Inclusion or illusion? Trans-inclusive human resources management and the limits of selective diversity in Brazilian companies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-11-2025-0179Keywords:
Inclusion, Transgender people, Labor market, HRM, Organizational selective diversityAbstract
PurposeThis study aims to identify the factors that support the inclusion and retention of transgender individuals in the Brazilian labor market by analyzing companies listed on the IDIVERSA B3 diversity index.
Design/methodology/approachWe employed a documentary analysis strategy, examining 2023 sustainability reports, official websites and Instagram profiles of the 75 companies listed on IDIVERSA B3. Data were analyzed through manual review and the ChatPDF software to identify corporate actions supporting access and retention of transgender talent.
FindingsThe findings reveal a pattern of organizational selective diversity, in which companies include cisgender lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals while systematically excluding transgender people from diversity initiatives.
Practical implicationsThe research provides a reference matrix of trans-inclusive human resource actions and contributes to the sustainable development goals by addressing gender diversity beyond the binary framework. The findings expose gaps between ESG diversity discourse and substantive transgender inclusion practices.
Originality/valueWe introduce the concept of “organizational selective diversity” to theorize how organizations selectively include certain marginalized subgroups while excluding others within the same diversity category. This concept advances critical diversity management literature by revealing patterns of exclusion within ostensibly inclusive corporate policies, thereby distinguishing our framework from related concepts such as tokenism and diversity washing.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Juh Círico, Silvia Pereira de Castro Casa Nova, Akira Aikyo Galvão
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