Latvian businesses show the weakest performance in the Baltics in terms of diversity and inclusion

This data highlights that Latvia, compared to its Baltic neighbors, still has progress to make in adopting diversity, equality, and inclusion values within business practices. This could have a significant impact on companies' competitiveness and their ability to attract and retain talent in a job market where inclusive policies are becoming increasingly important to employees.

To successfully implement DEI principles, it's crucial for all levels of an organization to actively work toward embedding these values into the company culture. However, in reality, opinions vary among professionals in different fields.

For example, 71% of marketing, public relations, and corporate communications managers say that diversity, equality, and inclusion are part of their organization’s strategy. In contrast, only 39% of HR managers believe that diversity is reflected in their company’s strategy, highlighting a potential gap between defining values and putting them into practice.

As more people recognize employers as one of the most trusted sources of information, it's clear that trust alone isn't enough—society also expects companies to actively engage in addressing social issues.

When analyzing which diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) criteria are considered most important in each Baltic country, Latvian business leaders prioritize physical and mental abilities, including disabilities (21%), socioeconomic status (13%), worldviews and political opinions (13%), as well as age and generational differences (13%).

For companies aiming to stand out in a competitive market and promote sustainable growth, it's not enough to simply define diversity, equality, and inclusion principles. They must also ensure these values are actively implemented, involving all levels of the organization and developing an effective communication strategy to support these efforts.

*The survey of business leaders, commissioned by the communications agency “Olsen+Partners,” was conducted by the research company "Norstat," interviewing 1,535 business leaders from the Baltic States.