Collage of Comcast team members and volunteers.

Update on our Commitment

In June 2020, we accelerated our company’s longstanding commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion with a $100 million commitment to help champion a more connected, equitable, and just world. For Comcast, effecting change starts at home – fostering a culture of inclusion and ensuring all our employees feel supported, embraced, and heard. As a media and technology company, we also have a unique opportunity to leverage our resources – our people, programming, and platforms – to shed light on systemic issues and work toward lasting solutions.

This work is a continuous journey for us and one that we’ve been able to build on quickly given our strong foundation and progress over the last decade. For updates on our continued progress and to better understand our commitment, we invite you to read a message from Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Dalila Wilson-Scott, and explore a comprehensive list of the programs and initiatives underway as detailed below.

Our commitment to diversity and mission to champion equality starts at home. We must continue to do more to foster a workplace that reflects and supports our greatest strength – our diverse, talented workforce.

36.4%

of our employees were women as of year-end 2021

45%

of our employees were people of color as of year-end 2021

50%

of our Board of Directors are women or people of color

  • Listening & Feedback – We’ve hosted thousands of employee listening sessions, conducted hundreds of interviews with leaders across the company, and are regularly surveying our teammates to learn more about the ways we can improve inclusivity at the company.
  • DE&I Day – Through our annual DE&I Days, tens of thousands of employees have come together to build a deeper understanding of DE&I within our teams and throughout our company. Together, we’ve learned about unconscious bias and the actions we can take – big and small – to create a more inclusive workplace for all.
  • DE&I Speaker Series – Designed to educate and inspire, this monthly series features scholars, thought leaders, bestselling authors, and expert speakers discussing a variety of topics centered around diversity and inclusion, racism, and allyship. To date, over 45,000 employees have heard from guest speakers including Ijeoma Oluo, Dr. Roy Richard Grinker, Isabel Wilkerson, and Issa Rae.

45K+

Comcast NBCUniversal employees that have heard from guest speakers.

  • Matching Gift Program – We’ve introduced a new Matching Gift Program to help employee charitable donations go even further by financially matching the donations of full-time and part-time employees, up to $1,000 a year. To date, more than $10 million has been donated to eligible nonprofit organizations, including our DE&I partners.
  • Employee Resource Groups – Our nine Employee Resource Groups engage their membership base of nearly 35,000 members at all levels of the organization, empowering employees to drive exceptional business results, while supporting an inclusive, collaborative company culture.

Comcast has long been at the forefront of addressing digital inequities, connecting a cumulative total of more than 10 million low-income Americans to the Internet at home over the last decade through Internet Essentials — the nation’s largest and most comprehensive private-sector Internet adoption program for low-income families. Over the next ten years, we are accelerating that commitment through Project UP, our comprehensive initiative to address digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach tens of millions of people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

  • Committing $1B to Digital Equity Over the Next DecadeThrough Project UP, we have committed $1 billion over the next 10 years to tens of millions of people from low-income families and connect them to the tools and resources they need to succeed in a digital world.
  • Free WiFi in 1,250 Community Centers NationwideWe’ve launched an award-winning multi-year program to create more than 1,250 WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” in community centers nationwide, where students and adults, including veterans and seniors, can connect to the Internet at no cost and access the tools they need to complete homework, grow their skills, and apply for employment opportunities. We exceeded our plan to reach over 1,250 Lift Zones by the end of 2022 where students completed millions of hours of homework.
  • Public-Private Partnerships to Close the Digital DivideWe launched our new Internet Essentials Partnership Program, focused on enabling cities, school districts, and community-based organizations to connect large numbers of students to broadband access at home. To date, we’ve collaborated with hundreds of schools and organizations across the country.
  • Providing Internet Essentials for Free to Reach More FamiliesInternet Essentials has connected millions of low-income families to low-cost broadband at home since 2011. To support families at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we offered 60 days of Internet Essentials free. We’ve also permanently increased speeds to 100 Mbps for all Internet Essentials customers. In addition, Comcast is participating in the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The $30/month benefit ($75/month in tribal areas) can be applied to any tier of Xfinity Internet service including Internet Essentials Plus, which is free after the ACP credit is applied.
  • Internet Essentials Expands to Federal Pell Grant Eligible Students – To help advance digital equity for even more students and families, Internet Essentials has expanded eligibility to Federal Pell Grant recipients. In addition, Comcast pledged to donate $15 million worth of Internet service and equipment, including more than 25,000 laptops, to low-income students, seniors, veterans, and adults.
  • Internet Essentials and Goodwill Expand Workforce Development Efforts NationwideWe partnered with Goodwill Industries International to provide digital skills and workforce development training for thousands of adults with low incomes at Goodwill locations across the United States. We also installed free WiFi access at the selected locations to enable people to search for and apply for jobs.
  • Telemundo and Internet Essentials Donate 2,000 Laptops to Latino CommunitiesNBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, Internet Essentials, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, teamed up to gift over 2,000 laptops and free internet service for a year to Latino communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Contributed Over $100 Million to Support Digital Equity PartnersWe’re partnering with national and local organizations that share our commitment to creating a more connected and equitable world. By supporting programs and initiatives that provide critical skills training to both kids and adults, we’re creating pathways to opportunities for low-income Americans, particularly in media, arts and culture, technology, and entrepreneurship. Over the past two years, we’ve contributed more than $100 million in cash to organizations advancing digital equity with intentional focus on building equitable outcomes and supporting partners that are led by and serve underrepresented communities.
  • Launched Sky UPThis new program will support people to succeed in a digital age, ensuring that those who are most at risk of being digitally excluded are given access to the right skills, technology, and connectivity. The effort will see £10m invested to level up communities in the markets that Sky operates in and ensure no one is left behind in the digital world.
  • Sky’s “The Edit”Sky and Adobe have launched The Edit, a new digital program for schools, designed to improve the media and digital literacy of 30,000 young people across the UK and Ireland. With a focus on low-income areas, The Edit will reach and inspire the next generation of media talent by addressing barriers to entry and bridging the digital skills gap, while offering an insight into career opportunities in media.
  • Continuing “Project Innovation”The Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations competitive grant challenge, Project Innovation, has returned for a fifth consecutive year, to date granting $10.9 million to 299 nonprofits in 11 markets that are helping to move their communities forward through programs that are helping to shape the next generation of storytellers, fostering a culture of equity and inclusion, empowering youth with the tools they need to succeed, and inspiring individuals to participate and volunteer in community engagement initiatives.
  • Advancing Black Talent in Tech With support from Comcast, the national non-profit Jobs for the Future (JFF) published a new report identifying 14 trailblazing organizations working to increase the number and proportion of Black Americans in high-earning technology careers. JFF’s report identifies new models of career preparation, technology training, and career advancement that are working to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the technology sector.
  • Sky Donates Over £1million to Tackle School Exclusions Among Black Students Sky and Mission 44, a charitable foundation launched by Formula 1 Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, launched a two-year partnership to address the disproportionately high rate of school exclusions among Black students in the U.K. The partnership will provide grants to implement exclusion prevention programs and research, and an early-career insight program to introduce student to opportunities in the media and technology industry.

We empower diverse content creators and use our storytelling platforms across Comcast NBCUniversal to deliver programming representative of the audiences we serve. We’ve put the full weight of our company’s media resources behind amplifying underrepresented voices, sharing culturally representative stories, and educating our viewers on diverse and inclusive cultures, perspectives, and experiences.

  • Destination for Diverse Content – Xfinity has created an unprecedented ecosystem of diverse content, including curated On Demand destinations that bring together a wealth of culturally relevant entertainment choices in easy-to-navigate locations.
  • Black Experience on XfinityHome to the largest curated collection of independent Black film collection on demand, Black Experience on Xfinity features high-quality content from many of Xfinity’s existing network partners, while investing millions of dollars in emerging talent from the top Black film festivals. Curated by industry leaders, the channel is the only one of its kind endorsed by African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), the world's largest group of Black film critics that gives annual awards for excellence in film and television.
  • Amplifying Underrepresented Voices & Stories – We are committed to ensuring positive, affirming, and authentic representation and stories in the content we create, produce, and distribute.
  • Diverse Creators Partnerships – We’re continuing our work to expand the diversity of our programming. NBCUniversal is developing a primetime unscripted series with Ava DuVernay and has secured content deals with creators including Stephen Curry, Lebron James, Justin Lin, and Tanya Saracho.
  • Peacock Programming – Peacock released a slate of original films focused on Black voices and Black stories including ‘Anthony,’ ‘The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show,’ and ‘Black Boys,’ a documentary film that celebrates the full humanity of Black men and boys in America.
  • Developing “Sovereign” – NBC is developing ‘Sovereign,’ – the first Native American family drama developed for network television – which follows the “lives, loves and loyalties of a sprawling Indigenous family struggling to control the future of their tribe against outside forces and themselves.”
  • Committing to Auditions for Actors with Disabilities – NBCUniversal, with support from the Ruderman Family Foundation, has pledged to include actors with disabilities in auditions for each new film and television production, including all projects developed by the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studios Group, NBC network, and Peacock.
  • Expanding Diverse Content Offerings – We’re continuing to expand the diversity of the content we bring to Xfinity customers. We announced a multi-year carriage agreement and content partnership with REVOLT, the Hip Hop content platform from Sean “Diddy” Combs, and expanded access to AspireTV, Black News Channel, and The Africa Channel.
  • Leveraging Our News Platforms – We are focused on shining a light on these important issues through the news we produce and the stories we cover.
  • NBC's 'The More You Know'This new series of ‘The More You Know’ PSAs speaks out against systemic racism and speaks up for social justice, equality, and equity. Developed in collaboration with leading social and racial justice organizations, the campaign focuses on how everyone can be an agent for change by standing up against injustice, teaching children about equity, and the importance of voting and completing the census, especially its impact on the Black community and communities of color.
  • Telemundo Delivers Award-Winning Spanish Programming – Beloved for its news programming, Telemundo has seen a 77% increase in share of Spanish language broadcast viewing since 2010.
  • Shedding Light on AAPI ViolenceNBC News and NBC News NOW aired ‘The Racism Virus’, a streaming special hosted by NBC News' Vicky Nguyen and streaming on NBC News NOW, on the stark rise in anti-Asian discrimination and hate attacks occurring nationwide. The special also covered how the Asian community is coping, the psychological and economic toll this discrimination brings, and what can be done to bring a sense of belonging and unity again.
  • Partnering with Kick it Out – Sky announced a new three-year partnership with Kick it Out – an organization that has been at the forefront of the fight against racism and discrimination in football for over 27 years – and will become its key broadcast media partner in the drive for inclusion in football and the battle against discrimination in all its forms.
  • Creating Opportunities in Front of and Behind the Camera – We offer the industry’s widest range of programs designed to build a diverse pipeline of talent, including directors, writers, actors, music composers, and journalists.
  • NBCU AcademyWe have expanded our multi-platform journalism training and development program to 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and colleges with significant Latino, Asian, Black, Indigenous, and tribal populations through NBCU Academy. The initiative includes a curated curriculum with world-class NBCU News Group journalists, funding for accredited journalism programs, and scholarships.
  • ‘NBCU LAUNCH’ NBCUniversal expanded its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with “NBCU LAUNCH,” an umbrella brand focused on developing the next generation of diverse content creators through talent development programs, partnering with internal creative executives and producers to hire diverse talent in meaningful positions in front of and behind the camera, and strengthening the company’s partnerships with key advocacy groups and organizations.
  • California Below-the-Line TraineeshipNBCUniversal created the California Below-the-Line Traineeship for individuals seeking careers behind the camera and to provide underrepresented talent on-set experience and mentorship. In collaboration with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), Hollywood Cinema Production Resources (Hollywood CPR) and various IATSE locals, the first cycle of trainees were welcomed to the set of Jordan Peele’s Nope, where they were assigned to a specific department based on their area of study or interest.
  • Hispanic Female DirectorsNBCU LAUNCH and Telemundo have teamed up to increase the number of Hispanic female directors in scripted television. Through the initiative, applicants shadow on at least two episodes of a Telemundo scripted series, culminating in an in-season directing assignment on the same series.
  • Writers on the Verge 2020-21 ClassNBCUniversal has selected comedy writers Kim Tran, Shawn Parikh, and Hakim ‘Kimo’ Hill, along with drama writers Cristina Boada, Julian Johnson, Hussain Pirani, Sujana Gowni, and Eric Anthony Glover for its 2020-21 class. The program provides writers “on the verge” of breaking into episodic television with a final polish to their writing and pitch presentation skills in order to prepare them for a staff writing position following the completion of the program.
  • 2020-21 Female Forward Initiative Class and Emerging Director Program – NBC announced the 2020-21 class of seven directors who will shadow and direct NBCU episodic series. The Female Forward Initiative and the Emerging Director Program aim to increase representation of female, ethnically diverse male, and non-binary directors in episodic television.
  • Columbia Journalism School Scholarship Fund – NBCUniversal News Group has launched a multiyear $1 million scholarship fund for underrepresented students who seek careers in journalism. The scholarship will be awarded over five years to students beginning in the 2021-22 academic year and is supported by alumni and friends of the school to educate the next generation of journalists.
  • Original VoicesNBCU Academy and NBC News Studios announced Original Voices, a new fellowship program awarding diverse documentary filmmakers grants to support feature-length nonfiction films highlighting social issues and identities. Six visionary filmmakers were named in 2022 for the second annual Original Voices fellowship. Each filmmaker will receive a $60,000 grant and an a one-year fellowship to support their films in all stages of production.
  • Universal Animation Writers Program The Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has announced the five writers selected to participate in the newly launched 2021 Universal Animation Writers Program, a first-of-its-kind animation writing program that identifies and develops an inclusive group of talent telling stories with unique narratives across both feature film and television content.
  • 2021-23 Universal Composers Initiative – NBCUniversal’s Global Talent Development and Inclusion team unveiled eight diverse recipients of the 2021-23 Universal Composers Initiative, a first-of-its-kind program aimed at elevating artists that possess unique and global perspectives translating into distinctive musical expressions.
  • Spellcheck for Bias Partnership Expansion – NBCUniversal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion group has expanded its Spellcheck for Bias partnership with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media to further support increasing authentic onscreen representation and casting opportunities for underrepresented talent.

Our Stories

  • Enabling Virtual Education

    Our Internet Essentials team and ‘TODAY’ on NBC surprised thousands of students in Pittsburgh with new laptops and home Internet service.

  • Supporting Small Business

    Comcast RISE partnered with The Kelly Clarkson Show to surprise four Black-owned small businesses that will now have received support from Effectv or Comcast Business based on their specific needs.

  • Giving During the Holidays

    ‘TODAY’s’ annual toy drive went virtual, partnering with Comcast Lift Zones to supply gifts to kids across the country.

  • Telemundo Partners to Bridge the Digital Divide

    We worked with Telemundo’s ‘Un Nuevo Dia’ on a month of giving to celebrate the value of intergenerational relationships and hope for the future.

  • Honoring Military Caregivers

    ‘TODAY’ and Comcast’s Internet Essentials celebrated military caregivers, known as Hidden Heroes.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve and the small businesses that shape them. To help those impacted by COVID-19, we launched Comcast RISE, a multi-year, multi-faceted initiative designed to help small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, by providing marketing, technology, and capital support.

  • Comcast RISE Supports Thousands of Small BusinessesThrough the first phase of Comcast RISE, which ended in November 2022, we supported 13,000 small business owned by women or people of color with tech services, marketing resources, and millions of dollars in grants.
The Comcast RISE logo

Comcast RISE

Learn More
  • Changing the Narrative for Black Women-Owned BusinessesComcast NBCUniversal has partnered with Walker’s Legacy to support their 10,000 Capital Ready campaign, an ambitious initiative to ensure that 10,000 Black women entrepreneurs are “capital ready” by 2025.
  • Investment In Backstage CapitalComcast has invested $1 million in Backstage Capital’s Opportunity Fund, which exclusively funds and champions early-stage startups led by women, people of color, and/or LGBTQ+ founders. This commitment makes us one of the largest investors in the fund to date.
  • Clear Vision Impact FundWe invested $25 million in the Seibert Williams Shank Clear Vision Impact Fund, a diverse-led and diverse-serving financial institution that provides direct support to local community businesses. Comcast is one of the five anchor investors to help the Clear Vision Impact Fund reach their initial funding goal, joining Microsoft, Apple, eBay, and Constellation Brands.
  • Inclusiv Racial Equity and Resilience Investment FundWe have committed to invest $10 million in the Inclusiv Racial Equity and Resilience Investment Fund specifically aimed at building equity in credit unions led by and/or serving people of color. This commitment will help to increase lending to minority-owned businesses, homeowners, and consumers, providing financial opportunities to traditionally underserved and underbanked communities.

Social Justice

Collage of social justice organization logos.

We’ve accelerated our support of organizations working to eradicate injustice and inequity. These partners are experts in this space, and we are proud that our support enables them to further their mission and maximize impact. To learn more about these organizations and the work they do, please explore below.

Awards

The Diversity Inc logo.

Comcast NBCUniversal has been honored as a top 10 company on DiversityInc’s Top 50 list as one of the nation’s most inclusive companies, placing #7 overall.

The Best Workplaces for Diversity logo

Comcast NBCUniversal earned a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2022 Corporate Equality Index and was named a 'Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

Best Company for Diversity by Black Enterprise logo

Comcast NBCUniversal has been named a Leading Disability Employer by the National Organization on Disability for achieving strong talent outcomes for people with disabilities.

The Best Places to Work logo

Comcast Cable was named a 2022 VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer for our ongoing commitment to creating a military-friendly and military-ready environment for our employees.

LAST UPDATED: JANUARY 19, 2023