It’s essential to understand the local DE&I landscape when pursuing EDGE Certification in Belgium. With insights into the factors shaping DE&I in Belgium, your organization can prepare effectively and harness EDGE (gender-binary) and EDGEplus (gender and intersectionality) Certification to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Navigate this Article
- Labour Market Indicators
- DE&I Focus Areas on a Country Level
- Applicable EU Directives
- Personal Data Protection in Belgium
- Achieve Meaningful DE&I Impact with EDGE Certification
Labour Market Indicators
DE&I Focus Areas on a Country Level
| DE&I Focus Areas | Status in Belgium |
| Paid Parental Leave | Maternity Leave: 15 months paid at 82% (no ceiling) for the first 30 days then 75% of salary (subject to ceiling) from the 31st day onwards. Paternity Leave: 20 days paid at 100% for 3 days (by the employer), then 82% of earnings for the remaining period. |
| Law on Pay Equity | Yes ✅ |
| Pay Gap Reporting Legal Requirement | Yes ✅ |
| Gender Quotas on Company Boards | Yes ✅, 33.3% |
| Non-Binary Gender Identity Legal Recognition | No ❌ |
| Sexual Harassment Protection in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| Disability Non-Discrimination in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| LGBTQ+ Non-Discrimination in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| Race/Ethnicity Non-Discrimination in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| Nationality Non-Discrimination in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| Age Non-Discrimination in Employment | Yes ✅ |
| Same-Sex Marriage | Yes ✅ |
This data is taken from EquiNations, our research which captures the DE&I legislative contexts across the 20 countries with the highest number of currently EDGE Certified organizations.
Applicable EU Directives
| DE&I-Related Directive | Applicability in Belgium |
| Pay Transparency Directive | EU member states must incorporate the EU Pay Transparency Directive into their national laws by June 7, 2026. It is not yet clear when Belgium will implement the directive. |
| Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) | In Belgium, the CSRD was transposed into Belgian law on 28 November 2024. |
| Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) | EU member states have to transpose the CSDDD into national law and communicate the relevant texts to the Commission by 26 July 2026. |
Personal data protection in Belgium
The Belgian Law of 30 July 2018 on the protection of individuals regarding the processing of personal data governs data processing in Belgium. It supplements the EU GDPR while addressing areas left to the discretion of EU member states. The law emphasizes individuals’ privacy rights and transparent data handling. EDGE fully complies with GDPR by securely collecting and processing only anonymized and aggregated data on Swiss servers, providing organizations in Belgium with confidence in our data protection practices.
Achieve Meaningful DE&I Impact with EDGE Certification
EDGE Certification is audited by independent third-party certification bodies, it supports the integrity and credibility of data and information, and gives organizations a powerful way to communicate DE&I commitment and performance. EDGE Empower® is a comprehensive DE&I software-based solution, empowering organizations to apply the same discipline and rigor to DE&I as to any other critical business objective. EDGE Empower® offers a holistic approach to facilitate DE&I compliance obligations in Belgium and the EU, including:
Interested in how EDGE Certification can help you achieve your DE&I objectives and comply with regulatory requirements in Belgium? Reach out to us or take the first step in your EDGE Certification® journey with EDGE Empower®.
Disclaimer: Please note that this does not constitute legal advice.
Updated January 2024
