The Adecco Foundation and the CEOE Foundation have signed a collaboration agreement to develop in Spain the #CEOPorLaDiversidad Alliance.
This Alliance has as its mission to unite the CEOs of the main companies in Spain around a common and innovative vision of diversity, equity and inclusion (De & I), acting as drivers and ambassadors to help accelerate the development of strategies that contribute to business excellence, the competitiveness of talent in Spain and the reduction of inequality and exclusion in Spanish society.
In recent years, the policies of diversity, equity and inclusion (De & I) have found their place in the agendas of the corporate management committees, creating diversity committees and initiating an in-depth dialogue. The application of diversity in the company has been more accurately conceptualized and strategies, policies and actions that benefit its interests and those of the society in which they operate have been established. However, we move slowly under the influence of the Anglo-Saxon model, away from our local challenges of inequality and social exclusion that must be addressed urgently.
We are also in a stage of cultural change in society, there is greater social awareness but great ideological polarity around the concept. This situation generates a lack of consensus and a certain rejection that hinders the application with strategic and global vision.
“We have been working for 20 years in diversity and socio-labor inclusion in the Adecco Foundation and, although we have made progress, we are still in the phase of cultural change in companies; it is very slow. We need diversity strategies to be led and promoted from the first level of the company to accelerate its impact, improve the competitiveness of our business fabric and talent in Spain and reduce the figures of social exclusion and inequality, ”says Francisco Mesonero, director General of the Adecco Foundation.
#CEOPorLaDiversidad was born to research, share, develop and promote strategies and good business practices of diversity, equity and inclusion that turn our country, our companies and our leaders into drivers of an innovative model focused on the dignity of all people, on fundamental rights and on the advantages and opportunities that diversity management can offer to companies and their different interest groups.
For his part, José Alberto González-Ruiz, CEOE CEO, commented that “diversity is not a minor issue in a global world. It is very present in companies, and from CEOE and its Foundation we are delighted to contribute through this Alliance to carry this message to take advantage of talent for the benefit of competitiveness and business excellence in our country ”. Similarly, the CEOE CEO has stressed that "this is the first initiative in Europe that involves CEOs of large companies around diversity and inclusion."