Systemic Discrimination

Systemic discrimination, also called institutionalized discrimination, is a pattern of discrimination that happens regularly in the workplace as an inherent part of how a company operates, built into its everyday interactions and processes. It creates a disadvantage over time for people who share certain characteristics, such as race, gender, or disability.

Systemic discrimination usually is not obvious at first glance. It shows up gradually, embedded in the ordinary application of a company’s policies and practices rather than in any single, overt act.