Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

Who is represented in the world, accounting for all of our similarities and differences (including, but not limited to, physical appearance, behaviors, voice and tone, abilities, sexual orientation, age, race, gender, religion and natural origin).

What we can do to provide resources and opportunities while removing systemic barriers and biases so that outcomes are based only on one’s talents, gifts and work.

How we can create a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, and ideas and perspectives are brought to a table where everyone has a seat.

At Sysco, we value the unique perspectives and skills that our global colleagues and partners bring. Simply put, we’re better together. By embedding DEI principles across our business, we can ensure everyone has a seat—and a voice—at Sysco’s table. At the highest levels of our organization, we are committed to driving progress by embracing DEI principles and best practices. All of Sysco’s Executive Leadership Team members continue to have scorecards designed to drive personal accountability for DEI progress. One of our focuses in FY2024 was to bring more international colleagues into our DEI work. With this in mind, we welcomed a dedicated Director of DEI and Reconciliation in Sysco Canada and established regional DEI councils in Ireland, Great Britain and Costa Rica.

Through external partnerships and internal best practices, we aim to attract and retain a workforce that reflects the vibrancy of the diverse customers and communities we serve. In service of this goal, we launched a self-identification campaign to capture invisible dimensions of diversity across Sysco’s workforce and ensured that 80% of hiring decisions for roles at the Director+ level were made after interviewing a diverse candidate slate, surpassing our target of 78%.

We are focused on creating an environment that makes people want to come to Sysco—and stay. Our goal is to cultivate an empowering, welcoming, and inclusive culture that truly reflects our people and values. We expanded the global footprint of several CRGs and hosted our inaugural global CRG Awards. We launched a new Respect in the Workplace initiative in response to feedback from our FY2023 Sysco Speaks survey and achieved a 4% increase on our Sysco Speaks DEI index, exceeding our goal to achieve an increase of 1%.

Inclusion is an important aspect of how we show up for Sysco’s external stakeholders and how our company is perceived. Our goal is to model and promote DEI best practices throughout our industry and communities, and to leverage inclusion to better meet our stakeholders’ expectations and needs. In FY2024, we surpassed $1 billion in Tier 1 certified diverse supplier spend, onboarded 29 new certified diverse suppliers to our program, and helped 14 self-selecting diverse suppliers earn certifications. Additionally, w promoted inclusion in our industry and communities by sponsoring events amplifying individuals with disabilities, restaurant operators from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more.

Our CRGs create a strong sense of belonging and connection for colleagues around the globe. Together, they help Sysco recognize culturally significant occasions, while creating a safe space and sense of community for colleagues from often underrepresented backgrounds. Click here to view our Colleague Resource Groups.

Sysco’s Global DEI Council was established in FY2021. The Council reflects Sysco’s broader colleague population with representation across dimensions of diversity such as race, gender, age, abilities, sexual orientation, geographic location, career level and Sysco tenure. The Council was instrumental in developing the 3-year Better Together roadmap and acts as a sounding board for DEI-related policies, practices, and procedures.

Sysco’s Global DEI Ambassadors were established in FY2021 and, like the Council, reflect the broader colleague population across all dimensions of diversity. Ambassadors serve as “influencers” throughout the organization, championing DEI strategies and initiatives to ensure broad communication and alignment.