Proposal 1

Grounded in the ethical perspective of Utilitarianism, businesses should adopt a range of strategies to improve employment prospects for people with disabilities, aiming to increase societal well-being and collective benefit. This involves establishing inclusive hiring practices to prevent discrimination against disabled candidates, alongside creating accessible workspaces and supplying essential assistive tools to promote an environment that welcomes those with disabilities. Furthermore, organizations can modify their schedules and workflow to suit the requirements of disabled employees, such as by introducing more adaptable working hours or streamlining operational protocols. It is also vital to cultivate a supportive company ethos that promotes understanding and respect for colleagues with disabilities. By means of training and educational programs, companies can enhance employees' awareness of the varied nature of disabilities and the distinctive contributions that these individuals make to the team, thus fostering a more inclusive and diverse workplace.

Proposal 2

Both enterprises and governments should invest in the development and utilization of artificial intelligence-assisted technologies to aid individuals with disabilities in integrating into the workforce. This aligns with utilitarian principles and supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 by promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Research indicates that assistive technologies can significantly boost the employability of people with disabilities.

Proposal 3

In accordance with Rawlsian principles that highlight fairness and justice, particularly in the support of the most vulnerable populations, it is essential to establish policies that ensure equal opportunities for all workers, including those facing the risk of displacement by AI. This proposal calls for providing income protection and comprehensive social safety nets for workers affected by AI, addressing economic inequality, and guaranteeing that all workers have equal access to educational and training resources necessary to adapt to the evolving landscape shaped by AI.

Proposal 4

Guided by Utilitarian theory, it is proposed that businesses and government bodies work together to generate a wide range of job opportunities and internship programs, focusing on entry-level roles and internships for young individuals. This initiative aims to enrich their work experience and professional capabilities. Additionally, enhancing vocational education and training is crucial for aligning youth skills with market needs, thereby boosting their employment prospects and overall quality of life.

Proposal 5

In alignment with Libertarian theory, it is suggested to minimize unnecessary regulations and obstacles in the labor market to facilitate easier hiring of young people by companies. Fostering youth entrepreneurship can further stimulate market liberalization and innovation. Concurrently, it is vital to encourage the private sector's involvement in tackling youth unemployment through the creation of job opportunities and the provision of training programs, thereby reducing reliance on governmental intervention and enabling market dynamics to take a leading role.

With the application of artificial intelligence technology, it may have a substitution effect on some positions within the company. This position requires active participation in the company's internal human resource transformation planning while promoting technological innovation, so as to achieve a smooth transition of employees, which reflects the protection of employees' rights and interests and the ethical responsibility for employment transformation.

This position provides employment opportunities for professionals and reflects support for the creation of decent work in SDG 8. At the same time, helping financial services customers to develop sustainable development strategies can help enterprises achieve sustainable economic growth in the long run, ensure that economic activities are coordinated with environmental protection, and indirectly promote the development of the entire economic system in a more sustainable direction.

Sustainable development should ensure the equitable participation and benefit of all interest groups, and the position can motivate companies to consider social equity factors in their investments and business operations, such as avoiding negative impacts on vulnerable groups, while actively seeking solutions that promote equity, which aligns with the emphasis on ethical issues such as employment equity and inclusion. Contribute to a more equitable social and economic system.

By strengthening occupational safety and health management in the construction sector, it will contribute to creating a safer and more regulated working environment, thereby increasing labor productivity and contributing to the sustainable development of Egypt's construction industry and achieving the goal of decent work. At the same time, a stable and healthy workforce can attract more investment and drive economic growth, in line with SDG 8's vision of promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all.

By developing and implementing sustainable development strategies, corporate strategy officers can help companies reduce environmental risks and improve resource efficiency in the long term, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. This not only enables the shareholders of the enterprise to benefit from long-term and stable returns, but also guarantees the employment stability of employees and provides employees with better career development prospects, which is in line with the utilitarian concept of the pursuit of interests of most people. For example, by pushing for the decarbonization of steel mills, companies can avoid the risk of high fines and business restrictions due to stricter carbon regulations, thereby protecting employees' jobs, while also providing society with more environmentally friendly and sustainable products and services that benefit consumers.

ILO’s Approach

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has developed guidelines and practices aimed at promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities. This includes the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention and the ILO Code of Practice for Managing Disability in the Workplace. These guidelines emphasize nondiscrimination and inclusion, aiming to create a fair and accessible workplace for all, aligning closely with SDG 8, which focuses on inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all. 

Application in the Workforce

The ILO also collaborates with companies globally to support disability inclusion initiatives, showing that employing people with disabilities benefits not only the workforce but also companies’ public perception and productivity.

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Race or national origin

This type of workplace discrimination involves unfair treatment, harassment, or denial of employment opportunities based on someone’s racial or ethnic background. 

Age

Age discrimination involves employment decisions and behaviors based on a person’s age rather than their merit or qualifications.

Gender

Gender discrimination is the unequal treatment or consideration of someone based on their gender identity. This can manifest as unequal pay, stereotyping, or sexual harassment. It can affect workers of any gender, including people who identify as transgender or those who fall outside of the gender binary, and is an especially common problem for women in the workplace.

Sexual orientation

Workplace discrimination can also involve treating employees differently based on their sexual orientation. This can include prejudiced behavior like harassment, unfair termination, denial of benefits, or creating a hostile work environment for people in the LGBTQ+ community. 

Disability

Disability discrimination occurs when a workplace treats people with physical or mental disabilities unfairly. It can involve denying reasonable accommodations, refusing employment, offering unequal pay, or excluding them from certain job opportunities. 

Religious beliefs

Religion-based workplace discrimination occurs when a business treats someone differently than their coworkers because of their religion. This can include harassment or hostility, being denied a job or promotion, or getting fired because of their religious beliefs.

Proposal 6

According to utilitarian principles, policymakers should strive to maximize the overall well-being of society. In the context of tourism, this means optimizing the allocation of resources to enhance efficiency, thereby generating more jobs and income and alleviating poverty. Liberalism underscores the importance of individual freedom and market mechanisms in resource distribution. The fashion industry can promote sustainable consumption patterns by endorsing fair trade retailers and eco-friendly apparel, allowing consumers to freely select products that meet ethical and environmental standards. Rawlsian justice highlights that social and economic inequalities are justifiable only if they ultimately benefit the least advantaged. In the fashion sector, this can be realized by ensuring fair compensation and working conditions for workers at every stage of the supply chain, particularly in developing countries, to mitigate class disparities and advance social equity.

In the fashion industry, its rapid growth has led to issues like overproduction and waste. Up to 100 billion garments are produced by the fashion industry every year. In addition, as much as 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills each year. Only 20% of textiles are collected for reuse or recycling globally (Ruiz, 2024). This not only affects future generations' access to resources but also harms the well-being of communities near disposal sites. In terms of employment, while it creates jobs, many workers in the supply chain face poor working conditions and low wages, which is contrary to the idea of inclusive economic growth.

The tourism industry is also confronted with environmental protection issues. Rather than targeting long-term development, enterprises seek short-term high profits at the expense of massive resource consumption. For instance, overtourism poses such a problem. Millions of tourists bring short-term revenue but long-term problems like overcrowding, rising housing costs and damage to infrastructure and relics (Sustainable Travel International, 2024). This threatens local economic sustainability and opposes SDG8, causing irreversible damage to the local economy.