Introduction

In 1998 the Iowa Civil Rights Commission created the Results Measures group with the goal of measuring the effectiveness of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission's programs in meeting the Commission's mission of eliminating discrimination in Iowa. The results measures group has focused its recent efforts on measuring the level of discrimination Iowa. The group looked at the factors which may affect the level of discrimination, such as the level of unemployment or the awareness of civil rights law. The group also looke d at the data available for study. In some areas data was currently being collected, such as unemployment data, in others it was necessary to create new data sources.

As part of its efforts the group created a corporate survey to help measure the level of corporate commitment in this area. In the spring and summer of 1998 the corporate survey was sent to the top 123 companies in Iowa in terms of number of employees. The Department of Economic Development's list of "Employers in Iowa with 1,000 or more employees Based on 1996 Calendar Year Annual Average Employment by all Industries" was used to create the mailing list for the survey. The survey was sent to the human resources offices of the companies surveyed. Respondents were assured that their responses would remain confidential. Two rounds of surveys were sent. The ICRC received 78 completed surveys creating a 63% response rate. The survey asked general background questions such as size, number of locations and type of business. The survey also asked specific questions about the individuals employed by the company and the type of training they received. Summaries of some of the survey questions are set out below.

Survey in General

Of the 78 companies responding 23 were manufacturing, 6 retail, 13 service, 1 agriculture and 34 indicated "other". The companies were fairly evenly divided between public and private ownership with 37 having private ownership and 41 public. Almost all (76) of the companies had been in business for over 10 years.

When asked about the racial and ethnic composition of their workforce: 35.9% indicted they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American, or Latino; 19.2% employed 50-100 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American, or Latino; 3.8% employed 101 to 150 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American, or Latino; 5.1% employed 151 to 200 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American, or Latino; and 29.5% employed 201 or more individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American, or Latino.

When asked about training offered to employees 92.3% of the companies responding indicated they offered anti-discrimination training and 56.4% indicated they offered diversity training.

The majority of the companies surveyed, 96.2%, stated they had an anti-discrimination policy.

Comparison By Industry Sector

When the type of industry is examined the figures varied. In the manufacturing sector: 52.2% of those who responded indicated that they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; 21.7% indicated they employed 50-100 individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; and 21.7% indicated they employed 201 or more individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino.

In manufacturing 91.3% of the companies who responded indicated that they offered anti-discrimination training, 60.9% indicated they offered diversity appreciation training, and 95.7% had an anti-discrimination policy.

Thirteen companies responded that they were in the service sector. In the service sector; 15.4% of those that responded indicated that they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; 23.1% indicated they employed 50-100; 7.7% indicated they employed 101-200; and 46.2% indicated they employed 201 or more individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino.

In the service sector 92.3% of the companies who responded indicated that they offered anti-discrimination training, 46.2% indicated they offered diversity appreciation training and 92.3% had an anti-discrimination policy.

Thirty-four surveys chose "other" as their business type. Of those who chose "other" as their company's type of business: 38.2% of those that responded indicated that they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; 11.8% indicated they employed 50-100; 5.9% indicated they employed 101-150; 11.8% indicated they employed 151-200; and 26.5% indicated they employed 201 or more individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino.

Of those who chose "other" as their companies type of business 91.2% of the companies who responded indicated that they offered anti-discrimination training, 64.7% indicated they offered diversity appreciation training, and 97.1% had an anti-discrimination policy.

Six companies indicated they were in the retail sector and one indicated it was in the agriculture sector.

Comparison By Location

The survey included a question on the location of the respondent. Respondents were asked whether they were in a rural or urban location. Urban was defined as being a community with a population greater than 50,000.

Fifty-four surveys chose urban as their business location. Of those who chose urban as their company's location: 25.9% of those that responded indicated that they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; 14.8% indicated they employed 50-100; 5.6% indicated they employed 101-150; 7.4% indicated they employed 151-200; and 38.9% indicated they employed 201 or

more individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino.

Of those who chose urban as their company's location 90.7% of the companies who responded indicated that they offered anti-discrimination training, 59.3% indicated they offered diversity appreciation training and 91.9% had an anti-discrimination policy.

Twenty-three surveys chose rural as their business location. Of those who chose urban as their company's location: 56.5% of those that responded indicated that they employed less than 50 individuals who were African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino; 30.4% indicated they employed 50-100; and 8.7% indicated they employed 201 or more individuals who are African American, Asian American, Native American or Latino.

Of those who chose rural as their company's location 95.7% of the companies who responded indicated that they offered anti-discrimination training, 47.8% indicated they offered diversity appreciation training and 100% had an anti-discrimination policy.

Conclusion

Most companies responding have an anti-discrimination policy in place and offer anti-discrimination training to their employees. However fewer companies are offering diversity training. Companies in rural setting appear to employ fewer African Americans, Asian Americans, or Native Americans than those in urban settings. Manufacturing companies employee fewer African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans than companies in other sectors.