Systemic Discrimination

What is Systemic Discrimination?

Systemic discrimination refers to patterns or practices embedded in organisational policies, procedures, or culture that result in disadvantage for members of protected groups. Unlike individual acts of discrimination, systemic discrimination operates through institutional structures and may not involve intentional bias. Examples include recruitment processes that consistently exclude certain demographics, promotion criteria that disproportionately disadvantage particular groups, or pay structures that result in unexplained wage gaps. Addressing systemic discrimination typically requires analysis of workforce data, review of policies and practices, and proactive changes to organisational systems.