More than two-thirds (68 percent) of executive recruiters say diversity hiring efforts should be spearheaded by top company leadership, according to international recruiters who completed the latest edition of the quarterly Executive Recruiter Index, released by Korn/Ferry International. This overwhelming trend reflects the importance of diversity hiring practices in today's competitive market for talent.

Other champions of diversity, according to global recruiters, include the company's board of directors (13 percent) and the human resources department (11 percent).

Additionally, nearly half of recruiters (46 percent) reveal that minority candidates are present in 25-75 percent of their executive searches. More than one-fifth of recruiters (21 percent) report that diversity candidates had been included in three-quarters or more of their recent engagements.

"The recognition of diversity as an effort that needs to start in the C-suite and permeate throughout every level of the organization shows great progress, said Bob Damon, president of North America for Korn/Ferry International. "As globalization continues to shape the workplace, our clients are seeking executive leadership who not only reflect today's talent pool, but who also understand the social and cultural nuances of varying markets.

Almost half (49 percent) of recruiters attribute the increased visibility around diversity issues to globalization, while another 30 percent cite the increased presence of women and minorities in the workplace as the leading reason.

Lastly, nearly 9 out of 10 recruiters (85 percent) agree that companies that have successful diversity programs in place enjoy a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Effective diversity programs provide a more robust talent pool for organizations around the world, allowing them to attract and retain more top talent amidst today's shortage of skilled professionals.




Korn/Ferry International, with more than 80 offices in 39 countries, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to identify, deploy, develop, retain and reward their talent. For more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, visit www.kornferry.com.