Diversity and inclusion of workspaces: evidence from the European companies

Since the end of the Second World War, human rights have become an important issue for international organisations and governments. However, the advent of globalisation has highlighted the relationship between human rights and economic interests. Moreover, multinational corporations and other companies have sacrificed people’s freedom to pursue economic goals. For this reason, international organisations have established standards to ensure respect for these rights reporting them in several documents. The right to equality and non-discrimination is one of the principles underlying the European Union and other countries. This principle is implemented in all areas of society, especially in the economy, as defined by the International Labour Organisation. Several international labour standards require companies to promote equal employment and occupational opportunities and to avoid discrimination based on race, gender, language, disability, opinion and birth. However, sometimes companies violate this principle and engage in unethical behaviour, such as unequal pay, hostile work environments or lack of diversity. Despite the great relevance of the topic, only a few papers have analysed the promotion of diversity in corporate environments and research on this topic is still in its infancy. This paper aims to fill this research gap by analysing the causes and symptoms of diversity and inclusion in European companies, using a quantitatively oriented methodology based on secondary data. The implications of this research are twofold. First, it aims to contribute to the current literature on diversity and inclusion as a response to discriminatory behaviour in European companies and to provide insights that can enrich future research on this important topic. Second, the article seeks to identify practical implications for managers, companies, governments and international organisations. By identifying the factors that lead to the promotion of diversity, recommendations can be made to promote inclusive practises, improve diversity and foster a culture of equality.