Circana Signs CEO Action Plan for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge

The coalition provides various tools, resources, events and thought-leadership opportunities to support business leaders in taking action and driving development to advance progress.

CHICAGO – Aug. 17, 2023 – Kirk Perry, president and CEO of Circana, formerly IRI and The NPD Group, has signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. As part of this commitment, Circana joins over 2,400 signatories who have pledged to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, and employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Our DEI objective is the same as our overall business objective — to strengthen our high-performance culture,” said Perry. “We will only succeed in that effort if we create a diverse and inclusive organization where our employees feel empowered and can be their authentic selves. An impactful DEI program will reflect the diversity of the markets and shoppers our global clients serve.”

Internally, Circana supports our Global Business Resources Groups (BRGs) to empower employees and create an inclusive environment for many. The active BRGs include ASPIRE (Asian/Pacific Islander), DiversAbility (Disability/Neurodiversity), Somos (Hispanic/Latino), EmpowHer (Women), Power Up (Early Career) and Pride Alliance (LGBTQ+), and VIBE (Black).

“We believe that our diverse workforce, cultures, ideas and skills set us apart as a global market leader,” said Cecilia Ogude, global head, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Circana. “Diversity and inclusivity bring demonstrable value and innovation to our businesses, clients and communities, while creating a sense of belonging for everyone.”

Circana also has several external programs that have helped create measurable growth and equity for diverse and minority-owned businesses and talent, including the first-of-its-kind Diversity Advantage Program (DAP), which supports diverse supplier ecosystems and helps level the playing field for minority- and women-owned CPG businesses to grow. Founded and led by volunteers, the award-winning DAP program boasts partnerships with 11 leading retailers selling products from 48 CPG and general merchandise businesses in the U.S. and U.K. Some success stories include:

• A female-founded cosmetics company wanted to increase its sales with a key retailer. Circana created a survey that helped guide the company’s strategy, leading to a sales increase of 80% and doubling its average weekly distribution at the retailer.
• A Black-owned specialty coffee and tea brand saw an opportunity within the coffee category for more premium, specialty K-cups, a new segment for the brand. Circana provided data and insights into which of a retailer’s stores had customers with the highest propensity to purchase K-cups. With this information, the company expanded its distribution to 450 of the retailer’s stores, chosen as one of only two premium K-cup brands selling there.

Circana also has a few campus initiatives to help students transition into internships and entry-level opportunities, in addition to offering scholarships. Circana provides data to select universities so students can learn about the industry and gain hands-on experience, and Circana employees participate in panel discussions and training sessions for further guidance.

Collaborating with other partners, Circana analyzes marketing, advertising, media and entertainment to increase accurate portrayals of women and girls. Its research has shown that depicting women accurately is not only the right thing to do for gender equality but also positively impacts sales.