Survey responses suggest that university degrees Diversity, equity and inclusion as a hiring criteria remain most recognized among (DEI) companies operating in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Austria and the Republic of Korea, wherein more than 60% of Under organization transformation and labour- surveyed companies use this as a top criteria market transitions, companies are to play a for skills assessment. By contrast, fewer than more prominent role in supporting fragile and 30% of companies in Romania, Colombia, Latvia disrupted talent groups and advancing social and Sweden use degrees as a top employment justice and DEI. Even though less than one-fifth consideration. of organizations intend to run DEI programmes to boost talent availability, more than two-thirds of the Additionally, and as the following section organizations surveyed have a DEI programme. This demonstrates, comparatively few companies number is significantly higher in larger organizations: consider relaxing degree requirements as a means 92% of companies with more than 50,000 to promote DEI in their organization. Globally, only employees report the presence of such an initiative 24% of companies consider flexibility on education in their organization. requirements as a means to promote diversity, less than the 33% of companies which do not have a The most popular component of DEI programmes DEI programme at all. is running comprehensive DEI training for managers FIGURE 5.6 Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, 2023-2027 Share of organizations surveyed which will run these programmes Run comprehensive DEI training for managers 41.7% Run comprehensive DEI training for staff 36.4% Enable inclusion and accessibility across physical and virtual spaces 32.7% Set DEI goals, targets or quotas that exceed public requirements 25.5% Offer greater flexibility on education requirements to recruit from various backgrounds 24.0% Embed DEI goals and solutions across the supply chain 22.9% Provide greater flexibility on degree requirements for roles 21.6% Set up Employee Representation Groups 18.4% Recruit a DEI Officer 12.1% Source World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Survey 2023. (42%) and for staff (37%) (Figure 5.6). A significant Manufacturing businesses prefer this approach. outlier is the real estate industry, where only around 20% of executives agree with such an approach. Globally, women are the most common priority A considerable number of global respondents, at group for surveyed organizations’ DEI programmes 33%, prioritize inclusion and accessibility across across all regions and industries, with four of five physical and virtual spaces. Most notably, more respondents identifying them as a priority for DEI than half of respondents in the Insurance and programmes (Figure 5.7). Youth from Gen Z (under Pension Management industry, as well as across 25 years old) are the second-most common priority industries in Australia and Hong Kong SAR, China, group in every region, with an average of two of expect these to be significant components of their three respondents identifying young workers as a DEI programmes. There are, however, divergent priority – these DEI strategies are a constructive opinions on the least adopted DEI measure: way to address the effect on young people’s labour- recruiting a DEI officer. Globally, only 12% of market participation of recent disruptions (see respondents regard this as a priority, while half Chapter 1). Those from a low-income background of the respondents in Egypt are in favour of such are the lowest priorities for all organizations. Less a measure, and more than 30% of Advanced than one-third of the companies surveyed dedicate Future of Jobs Report 2023 55