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The Brookings Institution is committed to championing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of our work. We recognize that to produce high-quality research that informs innovative, practical policy recommendations, we must strive for a workplace that represents diversity of experience, thought, and personal background. This means ensuring that everyone is heard and empowered to fully participate in Brookings’ mission to conduct in-depth, nonpartisan research that improves policy and governance.

Since 2018, we have published annually our workplace and Board of Trustee demographics. While we will always have more to do, we remain optimistic that through focus, transparency, and accountability, real progress on diversity and inclusion can be achieved over the long term. These annual reports represent one component of our work towards that end.

Core Commitments

  1. Supporting and promoting work by Brookings researchers on race, justice, and equity.
  2. Prioritizing diversity in Brookings events. This includes ensuring that invited speakers and Brookings panelists represent a variety of demographic backgrounds and perspectives on the topics being discussed.
  3. Providing training opportunities aimed at building both fundamental, shared competencies, and responding to evolving needs. Together, these offerings equip employees to foster an inclusive and respectful workplace.
  4. Embedding inclusion, equity, and diversity in our human resources practices, including the regular analysis of the recruitment and selection processes.
  5. Continuing to leverage our jobs framework to ensure equitable and consistent treatment across the Institution.
  6. Celebrating the diversity of our staff through Heritage Months and other cultural observances and supporting Affinity Groupsthat provide employee-led programming and engagement opportunities for staff around shared identities and allyship.
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Recent Highlights

Impact Stories

  • Pay Transparency Initiative
  • Brookings United Union
  • Heritage Months & Affinity Groups
  • Racial Equity in Research
  • Trainings at Brookings
  • New Center for Community Uplift
People sitting around tables at a Brookings event

Pay Transparency Initiative

This year, Brookings achieved a 2024 DEI priority through its Pay Transparency Initiative, a multiyear effort designed to promote pay equity and transparency across the Institution. This initiative builds on the 2021 Job Framework initiative, which outlines clearer pathways to achievement for the various roles at Brookings. Starting in 2023, Brookings conducted all-staff educational sessions to explain its compensation philosophy and pay practices, completed a triennial compensation study, and updated salary ranges based on the findings. In June 2024, we announced the next phase of the initiative: employees can now access the salary range for their position, and prospective applicants can now view projected hiring ranges on all advertised job listings. Looking ahead, Brookings plans to share a comprehensive compensation guide with employees and continue hosting educational sessions to enhance understanding of Brookings pay practices and policies.

Brookings United Union

In June 2024, Brookings and its staff union, Brookings United, announced the ratification of a landmark three-year collective bargaining agreement which reflects Brookings’ commitment to fairness, equity, and respect. Brookings and the union remain dedicated to creating a workplace that continues to attract, engage, and support a talented and thriving workforce.

Matriarch Julie Tayac Yates of the Piscataway Tribe at a Brookings event during National Native American Heritage Month.

Heritage Months & Affinity Groups

The Brookings DEI Committee sponsors programming for nine Heritage Months and four employee-led Affinity Groups—bringing people together around shared interests and topics. Through these activities, Brookings highlights local leaders, brings arts and history alive, and engages staff of all backgrounds in experiential learning and community-building programming. Examples of recent programming include the following: Aligned with the 2024 national Black History Month theme of “African Americans and the Arts,” Brookings hosted the Richard Wright Public Charter School for a student panel on voting issues that impact young people, complemented by musical, orchestral, and dance performances. During National Native American Heritage Month, Brookings invited Matriarch Julie Tayac Yates of the Piscataway Tribe for a conversation on local, modern efforts to preserve Native land and culture.

Belinda Archibong - Racial Equity seminar

Racial Equity in Research

First established in 2021, Brookings continues to host an internal Racial Equity in Research seminar series. The series features Brookings scholars and external experts, and aims to center and advance racial equity in our research with a focus on the language we use, the methods we employ, and the questions we ask. Topics discussed range from the consequences of racial disparities in COVID-19 on perspectives towards mitigation policies to the role of race in the study of international relations. Over the last four years, Brookings has held 19 seminars and continues to explore new topics.

Christina Irene of Talking Splat speaks at an ADAPT event

Trainings at Brookings

Brookings offers a range of learning opportunities through the DEI Committee, often in collaboration with employee-led Affinity Groups and Networks. Sessions focus on timely topics that promote inclusivity, enhance practical skills, and provide resources for ongoing reference. In 2024, topics included equitable meetings practices, LGBTQ+ allyship, invisible disabilities in the workplace, and equity in data visualization.

John Legend and Andre Perry at a CCU event.

New Center for Community Uplift

Researchers across Brookings explore and analyze issues of race, justice, and equity. One highlight from 2024 was the June launch of the Center for Community Uplift (CCU), housed in Brookings Metro. CCU’s research explores how diversity and inclusion can yield better outcomes for all—using research innovation, asset framing, collaboration, and more. To mark the launch of this new center, CCU co-hosted the “Paths to Progress” event with HUMANLEVEL, an initiative founded by artist and activist John Legend. This event featured panels on business and homeownership; measuring the value of diversity; and health, education, and workforce.

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Demographic Data

Our Workforce

Percentage data may not sum to 100% in some categories due to rounding.

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Demographic Data

Past Years Data

Due to rounding, some numbers may appear as 0% when there is <0.5% representation in that category.

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Data Sources and Methods

Our Methodology

How

The source of this data is based on a questionnaire completed by all Brookings employees upon hire. The categories for race and gender are determined by the federal government for workforce reporting. The categories used for generation identification come from earlier work by Pew Research Center.

  • Generation Z: born 1997 to 2012
  • Millennial: born 1981 to 1996
  • Generation X: born 1965 to 1980
  • Baby Boomer: born 1946 to 1964
  • Silent Generation: born 1928 to 1945

Disclaimer: Brookings is subject to mandatory annual workforce data collection by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Brookings invites employees to voluntarily self-identify their race/ethnicity and gender based on the above categories, which are used by the EEOC. If an employee declines to self-identify, employment records or observer identification is used.

The Numbers

As of July 1, 2024, our staff headcount was 416 employees, who are primarily located in Washington, DC. This includes:

  • Our Leadership Team (14): President and Vice Presidents
  • Our Fellows/Senior Fellows (102): Brookings Resident Scholars
  • Our Research Support (67): Research Assistants, Research Associates, and Research Analysts
  • Our Operational Teams (233): Central and program positions in Management, Operations, Communications, Development, Facilities, Finance and Investments, HR, Library, Legal, and Information Technology

This data set does not include our nonresident scholars, as they are not employees.

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Priorities

Priorities for the Year Ahead

1 Pipeline building Supporting efforts to build a diverse workforce is core to our DEI work. In the year ahead, we will continue to focus on ensuring that we are attracting a diverse pool of applicants—including those from regions and educational backgrounds not historically represented in applicant pools. We will continue to advance work to align our internship program with our broader DEI principles and to ensure all employees in the recruitment process have access to best practices and resources to support their work.
2 Furthering a culture of inclusion Understanding how one’s own work connects to the broader institutional mission helps employees feel valued and included. In the year ahead, we’ll focus on developing more opportunities for staff to connect, share information about their roles and contributions, and build community across the organization. In addition, we’ll work to deepen our cultural norms and expectations around contributions to and engagement in DEI-related work, including promoting DEI as a theme in our annual work plans and performance review processes.
3 Inclusive language Effectively communicating about our research is core to our mission at Brookings, and clear, inclusive communication with colleagues helps everyone be more effective in their roles and to ensure a respectful workplace. This year, we’ll continue our work to update our internal style guides and other documentation to ensure they reflect best practices in inclusive language and will support the adoption and implementation of these updates through learning opportunities for all staff. More broadly, we plan to offer additional learning opportunities to ensure that staff are comfortable, confident, and clear in their informal and formal communications – whether it be around the office or in their research work.