Citigroup most diverse firm, Berkshire least - C, MRK, BRK.A, JPM & KO

Northern, WI 03/08/2013 (avauncer) - Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) and Merck & Co. (NYSE:MRK) are placed on top in the list of most comprehensive US firms for two sensitive categories of employees - women and minorities. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK/A) performance has not been up to the mark in this regard, a report by Calvert Investments Inc said.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO) have also got more points in the report. The report is based on an analysis of acceptance to diversity practices by firms in the S&P’s 100 Index, according to the Maryland-based mutual fund. Berkshire Hathaway was given fewer points as it doesn’t deem diversity when appointing board members and management leaders, the report stated.

The report further divulged that there were definitive changes could be seen at corporations as far as diversity is concerned, but women and minorities still not getting what was due to them. Women employees hold comparatively few management positions, Calvert said. Women held 19 percent of director posts in 2012, and constituted only 8 percent of the executives in the highest salary bracket, as per report.

“It is important to recognize that much hard work remains to be done. Absent a real push to put more women on boards and into executive suites, the progress on diversity will end up falling far short of what needs to be done,” Barbara J. Krumsiek, said the CEO of Calvert Investments.

The report has been prepared using 10 different criteria to rank firms that include the state of diversity programs launched, the number of such programs and the strength of women and minorities at the top level.

Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway is having around 70 operating subsidiaries but only two women directors on its board comprising 12 members in total, the company’s 2012 annual report suggests.

Berkshire’s CEO Warren Buffett, however, has been forthright in support female workforce at workplace.

The shares of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) were up by 2.13% and currently trading at $45.96

The shares of Merck & Co., Inc.(NYSE:MRK) were down by 0.25% and currently trading at $43.16

The shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(NYSE:BRK.A) were up by 0.19% and currently trading at $155,500.00

The shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) were down by 1.28% and currently trading at $49.98

The shares of Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO) were down by 0.13% and currently trading at $39.07