In July 2023, we published EquiNations, a traffic-light system of regulatory requirements and other indicators related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) across the 20 countries with the highest number of currently EDGE Certified organizations.
EquiNations highlights, in a visual and impactful way, the complexities of the DE&I landscape; not a single country achieves a ‘green’ across the board and even within the European Union, there are varying levels of progress. There is clearly more work to be done. And yet there is a truth just as strong as the desire for forward movement: legislation is, in and of itself, a useful tool for DE&I progress – for increased transparency and increased accountability.
Mandated reporting and other compliance requirements help to put DE&I on the priority list for organizations. It is a topic that can no longer be ignored unless you want to be confronted with the fines associated with non-compliance as well as the negative impact on the reputational value of being the organization at the back of the crowd!
With the increasing regulatory pressure in the EU and heightened transparency regulations in the US, compliance is unavoidable. And EDGE Certification, powered by EDGE Empower®, can help your organization meet its legal obligations and demonstrate commitment to DE&I to internal and external stakeholders.
With the increasing regulatory pressure in the EU, DE&I compliance becomes top of mind for organizations and their leaders.
Future-proof your organization from regulatory changes
Being EDGE Certified means effectively future-proofing your organization. It means having the support to remain compliant in a fast-changing regulatory landscape. And, as EDGE Certification is independently verified by third-party auditors, it means applying the same discipline and rigour to DE&I compliance as you do to other business-critical requirements.
We know that companies have limited resources. We know that they must comply, get the job done and show progress. We also know how important it is for them to choose those instruments that allow them to fulfil all these objectives and navigate themselves through a minefield of changing regulations.
That is why we exist. EDGE Certification is a voluntary marketplace mechanism – a critical instrument that EDGE Certified organizations can use to demonstrate both regulatory compliance and their proactive commitment to DE&I while credibly communicating their journey towards DE&I maturity.
Leading the way for DE&I compliance
EDGE Certification is the leading global standard for DE&I. This can be evidenced in many ways, not least in how it aligns with EU legislation such as mandated quotas and pay equity reporting. In fact, it was aligned with the EU directive around pay transparency – which requires organizations with a pay gap of more than 5% to conduct a joint pay assessment with workers’ representatives – even before it came into effect in April 2023.
EDGE Certification is also already integrated into key indices and used by ESG and DE&I think tanks and thought leaders across the world:
- EDGE Certification enables compliance with 13 of the 17 ESRS S1 indicators of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
- EDGE Certification ensures compliance with the EU Directive on Pay Transparency
- EDGE Certification enables compliance with over 90% of the requirements of the Spanish Royal Decrees 6/2019, 901/2020 and 902/2020 on equal treatment and opportunities between women and men in employment and occupation
- EDGE Certification enables compliance with over 80% of the requirements of the UNI/PdR 125:2022 on gender equality
- EDGE Certification is one of the criteria included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
- EDGE Certification is an approved gender audit for the Equileap Gender Equality Scorecard™
- EDGE Certified Foundation methodology powers many of the questions in the annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) that forms the foundation for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI)
- See our full list of strategic partners.
The EDGE Gender Pay Gap Analysis Method is a scientifically rigorous and legally compliant method for assessing pay equality in Switzerland, in accordance with the Swiss Gender Equality Act (GEA).
We’re also honoured that Billie Jean King, tennis legend and gender equality campaigner, is an EDGE Ambassador – supporting EDGE to deliver lasting change in workplace equity.
Become EDGE Certified
Regulatory indicators in the EU are getting more and more sophisticated, from the very quantitative to the more qualitative, from the outcomes to the processes. A holistic approach is necessary, and no matter what new regulation may be just around the corner, EDGE Certification can play a crucial role in helping organizations to stay compliant, stay committed and drive real change.
Want to join more than 250 organizations across 57 countries and 27 industry sectors that are already EDGE Certified? Learn how EDGE Empower®, the complete DE&I software-based solution, can help you to become eligible for EDGE Certification by booking a demo, today.
