In 2009, the year the Diversity Foundation was created and the first signing ceremony for the Diversity Charter was held, 30 companies signed the commitment charter, whereas today, six years later, nearly 700 signatory companies are committed to its principles.
The Diversity Foundation has established itself among the leading nonprofit organizations working to promote inclusion and diversity. Since its creation in 2009, the number of companies and organizations that have joined the Charter commitment has risen from 30 at the first signing ceremony to nearly 700 at the most recent one, held last December in Barcelona.
One year after the first signing, in 2010, 375 entities had already joined this commitment, demonstrating the strong impact it has had on different companies and organizations since it was launched in Spain in 2009.
With the next signing ceremony, to be held in the coming months, a total of 20 ceremonies will have taken place, confirming the growing momentum behind workplaces where the principles of equality and non-discrimination are respected.
In Spain, this Diversity Charter initiative is promoted by the Diversity Foundation, an organization established by the European Institute for Diversity Management and the Alares Foundation, and a member of the European Diversity Charters Platform.
Through its Directorate-General for Justice, the European Commission has promoted the creation of Diversity Charters as part of its anti-discrimination policies, to improve business efficiency and social sustainability while respecting the internal legislation in force on equality and non-discrimination.
There are already 16 Diversity Charters in the European Union, with several more being established. The Platform aims to establish a charter in each Member State. In total, the signatory companies in Spain and the other companies that have signed European Diversity Charters now number nearly 3,500 organizations.
The Diversity Charter
The charter, beyond being a letter or code, is a commitment that seeks to foster a community that shares the same principles in favor of the full inclusion of society as a whole.
It is a commitment to conduct and to respecting the right of all people to inclusion, regardless of their diverse profiles, in the workplace and in society. It is voluntary, free of charge, and valid for two years, after which it can be renewed successively. It is based on corporate commitment, starting with raising awareness of the important role companies play in applying each of the Charter’s principles.
