The building blocks of our DEI data for ESG: beyond binary measures of workplace gender equality

Equileap’s Gender Equality Scorecard covers 21 indicators, underpinned by 48 metrics. But why are these metrics important, and what does best practice look like??

Today we’re zooming on Non-binary Data.

With International Non-Binary People's Day approaching on Sunday 14 July, now is the perfect time to take stock and think about how your ESG considerations can recognise non-binary people in the long term.

What is non-binary data?

While workplace gender data is frequently published in the form of a binary such as woman/man or female/male, these categories do not cover the full spectrum of gender identities or biological variety that exists in society.

Non-binary and gender-diverse people are present in virtually all workforces, so this metric allows investors to monitor companies’ DEI efforts beyond the binary. (Learn more about non-binary gender identities in this brief history from Out & Equal .)

How do we gather non-binary data?

Since 2022, Equileap has been gathering data on rates of disclosure regarding non-binary genders, capturing the gradual increase in the proportion of companies doing so, from 8% in 2023 to 12% in 2024.

When we identify additional categories in companies’ gender disclosures, we sort them into three baskets: non-binary, other/s and undeclared. We do not look for a specific number or percentage, but rather, whether companies are providing their employees with non-binary options in their workforce surveys. Advances in corporate reporting mirror social and legislative recognition around the world. (Details about the legal recognition of non-binary gender is available on Equaldex tracking site.)?

What is best practice for corporate reporting??

Equileap encourages companies to gather and disclose workforce statistics that go beyond the binary of woman/man or female/male.

The most inclusive reporting provides various additional categories: non-binary, prefer not to say, and allowing employees to type in the gender term that most represents them.

In addition to demographic data, employers can choose to publish and implement policies that facilitate workplace inclusion for transgender and non-binary employees. (See this practical guide from the CIPD - Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)

How are companies in our dataset doing?

In emerging markets, 24 companies or 1.6% of companies we researched report a gender category other than Men/Women in their workforce. This is most commonly reported as an Other category, often with an acknowledgement that various employees chose not to identify with the gender options presented.

In developed markets, 12% of the nearly 4,000 companies we researched report a gender category other than Men/Women. This doubles to nearly a quarter among Top 100 companies. A best practice example from the Top 100 is 澳洲国民银行 , which reports workforce gender data in the following four groups: Man, Woman, Non-binary or another gender, and Prefer not to answer. Going further, Figs Medical reports in five groups: Female, Male, Non-Binary, Agender, and Prefer not to disclose.

The Equileap Gender Equality Scorecard? is inspired by the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and the United Nations Global Compact . For each gender indicator, one or several metrics have been identified to evaluate it. A score and weighting has been allocated to each criterion to reflect that some issues may be more important for furthering gender equality than others.

???? Discover our scorecard!

????? Read our interview with our research team to learn more about our rigorous research methods!