Integrating Gender Diversity in Well-Being Policies: A Review of Institutional Literature

The study conducts an institutional, structured review of 43 official reports from countries and major international organizations (e.g., WHO, OECD, UN) to investigate how gender-related aspects are integrated into the conceptualization of well-being. A first literature background of this concept, very diffused but also very difficult to define in a shared way, highlights a lack of a clear and diffused definition and the presence of similar terms with other meanings, such as wellness, happiness, and quality of life. The analysis of these very recent institutional documents reveals a significant emphasis on gender inequality as a key dimension of horizontal disparities, cited in 29 out of 43 reports. While various well-being indicators and dimensions are identified, with social and community life, health, and work/economy being the most frequent, the analysis of inequality indicators highlights a focus on the gender wage gap, political parity, and total hours worked. Finally, there is a clear lack of attention to gender diversity within entrepreneurship and corporate leadership. The findings underscore a widespread recognition of gender as a crucial factor in well-being at the institutional level yet point to a gap in comprehensively addressing its role in economic drivers like business and management. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader integration of gender diversity across all societal sectors in well-being frameworks, including the management and entrepreneurship world, and suggesting that future research should compare institutional perspectives with academic literature and explore best practices.