There are, of course, many other issues employers and employees in Estonia have to face. A 2023 study commissioned by the Statistical Office revealed that 33% of women and 17% of men in Estonia have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Among women aged 18–29, more than half have experienced sexual harassment at work. Alongside sexual harassment, another structural issue is the gender pay gap – 13.1% in 2023 – the smallest number we have seen in Estonia, having been one of the top countries with the gender pay gap in Europe for years. Among the 247 members of the boards of Estonia’s top 100 revenue-generating companies, there are only 23 women (data from 2023). A 2022 study found that age may affect one’s position in the labor market very strongly – 38% of those aged 50-59 and 61% of those aged 60-69 consider their age a barrier to success in the labor market.

Having this in mind, the EHRC invites various organizations across Estonia to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, and many have done this since 2016. Diversity is always more or less present in each group of people and thus an organization, however, actually noticing, valuing and respecting diversity takes an organization to a new level of development and well-being. Year by year, more organizations in addition to employers, such as youth centres and libraries, interpret diversity as a value and join the celebration of diversity in May. EHRC provides tools each year that help to focus on diversity and inclusion. As an example, diversity bingos were created as a playful tool to discuss the meaning of diversity. You can also download bingos in Estonian, Russian, or English about the work environment and everyday life!

On 8 May, Diversity Month continued with a conference entitled “From Cultural Conflict to Innovation”. Experiences from culturally diverse work environments were shared by representatives from Bolt, Rimi, MoveMyTalent, and Interconnect Product Assembly. At the same event, 20 new signatories signed the Diversity Charter, publicly affirming their respect for human diversity and commitment to the principle of equal treatment for their employees, partners, and clients. Among others, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Scoro Software, Stoneridge Electronics, Orkla Estonia, Valio Estonia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications have now joined the diverse forces of Diversity Charter signatories, now 218, in Estonia.

60 companies, public sector organizations, and NGOs operating in Estonia were awarded the “Respecting Differences” diverse workplace label at the end of Diversity Month on 29 May. The label is issued by the Estonian Human Rights Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. It’s open to all Estonian companies, public sector organizations, and NGOs that value their employees regardless of their differences and strive to create an inclusive work environment. The list of recipients this year is diverse, including ministries, large corporations, smaller businesses, and NGOs. It is a quality mark and also an opportunity for development for organizations that share a common value system – the belief that recognizing and valuing differences strengthens not only the workplace but also the organization and society as a whole.

So, Diversity Month brought together those only starting to think about diversity and those who already have a systemic approach to it. As a diverse network, we are there to learn from each other, always also looking at Europe to gain more insight and inspiration.