Inclusion and diversity

Culture of belonging

Having a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture makes us stronger as an organization and improves the quality of our work. According to data on client team effectiveness, diverse teams produce greater economic success for all.

By understanding, valuing and leveraging the strengths of all colleagues, Mercer holds a differentiating advantage. Nurturing a culture in which everyone can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging leads to greater engagement and retention of the best talent — and it’s the right thing to do. Diverse teams generate richer discussions, more innovative ideas and greater impact than teams where everyone is the same. Below are details about Mercer’s approach, strategy and actions, and commitments.

Mercer is a people business, and having colleagues with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, experiences and cultures brings a diversity of ideas that, in turn, helps us make brighter futures for everyone. Together, we can make a difference.

Martine Ferland

President and Chief Executive Officer
Mercer Vice Chair, Marsh McLennan

Our inclusion and diversity priorities

Representation

The diversity of our workforce reflects the communities in which we live and work. Find out more about the diversity of Mercer’s workforce and our commitment to inclusive culture.
Belonging

We’re building a culture centered on belonging, where all colleagues feel represented, reflected and respected at work.
Thriving

We strive to deliver equitable learning opportunities, development, promotions and rewards to all colleagues.

Building more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces

Dan Glaser, President and CEO of Marsh McLennan, and Martine Ferland, President and CEO of Mercer, discuss how organizations can step up their efforts to close career, health and wealth gaps affecting Black employees.

How are we building a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture?

Listening better

We’ve created a series of listening sessions and colleague experience surveys with the aim of better informing and driving our actions. We use these tools to increase awareness and understanding of differences across many diversity dimensions.

We’ve established diversity advisory councils at the enterprise and local levels to guide actions with local leaders.

Advocacy

Mercer has a longstanding practice of reviewing pay and promotion decisions to identify and mitigate bias. We are committed to expanding this focus to other core business practices and policies.

Mercer offers a mix of regional and local mentorship programs to help elevate BIPOC colleagues through career sponsorship.

Learning

We continuously build organizational capability to sustain an inclusive workplace.

Colleagues are required to attend learning sessions and certify that they understand the concepts of unconscious bias, being an ally and respect at work. People managers participate in additional forums to discuss creating and sustaining an inclusive culture.

Leadership accountability

Business leaders of large organizations have multiyear goals to increase representation of BIPOC colleagues in critical roles. At Mercer, leaders create a plan for engaging, retaining and developing BIPOC colleagues.

Mercer has instituted practices designed to attract and hire diverse talent. We’re de-biasing job postings and diversifying and training our hiring managers and interview teams.

Business resource groups (BRGs)

Our BRGs are an integral part of Mercer’s ability to succeed in building a culture of belonging.

Made up of colleagues who voluntarily work together to help Mercer achieve its diversity vision, each BRG plays a critical role in improving our firm’s culture and environment. Providing unique perspectives from across our organization, each BRG focuses on our abilities to hire, develop and retain the best talent; work with an increasingly diverse client base; and connect to the increasingly diverse communities in which our colleagues and clients live and work.

The Women@Mercer program aims to support and expand gender balance in conjunction with our global community of women’s networks. We’re also committed to promoting Mercer’s internal and external gender-diversity brand to maximize the company’s ability to recruit, develop, retain and advance female talent.

The Racial and Ethnic Diversity BRG works to help make Mercer the employer of choice for the best and brightest diverse talent. The group fosters an inclusive work environment where employees from diverse backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities can thrive as professionals and contribute to Mercer’s success.

Mercer’s Pride BRG is dedicated to helping Mercer realize the full value of the firm’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender+ colleagues while supporting Mercer’s strategic imperatives.

The Rising Professionals BRG connects, develops and empowers driven, ambitious and diverse colleagues through networking and programming for professional and developmental growth.

AccessABILITIES@Mercer aims to enhance a culture of inclusion for colleagues with disabilities and for caregivers, creating a workplace built on empathy, dignity, trust and respect so that everyone’s abilities shine.

The Mercer Cares BRG harnesses our people’s passion for making a meaningful difference in our communities through volunteering. Mercer colleagues have the opportunity to make an impact together by mentoring students, improving community health and wellness, supporting veterans’ groups and volunteering to support a variety of other causes. We make it easy for our colleagues to volunteer by offering one paid workday off each calendar year for volunteer service with a nonprofit or charitable organization.