(ZENIT News / Washington, 05.23.2025).- As debates about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continue to evolve—sometimes turbulently—one quiet revolution in corporate culture is gaining ground: faith-friendly workplaces. At the forefront of this transformation is Accenture, crowned once again in 2025 as the most faith-inclusive company on the Global Fortune 500, according to the sixth annual REDI Index from the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. This marks Accenture’s third consecutive year at the top, a feat that signals a growing shift in how companies understand and embrace religion in the workplace.
What might have once been considered a peripheral or even taboo topic in corporate environments is now being recognized as a vital dimension of employee identity. Following Accenture in this year’s REDI Index are Equinix, Dell Technologies, Merck, and Intuit—all companies that have prioritized creating an inclusive space for employees of all faiths and belief systems, including non-theistic perspectives.
The REDI Index—short for Religious Equity, Diversity & Inclusion—assesses companies on 11 best-practice indicators. These range from employee faith-based resource groups (ERGs), observance of holy days, and dietary accommodations, to external transparency and inter-company sharing of inclusion strategies. The survey spans global companies, with a record-breaking number of participants this year, including newcomers from the Middle East and the UK, such as Future Pipes Industries and Lexmark.
But what makes 2025 particularly notable is not just who made the list—it’s the context. In the wake of recent Supreme Court decisions (USA) narrowing the legal framework for race- and gender-based affirmative action, many corporations have scaled back or restructured their DEI programs. Amid this retrenchment, faith inclusion initiatives have not only persisted—they’ve flourished.
Data from the REDI Monitor, which tracks corporate websites for public-facing commitments to religious inclusion, shows a significant rise in intensity: the average company score jumped from 3.6 in 2024 to 4.2 in 2025, more than double the average in 2022. This suggests that while some diversity efforts may be in retreat, religion has carved out a unique and resilient niche within corporate culture.
Indeed, 92% of surveyed companies now formally recognize faith-oriented ERGs. All participating firms integrate religion into HR training, and a quarter offer chaplaincy services. Even donation-matching programs have become more inclusive, with 58% of companies extending them to religious nonprofits. In perhaps the most symbolic gesture, every company acknowledged religious holidays, with over half doing so both internally and externally.
Interestingly, the number of firms reporting active ERGs dipped slightly from 62 to 60. Analysts suggest this may reflect changes in how companies publicly present their DEI commitments rather than a retreat from the practices themselves. Some firms removed online references to ERGs while continuing them internally, perhaps responding to political scrutiny or stakeholder pressure. At the same time, participation in benchmarking surveys has waned among some U.S.-based companies—but international engagement has picked up the slack.
In this evolving landscape, faith-based inclusion is emerging as a uniquely unifying element of corporate culture. Unlike race or gender, which often spark polarized responses, religion—when approached inclusively—offers common ground. It allows organizations to respect a deeply personal aspect of employee identity while promoting mutual understanding across belief systems.
More than a nod to tradition or tolerance, this new wave of faith-friendly practices reflects a deeper corporate shift. Companies are recognizing that holistic inclusion must extend to the spiritual dimension of their people—not just their visible characteristics. And as the REDI Index expands its global reach, it’s becoming clear that religious inclusion isn’t a fringe initiative—it’s a core strategy for cultivating belonging, purpose, and productivity.
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