The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the 16th of which is “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,” namely: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Under this major goal, there are 12 targets, the 16.7 of which is “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.”

●Current Situation

The World

International enterprises diversity policy is relatively complete

1. Diverse representation: Companies prioritize inclusive actions and communications across gender, ethnicity, belief, disability, regional and generational differences.

2. Inclusive culture: Focus on avoiding stereotypes and promoting diverse leadership for inclusive decision-making.

3. Technological integration: Use of Al to mitigate biases in recruitment and promote mental health support through digital platforms.

4. Strategic alignment: Integration of diversity into strategic planning with measurable goals to track progress and demonstrate commitment.

According to the 2023 Global Talent Trends survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), 8,405 respondents from 148 countries and regions scored high on corporate inclusion, but rated career advancement pathways less favorably. Data showed that three quarters of respondents think their organization’s leaders are approachable, 71% said the leaders are honest and trustworthy, and 68% feel the organization’s culture is inclusive - although this is notably worse in the public sector. 

Source: handtalk, LinkedIn, World Economic Forum, ACCA

China

Chinese companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of DE&I principles, but their practices need to be strengthened

“The Rise of Female Leadership: A Look at the Current State of Chinese Female Executives in Workplace,” a white paper released by Bain & Company, indicates that in China, only 19% of executives are women, which is lower than the average in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, where it is about 25%.

Mercer Marsh Benefits’ “2024 China Enterprise DE&I Practices Survey Report” online release and interpretation meeting deeply discussed the overall status and development trends of DE&I strategies and governance in Chinese enterprises, and here are some key survey findings.

1. DE&I becomes an essential component of corporate culture, employer value proposition, and even corporate strategy, allowing DE&I concepts to be smoothly integrated into the company’s DNA, promoted from top to bottom, and become internal consensus.

2. Most companies have a sense of top-level design, but the refinement and implementation of strategies are relatively weak.

3.Most companies have a sense of top-level design, but the refinement and implementation of strategies are relatively weak.

4. Gender, age/generation, and ethnic/racial diversity are top considerations for most companies.

5. Focusing on compliance requirements, caring for women, diversity of age/generation, employee career development opportunities, and a multi-inclusive environment are the key areas of work for companies in DE&I.

Source: Bain & Company, Mercer Marsh Benefits

The World

T-Mobile has a 43% female and/or traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic group representation in its senior leadership team

T-Mobile is committed to enhancing digital equity, championing DE&I, managing its environmental footprint, and driving positive social impact. In 2023, the company hired 10,000 veterans and military spouses, updated its Compensation Committee Charter to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion, and had a 43% female and/or traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic group representation in its senior leadership team.

T-Mobile is committed to enhancing supply chain diversity, equity, and inclusion, and supporting small businesses and historically underrepresented communities. 

Here are the relevant programs:

Analysis:

1. In times of economic uncertainty, supporting small businesses and historically underrepresented communities can enhance T-Mobile's competitiveness and social responsibility.

2. The new supplier diversity procurement policy helps to increase diversity and fairness in T-Mobile’s supply chain, while creating more business opportunities for small businesses.

3. The CEO’s signing of the policy statement indicates that T-Mobile’s senior leadership attaches great importance to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Source: T-Mobile

3i Group’s “The Leading of Impact Program” and internal mentoring program

3i Group is committed to achieving equal opportunities and diversity, providing fair treatment and career development opportunities for all employees. They have introduced the “The Leading of Impact Program” and an internal mentorship program to raise awareness of bias and improve DE&I practices. 3i’s workforce is very international and their 249 employees at the end of March 2023 were of 26 different nationalities.

Below are the group’s DE&I-related programs:

Analysis:

1. 3i Group attaches great importance to employee diversity and inclusion.

2. The establishment of the DE&I steering group helps ensure consistency and collaboration across the group and drives the DE&I agenda forward.

4. 3i focuses on gender, ethnicity, and social diversity, working to improve DE&I within 3i and the broader industry.

China

Shenzhen Investment Holdings strictly abides by various laws, regulations and employment policies, and strives to create an open, equal, inclusive and harmonious working environment to fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of employees. Of its employees, 43% are women, and 20% of its senior executives are women.

Shenzhen Investment Holdings actively participates in diversified industry exchanges and injects more innovative vitality into the development of the industry.

Source: Shenzhen Investment Holdings

SF Express has incorporated inclusiveness into its core values and has always respected and protected the rights and interests of employees by formulating a sound labor management system, establishing diversified employee communication channels, and cultivating an innovative, inclusive, equal and respectful team. SF adheres to the principle of equal employment in talent recruitment and will not restrict the recruitment and employment of employees based on factors such as gender, region, ethnicity, religious belief, and economic ability.

Photo: SF International Weixin Official Accounts

As the company’s overseas business continues to expand, building a diverse and inclusive talent team can help the company better adapt to the complex and changing market environment, better understand the needs of customers in different regions and countries, and provide new perspectives and solutions to the business challenges faced by the company.

Source: SF Express

●Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by the United Nations

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change while ensuring that no one is left behind.