Since the adoption of the Ley de Igualdad in 2007 in Spain (and the subsequent regulations that have allowed its development), equality plans have become a key instrument for advancing the institutionalization of the principles of equal treatment and opportunities in the workplace. With the approval of the Ley de la Ciencia in 2014, not only are equality plans further promoted in research centres, but also the need to implement a gender perspective as a cross-cutting category in research and technology has become clearly stated in the law governing research performing organizations.
Driven by its participation in two Horizon 2020 European projects, Leading Towards Sustainable Gender Equality Plans in research performing organizations (LeTSGEPs) and Responsible research and innovation grounding practices in BIOSciences (ResBIOS), the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) developed and approved its first Gender Equality Plan, fully addressing the regulations referred to, and in line with the European Commission’s guidelines regarding the integration of the gender dimension in research. Likewise, the ICM’s Gender Equality Plan was designed under the umbrella of the II Gender Equality Plan of the CSIC, which must be followed at the centre level.
The results of a cross-sectional diagnosis performed at the ICM were the basis for development of the Plan. That diagnosis led to an awareness of situations of discrimination and inequalities based on gender, the identification of the factors that produce or favour them and, consequently, the possibility of making informed decisions to reverse these situations.
The Plan aims to promote a structural transformation that involves the adoption and institutionalization of gender equality as a cross-cutting principle of the ICM. To achieve this goal, 8 axes of intervention have been established: 1) participation of women in research: development of the professional career; 2) institutional governance: gender representation in decision-making; 3) the gender dimension in research; 4) the conciliation of private and work-life and organizational culture; 5) prevention of gender-based violence and sexual harassment; 6) inclusion of the gender perspective in the institutional culture; 7) budget with a gender perspective and remuneration policy, and 8) inclusive and non-sexist communication.
Specific objectives and results have been established for each of these areas, guiding a set of 14 measures to be implemented in the next few years. The Plan has thus become the ICM’s framework for action and roadmap to intervene on existing (or latent) gender biases, and to generate a structural change that will allow the effective transversalisation of gender equality in all areas and activities of the organization. To this end, the plan comprises cross-cutting measures that need to be anchored in institutional policies and practices - such as gender budgeting - and positive action measures aimed at correcting clear situations of inequality - such as interventions that seek to reduce horizontal and vertical segregation (the so-called glass ceiling).
Gender mainstreaming entails the challenges associated with cultural and organizational change. It also requires a new approach to scientific activities through the incorporation of the gender dimension and the sex variable in marine research.
The Plan, which is the result of an articulated work and consensus among multiple actors in the organization, materializes the ICM’s commitment to equality and involves the entire staff.
The Plan will be implemented over 4 years (2021-2024). It is a living document that can be adapted to appropriately respond to new challenges and future contexts. To assess the impact of the Plan, a number of indicators have been defined; these indicators will verify the level of achievement of the expected results, and track the changes produced as a result of the implementation of the planned measures.
The challenge starts now!