— Gender Equality Plan
Fostering an inclusive environment for applied research and engineering
At iSET we firmly believe that solving complex geotechnical and environmental challenges requires a diversity of perspectives. Our Gender Equality Plan serves as a foundational pillar of our institutional strategy. It ensures full compliance with the strict requirements of Horizon Europe, national grant agencies, and our own internal standards for scientific excellence.
This framework guarantees that equal opportunities are integrated into every level of our organization, from field operations and laboratory research to executive decision making.
I. Institutional Commitment and Leadership
As a registered institute actively coordinating European research consortia and regional transformation initiatives, we recognize our responsibility to lead by example. We maintain a working culture built on respect, merit, and equality.
Our Legal Entity Appointed Representative alongside the executive management board oversees the strict implementation of these policies across all our active grant frameworks. We allocate dedicated internal resources to monitor our progress, collect relevant data, and ensure our working environment remains supportive for all experts and administrative staff.
II. Core Action Areas
To achieve our strategic objectives, the iSET Gender Equality Plan focuses on five fundamental areas of institutional development.
II.1 Work and Life Balance
Providing flexible working arrangements to support the personal and professional lives of our researchers, engineers, and administrative personnel.
II.4 Research Dimension
Integrating gender perspectives into the design and execution of our applied environmental and geotechnical research projects.
II.2 Leadership and Decision Making
Ensuring balanced representation in all institutional boards, steering committees, and project leadership roles.
II.5 Safe Working Environment
Maintaining a strict zero tolerance policy against any form of harassment, discrimination, or bias in our offices, laboratories, and field testing sites.
II.3 Recruitment and Career Progression
Implementing transparent and strictly merit based processes for hiring, evaluating, and promoting scientific and technical staff.
III. Data Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Transparency is crucial for meaningful change. iSET conducts annual internal audits to collect and analyze relevant demographic data regarding our workforce and leadership structures. This ongoing evaluation allows our management to adjust internal policies dynamically, ensuring our equal opportunity measures remain highly effective and relevant to the evolving landscape of applied industrial research.
IV. Official Documentation
Our complete policy framework detailing specific measures, reporting structures, and targeted milestones is publicly available for all our partners, stakeholders, and funding authorities.