
Our Approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Being intentional with our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) at Paychex is a commitment we must adhere to for our employees, clients, and stakeholders. Our leadership, both at board and management level is committed to DEI.
Our DEI Action Plan
A Systemic Approach to Inclusion and Diversity
- We are making significant investments into the development of our DEI infrastructure which includes investigating facts, data, and history from a local, national, and global perspective and the context in which DEI plays out for individuals, teams, and the entire organization.
- Driving systemic change to prioritize equity: the fair and contextually appropriate access to the resources and opportunities required for every individual and group to attain their full potential.
- Expanding DEI and Culture focused learning material that is readily available to all employees.
Building a Culture of Inclusion
- Expansion of Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) that align with Paychex culture and values.
- Leveraging our DEI and Culture Champions to drive belonging, learning opportunities, and sustainability of DEI efforts.
- Launched the enterprise-wide Connections Mentoring Program to drive cross-functional and cross-cultural mentoring opportunities to support the upward mobility of Paychex employees.
- Introduced new client employee-facing training “Being an Inclusive Coworker” with additional DEI and Culture training on demand.
Supporting Strategic Community Partnerships
- Continued recruiting partnerships that include organizations with diverse applicant pools (for example, historically Black colleges and universities).
- We have established regional employee networks designed to support employee volunteer activities and charitable giving.
- Actively seeking new opportunities to give back locally in our employees’ communities, including our partnerships with Feeding America, Junior Achievement, the National Urban League, Mental Health America, and the United Way.
Employee Business Resource Groups
Our Employee Business Resource Groups are aligned with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy by helping to facilitate live employee panel events, providing leadership valuable insight, and supporting conversations that empower our employees to connect and support our DEI efforts at Paychex. All groups are open to employees that identify with that group and allies.
Asian Pacific Islander (API)
This group creates awareness and education for our employees to appreciate the distinct and varied Asian and Pacific Islander communities through networking and cultural and educational events.
Black/African American
This group strives to provide opportunities for employees to engage, collaborate, share information, build community, and positively impact the Paychex community.
Diverse-Abilities
This group focuses on fostering an environment of inclusivity for people with diverse abilities and understanding on behalf of those impacted by their own unique challenges. To be a member does not require a disability, just a passion to help others.
Hispanic/Latino
This group exists to facilitate internal connections for professional growth of Paychex employees, to increase engagement through networking events and community outreach activities, and to share Hispanic/Latino culture and heritage.
Intergenerational
This group bridges generational and cultural differences through activities and forums that generate awareness, foster respect, and facilitate inter-connectivity among Paychex employees, customers, and communities.
LGBTQ+
This group is designed to be a safe space to share, listen, and learn while supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and allies
Military/Veterans
This group is open to all employees and specifically our veterans, current members of the military and to anyone who has active or inactive military member in their life. This group is a safe space to listen, learn and build connections.
Women
This group is an all-inclusive group dedicated to providing not only women, but all employees at Paychex opportunities to connect, collaborate, grow, and develop their knowledge on all topics related to women in the workplace.
Board-level Responsibility
President and CEO John Gibson continues to be a signatory of the CEO Action for Diversity & InclusionTM pledge. This pledge demonstrates how DEI are top priorities at the company and exemplifies the support from Paychex leadership. The Nominating and ESG Committee of the Board of Directors Governance has oversight of the company’s DEI strategies.

Management-Level Responsibility
The Paychex DEI Advisory Board, led by our President and CEO, John Gibson, has oversight of the Company’s DEI strategies. We also have a team dedicated to DEI. It is led by the Director of DEI and Employee Experience. We have a DEI & Employee Experience website where employees can join our Employee Business Resource Groups, read monthly messages from our Director of DEI & Employee Experience, see our DEI strategic roadmap, and become a Paychex culture champion. Other key focus areas include:
- A commitment to operationalizing DEI by requiring business units across the Company to align DEI initiatives to their business goals.
- Monthly internal awareness campaigns for various DEI-related topics.

Inclusion and Diversity Training
Incorporated into every new hire’s onboarding curriculum, the Paychex Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) training curriculum introduces employees to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) concepts and reinforces the Company's commitment to growing and retaining a workforce that represents the diversity of our customers, colleagues, and the communities that we serve. The four-part series includes modules on: Defining DEI, Leveraging Inclusion in the Workplace, Mitigating Bias in the Workplace, and Communicating and Connecting Around DEI. The training is Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) & Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) accredited and includes audio of actual employees sharing their experiences.

Recognized by Industry Experts for Our Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
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Newsweek’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2023
Paychex was listed as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2023 by Newsweek in collaboration with Plant-A Insights. Paychex’s status was determined by interviews with HR professionals, and employee surveys yielding more than 350,000 company reviews. Paychex’s culture and working environment were found to respect and value different kinds of people.
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Diversity Inc’s Top 50 “Noteworthy” list for 2023
Paychex was listed on Diversity Inc’s Noteworthy companies for workplace fairness in 2023. Their assessment is the most comprehensive, data-driven analysis of workplace fairness initiatives and outcomes focused on leadership accountability, organizational programs and practices, and human capital metrics. Measuring 1,400 unique factors, Paychex showed potential in reaching the Top 50.
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Training Apex Award 2023
Paychex ranked among the Top Five for the 2023 Training Apex Awards, marking the company’s 22nd consecutive appearance on the list presented by Training magazine. The qualitative and quantitative assessment found that Paychex demonstrated peak performance in innovation and financial investment in employee training and development and organizational success.
Diversity by the Numbers
- 53.5% of leadership roles within Paychex are held by women
- Paychex increased racially diverse hires by 9.7 percentage points since FY20 (33% to 42.7%)
- Our EEO-1 report for calendar year 2021 is available for download

Supplier Diversity
Interested in Being Considered as a Diverse Supplier?
Paychex Supplier Diversity Program FAQ
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Does a diverse supplier need to be third-party certified to do business with Paychex?
Does a diverse supplier need to be third-party certified to do business with Paychex?
While certification is not required to do business with Paychex, a third-party certification is required to be designated as a diverse supplier in the Paychex procurement system.
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What are the third-party diversity certifications that Paychex accepts?
What are the third-party diversity certifications that Paychex accepts?
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
- National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- Certification from additional city, state, or Federal agencies may also apply
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Is there a cost to register the Paychex Supplier Diversity Program?
Is there a cost to register the Paychex Supplier Diversity Program?
There is no cost for registering with Paychex as a diverse supplier.
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How to register as a diverse supplier?
How to register as a diverse supplier?
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Does completing a supplier diversity profile ensure that Paychex will do business with me?
Does completing a supplier diversity profile ensure that Paychex will do business with me?
Completing a supplier diversity profile is not a guarantee of business. After completion, your company information will be entered into our database of potential suppliers. Paychex awards business to the best supplier based on cost, quality, and value.