Diverse candidates are not unicorns.

The excuse that “we can’t find qualified candidates of…,” is just that - an excuse. 

We have placed 26 ethnically diverse candidates in Antarctica with the 3rd largest defense contractor. Talk about a specialized set of skills and experiences, and we were able to find a diverse group of candidates.

So, unless you are looking for more specialized skills and experiences than it would take to complete a mission in Antarctica, not finding qualified candidates is an excuse. The problem may lie in the systems, practices, policies and procedures you have in place to identify qualified candidates.