International Day for Tolerance is celebrated on 16 November and on 25 November the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Every individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that is free from harassment and discrimination and where complaints are promptly and fairly resolved.

However, while this is generally accepted, violence and harassment remain pervasive throughout the world of work. It has serious consequences for workers, their families and communities, as well as for enterprises’ reputations and productivity.

Raising awareness about the unacceptability of violence and harassment contributes to changing perceptions and social norms. It also helps to create safer, healthier and more harmonious workplaces.

Now that we have moved on, we’ve seen a strong, global demand for more flexible forms of working, particularly to retain an element of remote work.

The working world is in transition as we adapt to new work norms. A hybrid working model can be good for productivity, inclusion and motivation. Hybrid work provides autonomy and choice for employees. They can combine time at home for focused and independent work with time in the office for collaboration and connection.

Inclusion, trust and responsibility must be at the heart of our new and adapting working arrangements. In many cases they can offer us the opportunity to design afresh rather than revise the old

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. We cannot underestimate the extraordinary and indispensable contributions of women across all sectors. Women need to be given equal opportunities in leadership and decision-making roles and efforts must be made to increase gender equality.

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is celebrated on 21 May. Three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts have a cultural dimension. Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development. A culturally diverse workplace empowers people to develop their talents and skills. A range of ideas and expertise enables those to learn from a more diverse collection of colleagues. It can also boost problem-solving capabilities and increase happiness and productivity.

Many people believe that skin pigmentation reflects race. Yet this notion, in the case of our species, is meaningless. Because from a biological point of view, human races do not exist. The colour of human beings today is the result of a complex sequence of biological and demographic events, and it is not possible to demarcate one group from another biologically.

It cannot be denied, however, that the popular concept of "race" is deeply rooted in many societies and has given rise to highly degrading political movements.

In its purest form, racial equity in the workplace means that an employee’s race does not impact how they are treated or promoted in any way. It means that all rules apply equally to all employees, regardless of race. However, policies can appear race-neutral on the surface but still result in disparate treatment of minorities. Employees that some would label as Black are most at risk for experiencing bias, followed by those of Latin and Asian heritage. However, even employees who don't directly experience bias are negatively impacted by observing others being treated unfairly. Every day, each and every one of us can stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.