Our Workplace
Abt Global is a pioneer in gender and racial equality in the workplace, infusing equity into the way we do business internally and for clients. Since the days of its inception, our founder, Clark Abt, observed that most companies in the 1960s had a glass ceiling for women—usually limiting them to secretarial positions. He saw it as an opportunity to hire from a vast pool of talent for research, analytical, and implementation jobs at Abt. By the mid-1980s, women were running five of our six government research units and have continued to shape Abt’s legacy and leadership in the decades that followed. In 1992, Wendell Knox, an African American Harvard grad, became president and chief executive officer (CEO) when there wasn’t a single black CEO of a major U.S. company.
Our measurable progress towards eliminating the gender and racial pay gap is driven by rigorous data analysis and monitoring. Using a variety of data analytic tools, we understand pay differences within the organization and inform our employment offers. Maintaining a closed gap is the harder part, which we accomplish by systematically monitoring salaries, adding to efforts that make Abt an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible place to work.
A diverse workforce is one of our greatest strengths. In pursuit of achieving even greater representation and inclusion, we are committed to transparency and accountability, which is why we share our global workforce demographic data with both our employees and the public. Data showcases the progress that Abt has made toward EDIA in the workplace and helps us identify gaps for continuous improvement. For example:
- 83.3% of the Abt Global Australia communications team identify as female
- 66.7% of corporate executives at Abt Global Australia identify as female
- 23.2% of project and program managers identify as Black/African American
Our employees receive training at every level to lead with an equitable mindset, with an emphasis on reflecting inward and evaluating our own identities, beliefs, and actions to see how they affect our behavior toward others—and how we may need to change. Reflecting inward can feel uncomfortable, but it is necessary and leads to powerful advancements in workplace inclusion and visibility at Abt. Our worldwide mandatory equity training courses cover a host of important topics, including transgender and gender-diverse identities, casteism, colorism, and ableism.
Employee Networking Groups help create a sense of belonging and offer platforms to Abt employees where they can connect with colleagues and advocate for DEI in the workplace. They also provide networking, mentorship, and career development opportunities. The groups span the globe and include:
- Asian & Pacific Islanders at Abt
- Black at Abt
- Disability Pride
- Emerging Leaders
- PRISM
- Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group
- Somos Abt
- Wellbeing at Abt
- Women at Abt
Abt’s commitment to EDIA in the workplace is recognized by several global assessment and certification platforms.
After the U.S. Supreme Court abortion ruling led several states to restrict women’s access to the procedure, Abt implemented a medical travel benefit that applies to travel expenses for medical treatments over 100 miles from home. The plan includes a $4000 lifetime maximum for U.S. employees and includes care for women and transgender youth and adults.
While some companies retreat from workplace inclusion goals, Abt isn’t and won’t.
Our Work
Globally, we lead with equity across our methodologies, tools and program delivery, working with communities to tailor solutions that address their unique needs.
Our work aligns with and promotes the core principles of “nothing about us without us” and “do no harm.” We acknowledge the historical inequities caused by institutions and commit to increasing engagement with people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities through our global EDIA strategies.
We aim to shift power dynamics and increase resources for people who historically have faced discrimination, including those who have been excluded based on their ethnicity, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, and other dimensions.
Intersectionality is at the heart of our work, which is why our equity approaches are based on careful analysis about the compounding disadvantages faced by specific population groups.
From home ownership to maternal health outcomes, we work to remove sources of bias from data sets, artificial intelligence, and program evaluations to avoid perpetuating discrimination and systemic inequity.
Our commitment to EDIA is also reflected in the programs we deliver globally. For example, since 2016, Abt has led the Investing in Women (IW) program in Southeast Asia, partnering with the private sector, business leaders, impact investors, and gender advocates to improve Workplace Gender Equality. The program represented one million employees and supported 20 gender norm campaigns that have a combined reach of over 340 million people through social media and traditional media.
Awards, Certifications, and Pledges
- Abt Global is the first U.S., Australian and U.K. government implementing partner to achieve the EDGE certification. EDGE is the leading global assessment and business certification for gender equality in the workplace.
- Global Health 50/50 2023 Report: High Performer
- CEO Kathleen Flanagan signed Act!On For Diversity and Inclusion pledge
- Abt is Bell Seal certified. The Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health is a national certification program by Mental Health America that recognizes employers who are committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces.