Women are a heterogeneous group that faces intersectional discrimination based on their personal characteristics, including ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation and differentiated abilities. It is important to consider intersectionality of gender with other grounds of discrimination, given the particularly pernicious consequences that inequality can have on women. The SPEED-FEM project will focus on women facing intersectional discrimination and will take place in Italy and Greece, two of the countries ranked last in Europe in terms of gender equality in employment. The project will target companies to promote the creation of more inclusive workplaces through mutual learning and awareness-raising activities. The objective will be achieved in the context of the Diversity Maps in Italy and Greece, with direct involvement of all EU Maps in specific dissemination activities to promote the international impact of the project.

The project foresees a set of activities that will provide managers with tools and know-how to implement appropriate D&I management strategies in their companies and will give employees the opportunity to experiment with how to overcome cross-sectoral discrimination faced by women in the labour market. Thus, the project will have a positive impact on the corporate environment and on the practical operational capacities of companies to accept and exploit diversity in the workplace. The tools created under the project will be an integral part of the on-boarding process for new signatories of the Diversity Cards and through the Diversity Maps, company executives will have access to networking and mutual learning opportunities.

In the long term it will lead to the strengthening of companies’ D&I strategies, with a positive impact on society and culture as a whole, linking business and integration in a context that will be beneficial for all.