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In tourism and hospitality — sectors that thrive on diversity, personalisation, and human

connection — embracing neurodiversity is not only ethical. With proper support, autistic
professionals bring strong assets such as attention to detail, reliability, creative problem-
solving, and customer care consistency. Employing autistic individuals also benefits broader

society: it promotes independence, enhances well-being, and enables individuals to contribute

economically and socially, including through taxation and civic participation (Harvard Health,
The value of neurodiverse workplaces, 2021). Inclusive employment should not be viewed
solely as an act of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) but as an investment in talent and

innovation. As inclusion becomes embedded in CSR policies worldwide, hiring people with
autism must be recognised as part of building genuinely diverse and high-performing teams.

2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policies

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) represents a company's commitment to operating to

enhance societal well-being while minimising negative impacts on people and the planet.
Today, businesses' role extends far beyond creating jobs and delivering goods and services—

it includes responsibilities related to human rights, labour conditions, public health,
environmental protection, education, and inclusive development.

The European Commission defines CSR as "companies' responsibility for their impacts on
society." It encourages the integration of social, environmental, ethical, consumer, and human

rights concerns into business strategy in partnership with stakeholders and in compliance with
the law. This includes areas such as labour practices (e.g., gender equality, health, and

diversity), environmental protection (e.g., climate change, biodiversity, pollution), anti-
corruption, community engagement, and consumer protection (European Commission, 2011).

Similarly, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), through its ISO
26000:2010 standard, describes social responsibility as an organisation's accountability for its

decisions and activities in society and the environment. It requires ethical and transparent
behaviour that contributes to sustainable development, respects stakeholder expectations,

complies with laws, and is integrated throughout the organisation.
The OECD emphasises Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) as a company's positive

contribution to sustainable development and a commitment to avoiding adverse impacts on
their operations, supply chains, or services. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

offer governments and businesses a global, non-binding reference framework.

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Project Number 2023-1-IT01-KA220-VET-000152721