Ethnic minorities face significant barriers in the labor market, calling for targeted efforts to drive social change. Research shows that ethnic minorities need to submit 50–60% more job applications than ethnic Danish candidates to secure an interview. Consequently, businesses miss out on qualified applicants, the untapped potential of their employees with minority backgrounds, and the economic and innovative benefits of a diverse workforce.
To address these challenges, Beskæftigelses- og Integrationsforvaltningen in the Municipality of Copenhagen created the initiative A City of Talents. For the 2024–2026 period, ReSearch Humanity and Foreningen Lige Adgang have been awarded the contract to develop and facilitate strengthened understanding and tangible changes for Copenhagen-based companies participating in the program. At ReSearch Humanity, our mission is to turn words into action. We create tailored solutions based on each company’s challenges and provide them with a network of like-minded organizations for knowledge sharing. The project aims to equip companies with the tools needed to foster inclusive work environments and ensure the well-being and development of ethnic minorities in the workplace. Ultimately, this initiative benefits the entire workplace and improves business outcomes. Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The project offers companies a unique opportunity to enhance their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. By focusing on recruitment, career development, employee engagement, and well-being among ethnic minorities in entry-level positions, the program helps Copenhagen-based businesses strengthen their diversity and inclusion strategies.
The program consists of three main elements:
Knowledge Seminar Participants gain a fundamental understanding of how unconscious biases and structural barriers in recruitment processes, career development initiatives, and workplace culture affect candidates and employees with minority backgrounds.
Development Workshop A customized workshop for each company, emphasizing co-creation to develop inclusive processes in areas such as recruitment, career development, or employee engagement and well-being. These workshops focus on bias prevention, enhancing employee well-being, fostering inclusion, and mitigating minority stress.
Peer-to-Peer Networking Groups Online meetings with a network of other companies in the program, alongside consultants from ReSearch Humanity and Foreningen Lige Adgang. These sessions offer guidance and inspiration as companies implement new initiatives. The earlier a company joins, the more network meetings they can participate in.
Structure, Procedures, and Empathy Are Key At ReSearch Humanity, we specialize in driving the development of concrete initiatives that foster inclusion. We go beyond providing knowledge by collaborating with companies to implement practical actions and lasting change. As the lead facilitator, we design and deliver tailored development workshops in close collaboration with participating businesses.
We start by analyzing existing company processes to identify barriers in recruitment, career development, and employee engagement. Based on this analysis, we develop customized solutions to address specific challenges and establish clear steps for implementation and integration. Through making structured procedures more inclusive, we create sustainable, systemic change.
"While it can be tempting to focus on changing attitudes, we prioritize exercises that foster empathy and highlight structural barriers to inclusion. Instead of debating opinions, participants work on identifying challenges and finding solutions. This approach often shifts participants' understanding and attitudes toward diversity and inclusion." - Karoline Barkvoll Holstad, CEO, ReSearch Humanity
We actively involve voices skeptical of inclusion efforts in the development process. These perspectives can play an important role in crafting more sustainable solutions. Their input helps create initiatives that in addition to solving the underlying challenge meet some of the needs that more sceptic employees may have. This is for example seen in cases where we develop procedures for addressing inappropriate behavior, that provide clarity and security for both minorities and majorities. This approach ensures that the resulting solutions are both effective and broadly applicable.
Examples of practical solutions companies can develop through the City of Talent initiative include:
Designing recruitment procedures to prevent unconscious bias, particularly during applicant screening.
Signaling to candidates that the company is committed to diversity and inclusion, thereby reducing fears of discrimination.
Establishing clear success criteria and feedback frameworks for new hires.
Creating initiatives to ensure new employees are integrated into and familiarized with company norms and culture.
Developing a clear language policy to foster inclusion in multilingual workplaces, including informal settings like lunch breaks.
Introducing tools to ensure that minority employees are recognized for their contributions and not overlooked.
A Comprehensive Approach to Inclusion
Many companies struggle to prioritize initiatives for various minority groups. That’s why we use an intersectional approach, acknowledging that employees often belong to multiple minority groups simultaneously. We encourage businesses to develop broadly inclusive initiatives that address diversity across characteristics such as ethnicity, age, gender, disability, and educational background—without creating separate solutions for each group.
The A City of Talent initiative is developed in collaboration with Foreningen Lige Adgang, that works to combat discrimination against ethnic minorities in the labor market. The project is supported by the Beskæftigelses- og Integrationsforvaltningen in the Municipality of Copenhagen and runs until 2026. The first knowledge seminar will be held in February 2025, with the initial development workshops starting in March 2025.
Want to Learn More?
Find more information about the project, download a free guide to effective DEI practices, or secure your company’s spot here:
Are you and your company looking to establish or optimize your DEI initiatives? Or do you want to learn more about ReSearch Humanity’s methods? Feel free to reach out.
