Diversity and inclusion amid an evolving regulatory landscape

By: Jesus Ma. Lava III and Shawntel Nicole Nieto

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become an increasingly important conversation in Philippine workplaces. Although companies may have different approaches to it, inclusion at its core is about enabling each person to show up at work without having to hide parts of who they are to belong.

In supporting the movement toward more equitable and inclusive workplaces, the Philippines has ratified laws such as the Magna Carta for Women, Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act. The country has also signed global agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, institutionalizing efforts to advance equality and social inclusion inside and outside the workplace.

This start has been followed through by companies integrating DEI into their talent strategy, leadership development, employee engagement and risk management.

A 2025 Jobstreet by SEEK report found that 63 percent of Filipino companies had adopted DEI initiatives, the highest among the Southeast Asian markets included in the study. These measures include antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies, employee resource groups, unconscious bias training, mentorship programs for underrepresented groups, DEI assessments, blind resume screening and inclusive job descriptions.

DEI takes many forms depending on the nature of work in the industry, and when strategies and efforts are tied to the realities of an organization and its people, inclusion shifts from mere compliance to culture.

In business process outsourcing and shared services — where teams work across shifts, cultures, clients and geographies — inclusive practice may focus on psychological safety, fair access to career progression, inclusive leadership training, mental health support and flexible work arrangements. As these sectors depend heavily on talent retention and team performance, inclusion is increasingly linked to employee experience, productivity and leadership pipelines.

In manufacturing, logistics and industrial operations, DEI may be most visible in safety, accessibility and fair work practices. Inclusive practices in these sectors may include review of facility design, transport access, emergency procedures, uniforms and protective equipment, grievance channels and shift arrangements. Gender inclusion may also involve looking at how women and other underrepresented groups access technical roles, supervisory positions and skills training.

In retail, hospitality, real estate and other customer-facing sectors, inclusion bridges diverse daily interactions with safeguards such as training on respectful customer interaction, antiharassment protocols, safe reporting mechanisms and policies that protect frontline employees from discrimination or abuse. These practices can help create safer environments not only for employees, but also for customers and communities.

The way forward

For companies in the Philippines, grounding DEI in both business priorities and the realities of Filipino workplace culture makes inclusion more sustainable. This can begin with a clearer understanding of what inclusion means within each organization: who makes up the workforce, what barriers employees may face, and how Filipino cultural factors such as hierarchy, pakikisama, hiya, family responsibilities and regional differences shape people’s experience of work.

Managers and supervisors also play a critical role as employees often experience culture most directly through their immediate leaders. Equipping team leads with the right skills to guide with empathy, fairness and psychological safety can help create units where people feel respected and able to speak up.

At the same time, DEI may be linked more clearly to business outcomes such as talent attraction, retention, innovation, customer understanding, risk management and employer branding. Progress can then be measured not only by representation but by the quality of employee experience.

As Philippine workplaces continue to evolve to be more inclusive, each company’s approach may differ. Nonetheless, the goal must remain the same: build workplaces where people can grow fairly and show up without having to hide parts of who they are to feel belongingness.

When grounded in Filipino realities and embedded into how work is led and designed, inclusion can become a stronger foundation for trust, talent, and the future of work.

Jesus Ma. Lava III is the sustainability & specialized assurance leader at Deloitte Philippines, a member firm of the Deloitte network. Shawntel Nicole Nieto is a senior consultant with the Sustainability & Specialized Assurance practice at Deloitte Philippines.