Diverse perspectives foster improved decision-making, innovation, and outcomes while creating a welcoming place to work. Our more than 7,500 employees are our biggest strength, serving as partners to our businesses and driving a better experience for our customers. For us, workforce diversity is one of our annual goals, measured along with sales and earnings to help us achieve our purpose. We seek and value diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that reflect the markets we serve, and remain committed to advocating for fairness, equity, and inclusion.
In 2019, we increased the diversity of our workforce for the third year in a row, as well as the percentage of employees who self-identify as LGBTQ, veteran, or as having a disability. We also expanded our education efforts to nurture a culture where every employee feels like they belong and can bring their whole self to work. Our eight employee-led Business Resource Groups were instrumental in this effort, continuing to focus on professional development, mentoring, and promoting an understanding of differences and inclusion at every level of the company.