Belgium is in the top three in Europe for companies that show a strong commitment to equal pay and working conditions regardless of gender, age or religion, a survey published ahead of Cultural Diversity Day on 21 May found.
The survey carried out by HR provider SD Worx among 4,771 European companies stated that seven in ten companies (72%) located in the country are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion during recruitment.
"We are just behind Ireland (73%) and are followed by the United Kingdom (67%) and Spain (65%). With this, these countries exceed the European average of companies showing a strong commitment (60.9%)," an SD Worx statement read.
Across all European companies, those located in Sweden (50.4%) and the Netherlands (51.2%) show the least commitment compared to others to equal pay and working conditions.
When it comes to a neutral recruitment policy, companies in Belgium are also among the best (69%), along with Irish (74%) and British companies (68%). Across the board, 61% of all European companies surveyed said they were committed to a neutral recruitment policy.
Companies in Belgium also rank high when it comes to investing in equal access to training and development opportunities within the company.
Making businesses more attractive
According to the survey, companies that are consciously working on diversity, equality and inclusion find it noticeably easier to attract, motivate and retain employees.
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"Clear communication about diversity sends a positive signal to potential employees. But your current employees are also sensitive to an equal opportunities policy," Cathy Geerts, Chief HR Officer at SD Worx said.
"Not only a nice salary and a healthy work-life balance are indispensable, but also the extent to which companies keep up with the current spirit of the times."
