We have updated EquiNations, our analysis of diversity, fairness, and inclusion legislative frameworks. This year’s edition expands to 22 countries, reflecting the addition of two new countries among those with the highest number of EDGE Certified organizations.
This latest update highlights that while diversity, fairness, and inclusion legislation around the world continues to evolve and strengthen, direct outcomes, for example women’s participation in the paid economy, are moving only marginally. This divergence underscores that both regulators and employers still have decisive levers to pull.
EquiNations
Explore DE&I regulations in 22 countries
Select a country from the dropdown menu to highlight our findings and read a summary of the standout metrics.
You can view the legend for each category by hovering or touching over a circle.
Our analysis covers the 22 countries with the highest number of current EDGE Certifications
Key regulatory updates
The EU Gender Balance on Corporate Boards Directive is now a central reference point for organizations operating in Europe. It applies to listed companies and sets outcome targets for representation of the underrepresented sex:
- 40% among non‑executive directors, or
- 33% among all directors (executive + non‑executive).
Member States were required to transpose the Directive by 28 December 2024, with companies expected to meet the targets by 30 June 2026.
Outside Europe, Brazil has introduced similar momentum toward mandated representation outcomes on corporate boards. A new law establishes that public companies, mixed-capital companies, and their subsidiaries must have at least 30% women on their boards of directors.
At the same time, the EU Pay Transparency Directive is accelerating the adoption of pay gap reporting requirements across Europe. Not all countries yet appear as having legal requirements in EquiNations, reflecting the ongoing process of transposition into national law. For a country-by-country view of progress, see the EDGE Certified Foundation’s status update, here.
Women’s participation in the paid workforce remains flat
Despite regulatory progress, global labour market participation tells a more static story.
Using World Bank data based on ILO modelled estimates, the global female labour force participation rate has remained broadly unchanged at around 50% in recent years. This means roughly half of women of working age are employed or actively seeking work. Across the 22 EquiNations countries, variation is significant, from over 68% in Vietnam to 32% in India, however, the overall pattern is one of stability rather than progress.
A similar picture emerges when looking at job quality. The share of women in wage and salaried employment globally remains in the low-to-mid 50% range, indicating limited structural change in access to more secure forms of employment.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report reinforces this stagnation. In 2025:
- The Economic Participation and Opportunity gap is only 61% closed
- At the current pace, full parity will take 162 years
While there have been gains in women’s workforce participation and some entry into traditionally male-dominated sectors, occupational segregation remains pronounced. Women continue to be overrepresented in lower-paid, people-centric sectors such as healthcare and education.
Policy is not yet translating into structural shifts in participation or opportunity.
What employers can do
We have identified three levers to help employers take measurable action to improve participation of women in their workplace.
1. Offer childcare support
Access to affordable, high-quality childcare remains one of the strongest predictors of women’s labour market participation. Where childcare costs approach or exceed take-home pay, workforce participation drops or shifts to part-time work. While this is a systemic issue requiring public policy solutions, employers can materially influence outcomes through childcare support, partnerships, or benefits that reduce the cost and complexity of care. Evidence across OECD countries shows that such measures are associated with higher retention and return-to-work rates for women.
2. Encourage men to take up paternity leave
Caregiving remains unevenly distributed. Men are significantly less likely to take parental leave or use flexible work arrangements, reinforcing gendered career impacts over time. Encouraging uptake through well-paid leave, visible leadership role modelling, and removing career penalties has measurable effects. More equal leave uptake is linked to narrower gender gaps in career progression and earnings, as well as improved employee engagement.
3. Offer a menu of flexible work options
Flexible working has become a structural feature of modern work. However, its impact depends on how it is implemented. When flexibility is widely accessible, stigma-free, and used by both women and men, it supports sustained workforce participation and reduces career penalties associated with caregiving. When it is informal, inconsistently applied, or gendered in uptake, it can reinforce existing gaps. The most effective approaches combine clarity (well-defined options), simplicity (low-friction access), and capability (manager training to lead flexible teams).
Compliance and measurable progress
Countries are increasingly pushing for measurable outcomes through board composition targets, pay transparency requirements, and strengthened reporting obligations.
For employers, the opportunity is to translate these external expectations into internal systems, and to measure progress over time.
This is where a structured, independent framework such as EDGE Certification® can add value. As a third-party certification system grounded in objective, measurable evidence, it enables organizations to assess where they stand on workplace fairness, across both practices and outcomes. It also embeds continuous improvement through action planning and progress tracking.
Curious to know more? Use our Contact Us form to ask questions or start your EDGE Certification® journey using EDGE Empower®.
