Four years ago, the European Commission took a significant step towards promoting diversity in the workplace by presenting a comprehensive approach as part of its EU Action Plan to Combat Racism for the period 2020-2025 and today, International Diversity Dayis still being meticulously implemented.
This plan is based on the premise that inclusion and diversity are essential pillars for achieving equality and social justice throughout the European Union. From education to healthcare, the EU has been focusing on creating a work environment that celebrates diversity and promotes inclusion.
Employment: Promoting diversity in the workplace
The European Commission is working closely with companies to promote inclusive practices at all stages of the recruitment and promotion process. Training programmes are being offered to raise employers’ awareness of the importance of diversity and equip workers with the skills needed to thrive in diverse environments. In addition, measures are already in place to remove barriers to access to employment, as well as to ensure that all workers are treated fairly and equally in the workplace. This is in addition to the resources provided, which include good practice guides, non-discrimination policies and complaints procedures.
The Commission adopted a European Capabilities Agenda with social justice as a cornerstone, including a Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET), which calls for VET programmes to be inclusive of vulnerable groups, including people from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds. Young people from disadvantaged groups, such as those belonging to ethnic or racial minorities or migrants, face additional obstacles in accessing the labour market. La Garantía Juvenil reforzada reconoce este problema y recomienda a los Estados miembros que intensifiquen el contacto con los jóvenes más vulnerables y presten la debida atención a cualquier forma de discriminación. The European Network of Public Employment Services (PES) is taking stock of non-discrimination approaches in public employment services across the EU and thus fostering mutual learning on this basis. Social enterprises and, more generally, the social economy can also be pioneers in the movement against inequality, and their role has been addressed in the European Action Plan for the Social Economy presented by the Commission in 2021.
Stepping up the fight against racism in the EU is a shared responsibility that requires joint and sustained efforts. EU institutions, Member States and EU agencies, in partnership with civil society organisations, social partners and the private sector, must continue to work together to achieve concrete progress. At Laragon, we have a strong commitment and alignment with these policies that we promote on a daily basis.
