Refugees’ employment: Adapting a structural inequality framework for multinational corporations

Multinational corporations (MNCs), through action or inaction, directly and indirectly shape vertical, horizontal, or internal structural inequalities in labour markets. The refugee employment literature has given scant attention to the role of MNCs, and how these corporations can or do contribute to achieving equality in employment outcomes for diverse social groups such as refugees. In this paper, we explore how MNCs seek to address challenges associated with structural inequalities to achieve greater equality in employment outcomes for refugees. To do so, we draw on the refugee employment literature, industry evidence, and business reports. Our findings reveal that MNCs require global and national-level responses to address structural inequalities associated with vertical, horizontal, or internal inequalities. We synthesise these inequalities into a conceptual framework and illustrate the need for MNCs to balance standardisation vs localisation strategies in human resource and diversity management, sourcing and supply chain management, corporate social responsibility, marketing and branding, and external engagement. Such MNC strategies contribute to refugees’ ability to navigate structural factors that create employment inequalities. • Vertical, horizontal, and internal structures affect refugees’ employment in MNCs. • MNC global & national strategies can address inequalities in refugees’ employment. • MNCs promote refugee employment through CSR & responsible sourcing. • MNC’s branding & community engagement strategies influence refugee employment. • Diversity & human resource management strategies shape refugees’ careers in MNCs.