $5 million to support this strategy.

In 2023, Synchrony announced a $100 million commitment in Ariel Alternatives’ Project Black, which aims to scale sustainable minority-owned businesses and position them as leading suppliers to Fortune 500 companies. Our investment in Ariel and Project Black will help give Black, Hispanic and women entrepreneurs the support they need to grow long-term.

Learn more

Our end goal is simple:

We want to design an environment that meets the unique needs of all. No matter how the equity, diversity, inclusion and citizenship landscape fluctuates, our focus will remain steadfast on driving sustainable change.