Crew culture
Valuing difference
Vanguard’s mission is enduring—to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. We believe that crew who are dedicated to our mission, who are drawn from diverse communities, and who can deliver the expertise that clients expect, give our investors the best chance for success. We’re on a journey to evolve our crew listening experience and the way we engage to understand their inclusion sentiments.
Fostering talent
At Vanguard, we’re different by design
Our mission: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. At Vanguard, we don’t just have a mission. We are on a mission.
- We’re on a mission for our clients, with an intense focus on their long-term financial interests.
- We’re on a mission with each other, through our commitment to a common purpose and our community connections.
- We’re on a mission to be our best by continuously learning and building enduring skills.
Nurturing our talent
We’ve invested in hiring practices to find the best talent while creating inclusive experiences for candidates.
Attracting talent around the world
We partner with universities and organizations all over the world to connect with the best talent. Through these partnerships, we’ve developed high-impact experiential learning opportunities for students to explore Vanguard’s broad array of career paths. Our commitment to engaging with diverse communities of talent extends across the globe— in the U.S., Australia, Europe, Mexico, and Canada.
Opportunities for growth and advancement
We seek to ensure that all of our crew have access to enriching opportunities to grow and thrive. At Vanguard, crew are encouraged and supported to continually explore opportunities to do more of what they love.
We are committed to hosting inclusive talent processes, and we continue to evolve the design of an inclusive leadership development offer. We seek to equip our senior leaders with insights, guiding principles, and immersive training experiences to ensure fairness in talent identification and development.
Measuring inclusion sentiment
We're hosting greater accountability by measuring inclusion at the team level, as local experiences tend to have a greater impact on crew experience. We’re also gaining richer insights by probing with questions that recognize the intersection of belonging and uniqueness and assess crew access to inclusive leadership.
Fostering belonging through global crew groups
One of the ways Vanguard invests in an inclusive culture is through our global crew groups. For 15 years, these groups have played a vital role in how we work (collaboratively and with care) and how we grow (through continuous learning and personal development). Satisfaction rates among U.S. crew are at 90%.
Global crew groups serve as ambassadors to prospective talent, host cultural and heritage learning opportunities, facilitate discussions on current events, and provide community service opportunities to members. Our crew groups are open to all crew and provide supportive spaces for crew to form meaningful connections. Nearly half of Vanguard crew have joined at least one group.
ABLE
Accessibility, Belonging, Leadership, Empowerment (ABLE) is determined to advance Vanguard as a welcoming and accessible place for every BODY and every MIND. ABLE aims to create a supportive and inclusive space for crew members with disabilities, as well as those who are caretakers and allies. Through community building and conversation, ABLE is committed to advocating for company-wide accessibility.
BOLD
Black Organization for Leadership and Dialogue (BOLD) is committed to cultivating Black engagement at Vanguard by encouraging its members to harness their unique strengths, by making space for them to share their perspectives and raise their voices, and by ensuring they have opportunities and support to succeed in their careers and beyond.
HOLA
Hispanic/Latinx Organization for Leadership and Advocacy (HOLA) works to elevate the experience of Vanguard’s Hispanic/Latinx crew, celebrate their cultures and their contributions, and build community. HOLA inspires, engages, and activates Hispanic/Latinx crew and allies, providing support, professional development, and crew advocacy.
LEAP
Lifting and Empowering Asian Professionals (LEAP) is committed to enhancing the experience of Asian crew at Vanguard and cultivates the advancement of its members through education, community, advocacy, and professional development.
OPEN
OPEN strives to create an environment where Vanguard’s LGBTQIA+ crew are empowered to be themselves and thrive professionally. OPEN cultivates a safe and supportive community, provides space for professional development and education, fosters active allyship, and advocates to enhance the experience of LGBTQIA+ crew.
RISE
RISE Europe (Representing Inclusion and Success for Ethnically Diverse Crew) seeks to create an environment in which crew members are empowered to thrive and succeed by building community, providing education, and sharing stories.
VetsConnect
VetsConnect drives Vanguard’s mission by building a community of veterans, families, and friends. This group strengthens camaraderie through events and celebrations, organizes volunteer opportunities, and supports veteran crew and their allies with professional development and mentorship programs.
WILS
Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS) aims to create a supportive, inclusive community and help women at Vanguard grow toward their leadership aspirations. WILS—our longest-standing crew resource group—equips, engages, and empowers members through events, unique development resources, and rich conversations.
2023 crew group impact at a glance
- Nearly 50% of crew have joined at least one crew group (10K)
- 200+ serve as sponsors and leaders of crew groups and related activities
- Nearly a 10% increase in membership from 2022
- 150+ community impact events in 2023
