Glossary

Below are definitions of the most common EO and diversity expressions and terms.

Anti-racism
The practice of identifying and challenging the values, structures and behaviour which perpetuate systemic racism.

Anti-semitism
Unconscious or openly hostile attitudes and behaviours directed at individual Jews or the Jewish people, leading to social, economic, institutional, religious, cultural or political discrimination. Anti-Semitism has also been expressed through individual acts of physical violence and through the organised destruction of entire communities.

Barrier
In employment, the term refers to the hidden, invisible and/or visible obstacles to equity in work or promotional opportunities. In anti-racism, the concept is extended to include obstacles to racism-free environments, services and other service delivery issues.

Bias
An opinion, preference or inclination formed without any reasonable justification. Bias is reflected in people's attitudes (towards people of a different race, class, gender, cultural background, physical ability, etc.) and makes it difficult for a person or group to evaluate particular situations and thus take appropriate or accurate action.

Culture
Patterns of learned behaviour and values which are shared among members of a group and are transmitted to group members over time, and distinguish the members of a group from those of another group. Culture can include: ethnicity, language, religion and spiritual beliefs, race, gender social-economic class, age, sexual orientation, geographic origin, group history, education, upbringing and life experiences.

Discrimination
The unequal treatment of non-dominant groups or individuals, either by a person or a group, or an institution with dominant identity. Through the denial of certain rights, discrimination results in inequality, subordination and/or deprivation of political, educational, social, economic and cultural rights.

Discrimination, indirect
Imposition of an apparently neutral requirement (e.g. language, dress-code or education) which has a disproportionately adverse effect on a certain group.

Diversity
Individual and organisational differences within a society. Refers to a wide variety of human qualities and often has a relationship with exclusion and inclusion power dynamics.Managing diversity is to respect and to get the best out of differences – bringing differences together to sparkle innovation, promote networking, balancing decision and gaining new perspectives

Dominant culture
The most powerful cultural grouping. For example, in most parts of England, the dominant culture is composed of white, English-speaking, middle-to-upper income Christians.

Employment equity
Refers to a workplace that is reflective of the entire community and that values and empowers all employees. Some governments will use the term for organisations, which do business with the government under the terms of an Employment Equity Act.

Equal opportunities(Novo Nordisk definition based on international human rights treaties)
Equal opportunity in recruiting, terms of employment, in promotion, and by termination is practised without any distinction, exclusion or preference made on basis of gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, religious beliefs, creed, colour, race or ethnic origin, national origin or political orientation except when justified by requirements intrinsic to that specific job.

Ethnicity
Similar to race, ethnicity is a social and political construct used by individuals and communities to define themselves or others. Ethnicity is also a process, which is changed over time both by social conditions and individuals. Ethnicity tends to be based on a common culture, language, region or nationhood.

Ethnocentrism
Beliefs in the superiority of one's own race and culture.

Exclusion
When disadvantaged communities or designated group members do not share power and decision making at all levels in projects, programs and institutions.

Exposed employees
Employees belonging to a minority group.

Harassment
When a person is disturbed persistently or bothered continually.

Inclusive language
The deliberate selection of vocabulary which avoids the inadvertently or implicit exclusion of particular groups.

Inclusiveness
Exists when disadvantaged communities and designated group members share power and decision-making at all levels in projects, programs and companies.

Immigrant
Technically, people who have moved to a country with the intention of settling. Not synonymous with refugees.

Intolerance
Unwillingness to endure and/or lack of respect for the beliefs and practices of an individual or group by another individual or group. Racial intolerance refers to the unwillingness to permit equal opportunity and full societal participation to members of other racial groups; religious intolerance is the unwillingness to endure those of other religious beliefs.

Marginalisation
Exists when the minority voices of a community are separated and contained apart from the problem-solving and central decision-making of a company or a society.

Minority group
Refers to a group of people within a given society, which has little or no access to social, economic, political, or religious power. The term may connote inferior social position, or may refer to a group, which is small in number.

Multiculturalism
A policy, which acknowledges that many ethnic populations experience unequal access to resources and opportunities. It urges more recognition of the contributions of such populations, the preservation of certain expressions of their ethnicity, and more equity in the treatment of everybody.

Oppression
How one individual or group is dominated by another, more powerful individual or group through physical, psychological, social or economic threats or force, and frequently by an ideology of dominance.

Positive action
National legislation may allow for special measures of protection or assistance directed at particular groups addressing historic or traditional inequities. Companies should hence be aware of national, legal constraints before formulating an action plan on equal opportunities.

Prejudice
A state of mind; a set of attitudes held by one person or group about another person or group, which casts the other in an inferior light despite the absence of legitimate or sufficient evidence.

Race
A socially defined group which sees itself and/or is seen by others as being different from other groups in its common descent or external features, such as skin colour, hair texture, or facial characteristics.

Racial discrimination
According to the International Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), to which most countries are signatories, the term racial discrimination shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has had the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

Racially visible people
A term applied to people who are visibly different than the dominant racial group within a community.

Racism
A system in which one group of people exercises abusive power over others on the basis of skin colour and racial heritage; a set of implicit or explicit beliefs, false assumptions and actions based on an ideology of inherent superiority or one racial or ethnic group over another. Systemic racism is embedded in organizational and institutional structures and programs as well as in individual thought or behaviour patterns.

Racism, institutional
The conscious or unconscious exercise of notions of racial superiority by social institutions through their policies, practices and procedures as well as through the organizational culture and values. Institutional racism results in the unequal treatment of, or discrimination against, non-dominant individuals or groups.

Stereotype
A generalised conception of a group of people which results in the unconscious or conscious categorization of each member of that group, without regard for individual differences. Stereotyping may relate to race or age; ethnic, linguistic, religious, geographical, or national groups; social, marital or family status; sexual orientation; physical, developmental or mental abilities; and/or gender.

Systemic racism or discrimination
Often refers to racism or discrimination, which has become historically entrenched in systems (systemic) and results in barriers to equality of opportunity for members of minority groups.