Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Mathematica staff in Princeton standing in the shape of an M

A welcoming and supportive culture that draws on the individual strengths of employees from different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, abilities, and experiences is key to our success.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion: a business imperative and a core value

One of Mathematica’s core values is a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Building a welcoming and supportive culture that draws on the individual strengths of our employees from different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, abilities, and experiences is key to our success. Our research is more robust because it is informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and our mission to improve societal well-being is strengthened by a greater understanding of issues and challenges facing the populations we serve.

Mathematica’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is woven into our everyday actions, policies, and practices. We are dedicated to maintaining a work environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We continually strive to foster a professional and collegial atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and values the contributions of each staff member.

Leadership support for diversity, equity, and inclusion

Mathematica senior management actively supports initiatives to promote staff diversity, equity, and inclusion, community involvement, and a work environment that encourages all employees to pursue their professional ambitions. Our Diversity Council—which includes staff across levels, focus areas, and geographical locations—works with senior management to develop activities that foster awareness and understanding of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Mathematica and in the policy research field. We view a commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture to be an essential skill for all employees. Our board of directors is regularly updated and engaged on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. 

“There is no question in my mind that improving our efforts around diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do.  When we set out to look at these issues, we did so in typical Mathematica fashion, gathering both qualitative and quantitative data, running regression analyses, and controlling for a wide variety of variables.”  — Mathematica President and CEO Paul Decker.

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Our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Membership in CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion

Mathematica is a member of CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™, an organization that brings together CEOs and other business leaders from around the world to advance DEI initiatives in our own workplaces and beyond. As part of the CEO Action coalition, Mathematica will make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority throughout our offices; support broader initiatives championed by CEO Action; and lead in the business community, as we move forward in the critically important work of increasing opportunity for all.

Recruitment

Our efforts to build a diverse corporate culture are reflected in our broad and strategic recruitment and visa sponsorship. Learn more about Mathematica career opportunities and current job openings.

Summer Fellowship Program

The Summer Fellowship Program welcomes doctoral students to spend 12 weeks at one of Mathematica’s office locations. Fellows work on their own independent research project (typically their dissertation), which intersects with one or more of Mathematica’s focus areas.  We encourage minority students, students with disabilities, military veterans, and members of other underrepresented groups to apply.

Expanding the Bench initiative

Annie E. Casey Foundation , Expanding the Bench initiative

Photo credit: Jennifer Bishop

We partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation on its Expanding the Bench initiative, which aims to increase the number of historically underrepresented minority researchers and evaluators. This partnership creates opportunities for scholars enrolled in the foundation’s Leaders in Equitable Evaluation and Diversity program to serve on Mathematica’s evaluation project teams.

 

Unconscious bias training

Mathematica provides unconscious bias training designed to raise participants’ awareness of their undetected biases and teach specific techniques for addressing these biases and to promote fairness in the workplace.

Employee resource groups

Mathematica sponsors employee resource groups designed to help staff feel more supported and better prepared to approach any work challenges they face related to their identity, to create opportunities across the organization for more open communication around issues of diversity and inclusion and their importance in our work, and to provide opportunities to improve our cultural competence and ultimately benefit the diverse populations we research.

Diversity Council

The Mathematica Diversity Council comprises employees from all levels across the enterprise. Its mission is to improve the well-being of Mathematica’s employees and the quality of our products by bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion to bear on our internal procedures, our public face, and our daily interactions. 

Humans of Mathematica

Many employees volunteer to be featured as a subject of Humans of Mathematica on our intranet, a part of our effort to build community and better understand, communicate, and celebrate diversity and inclusion. The digital profiles enable employees to share with colleagues—in their own words— stories about their personal and career journeys. Humans of Mathematica: Celebrating Our Diversity Through Pictures and Stories

External recognition of Mathematica as a diversity champion

Excellence in Diversity Award

The Human Resources Management Association has twice recognized Mathematica’s accomplishments by awarding us the Excellence in Diversity Award. Criteria for this award included evidence of support for diversity initiatives from top management, a diverse culture of inclusion, involvement in the community, and respect for and commitment to sustaining a diverse organizational culture.

Mathematica is a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality two years in a row

Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality, Corporate Equality Index
Mathematica is proud to have been named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality two years in a row by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), after receiving a perfect score of 100 percent on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index surveys of 2020 and 2021. The HRC Corporate Equality Index is the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning/queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality. Mathematica’s commitment to LGBTQ equality and inclusion includes comprehensive domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage, gender-inclusive language practices, nondiscrimination and unconscious bias training, inclusive social and educational events throughout the year, and corporate accountability practices that honor the dignity of every member of our staff. To learn more about the Corporate Equality Index and its recognition of Mathematica, please visit www.hrc.org/cei.

 

Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion

DEI Index
Mathematica received a top score on the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Disability Equality Index® (DEI), a joint initiative between the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN. The DEI is a national, transparent benchmarking tool that offers businesses an opportunity to report their disability inclusion policies and practices.