The Why Podcast: Why companies don't always reveal employee data
Mon Jan 26 2026
Why are so many companies still struggling to achieve meaningful workforce diversity, and what does newly released data reveal about
the barriers hidden inside organisations?
In this episode of The Why Podcast, Rachel Flam uncovers what firm‑level evidence shows about representation, transparency and the forces shaping workplace equity today. The conversation highlights why disclosure matters and what happens when companies choose to remain silent.
Three key themes emerge from the discussion:
Newly available workforce data exposes the stark drop off in representation for racial minorities at first and middle management levels.
Organisations with lower managerial diversity are less likely to disclose their EEO 1 reports, indicating that non disclosure can be strategic rather than procedural.
Transparency plays a critical role in creating accountability, helping stakeholders see where gaps persist and encouraging firms to address barriers.
The episode also explores how firm‑level culture, internal processes and leadership practices can drive much of the variation in diversity across companies – far more than industry or geography alone can explain. As disclosure trends shift and public expectations rise, the conversation
addresses why honest reporting is essential for building equitable workplaces.
Assistant Professor of Accounting at London Business School,
Dr Rachel Flam is co‑author of ‘Behind the Curtain of Workforce
Diversity’, a landmark study using newly released EEO‑1 data to examine firm‑level diversity patterns.
Discover more about Rachel and her research: https://www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/r/rachel-flam
For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit https://www.london.edu/think.
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Why are so many companies still struggling to achieve meaningful workforce diversity, and what does newly released data reveal about the barriers hidden inside organisations? In this episode of The Why Podcast, Rachel Flam uncovers what firm‑level evidence shows about representation, transparency and the forces shaping workplace equity today. The conversation highlights why disclosure matters and what happens when companies choose to remain silent. Three key themes emerge from the discussion: Newly available workforce data exposes the stark drop off in representation for racial minorities at first and middle management levels. Organisations with lower managerial diversity are less likely to disclose their EEO 1 reports, indicating that non disclosure can be strategic rather than procedural. Transparency plays a critical role in creating accountability, helping stakeholders see where gaps persist and encouraging firms to address barriers. The episode also explores how firm‑level culture, internal processes and leadership practices can drive much of the variation in diversity across companies – far more than industry or geography alone can explain. As disclosure trends shift and public expectations rise, the conversation addresses why honest reporting is essential for building equitable workplaces. Assistant Professor of Accounting at London Business School, Dr Rachel Flam is co‑author of ‘Behind the Curtain of Workforce Diversity’, a landmark study using newly released EEO‑1 data to examine firm‑level diversity patterns. Discover more about Rachel and her research: https://www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/r/rachel-flam For more thought leadership and business insights from London Business School faculty and alumni, visit https://www.london.edu/think. Sign up to receive a curated selection of articles, podcasts and films direct to your inbox twice a month at www.london.edu/think?entry=true#subscribeScreen. Follow us on social media: X.com/LBS linkedin.com/school/london-business-school facebook.com/LondonBusinessSchool