The three-pronged reference to diversity and inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals – Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) – clearly demonstrate the importance of these issues for undertakings willing to be governed by ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria.
As evidence mushrooms that undertakings improve their performance overall (both their financial performance and their ability to attract and retain talent) when they follow diversity and inclusion strategies (the so-called “diversity dividend”), more and more undertakings are willing to follow suit. Undertakings are increasingly aware that any business practices that fail to help put an end to the unfair discrimination of what is different or of minorities (including on the basis of race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, any king of disability whatsoever, among others) will not be tolerated and will ultimately be unsustainable.
There is also an ever-increasing number of national laws imposing diversity and inclusive employment measures, such as, for instance, the creation of quota systems for women in many public and private organizations’ top management positions and the employment of disabled people in undertakings with over 75 people. We can therefore expect the European bodies to issue more legislative measures, including regulations, on these issues, as part of the EU initiatives for economic, sustainable and equitable recovery.