SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) issued the following statement responding to a New York Times article published today.

“No one should be put through an interview without a real chance of receiving an offer, period. The diverse slate guidelines we put in place are meant to increase diverse representation across the company and we can see meaningful results in our hiring data since 2020.

At the same time, it’s important that implementation of our guidelines is consistent. Earlier this week, the company temporarily paused the use of its diverse slate guidelines. During this pause, the company is conducting a review so that hiring managers, senior leaders and recruiters fully understand how the guidelines should be implemented – and so we can have confidence that our guidelines live up to their promise.”

Data on diverse representation at Wells Fargo since 2020

Overall diversity of the Wells Fargo workforce

• Approximately 45% of our U.S. employees are non‑white, as of December 2021.
• 13% of our U.S. workforce is Black/African American, as of December 2021.
• Approximately 9% of our U.S. executives, defined as 1 to 3 levels from the CEO, are Black/African American, as of December 2021, which is up from 5.8% in December 2020.
• Operators of significant businesses and functions at Wells Fargo are Black/African American, including the Head of Strategy, Digital Platform & Innovation, and the Head of Operations, both of whom are on the company’s Operating Committee. The Heads of Branch Banking, Small Business Banking, Auto Lending, and Mortgage Lending are also Black/African American.
• Three out of 14 members of our Board of Directors, or approximately 20%, are Black/African American, as of April 2022.

Hiring overall

• In 2021, overall U.S. external hiring volume went up by 17% compared to 2020.
• Over the same time period in the U.S., external hiring of individuals from racially/ethnically diverse populations increased by 27%.
• Also between 2020 and 2021, female external hires in the U.S. increased 23% — six percentage points higher than the pace of hiring overall.

Hiring for executive positions (defined as managers 1 to 3 levels from the CEO, who are not in administrative roles, and where the midpoint of the pay range is ≥$100K)

• In 2021, approximately 38% of external executive hires were racially/ethnically diverse, (i.e., Black/African American, Latino, and Asian American/Pacific Islander), compared to 25% in 2020.
• In 2021, approximately 15% of all external executive hires were Black/African American, which is more than triple the number from 2020.
• In 2021, approximately one‑third of all internally promoted executives were racially/ethnically diverse, with 14% of the total being Black/African American; additionally, approximately 53% of all internally promoted executives were women.

Hiring for positions with annual compensation of $100K or above

• Over 42% of hires for positions with annual compensation of $100K or more in 2021 were racially/ethnically diverse. This is a five percentage‑point increase from 2019, which is when the company’s new CEO began at the company.
• Over 47% of hires in 2021 for positions with annual compensation of $100K or more were women, compared to 46% in 2020.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is a leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune’s 2021 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low‑carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo

Cautionary Statement About Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements about our future financial performance and business. Because forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding the future, they are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Do not unduly rely on forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from expectations. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we do not undertake to update them to reflect changes or events that occur after that date. For information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations, refer to our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at www.sec.gov

News Release Category: WF- CF