Diversidade nas corporações à luz dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável e das variedades do capitalismo

Abstract

This thesis aimed to analyze the influence of the characteristics of different types of capitalism on the adoption of diversity practices in corporations, in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research adopted a mixed-methods approach, descriptive and exploratory in nature, applying qualitative and quantitative procedures in three interdependent articles. The SDGs were used as a cross-cutting normative framework, and the varieties of capitalism (VoC) constituted the theoretical framework that guided the understanding of the institutional differences that shape business practices. The first article conducted a Systematic Literature Review on diversity, SDGs, and VoC, proposing a conceptual framework that organizes institutional and organizational factors associated with the adoption of diversity. The study revealed a fragmented theoretical field, with a predominance of approaches focused on gender and governance, as well as gaps in integration with the SDGs and with comparative perspectives on capitalism. The second article empirically operationalized the diversity construct based on 13 indicators aligned with the SDGs, extracted from the Refinitiv® database, encompassing 11.824 companies from 56 countries between 2015 and 2023. The comparative analysis demonstrated low adoption levels and significant variations between types of capitalism: coordinated and peripheral European economies generally situated at intermediate levels, while oil-based arrangements and emerging economies concentrated at the lowest levels. The third article tested hypotheses about the effects of institutional characteristics – cooperation in labor relations, economic freedom, local competition, union density, human development, and governance – through regression with panel data (56.837 observations). The results indicated that cooperation and human development had positive effects on the adoption of diversity, while economic freedom and local competition had negative effects. The control variables size, market value, and Corporate Social Responsibility committee showed positive and significant effects on the adoption of diversity practices, while profitability showed a negative relationship. Based on this analytical approach, this thesis argues that the adoption of diversity practices in corporations is conditioned by specific combinations of economic coordination, social capacities, and regulatory arrangements, varying according to the institutional characteristics of different types of capitalism, in alignment with SDGs 5, 8, 10, and 16. By highlighting this institutional heterogeneity, the thesis contributes to broadening the dialogue between diversity and varieties of capitalism, offers a replicable set of indicators aligned with the SDGs, and provides support for public policies and business practices aimed at promoting inclusion and equity.