GEP ECECE

Gender Equality Plan (GEP) 2024-2027

For the European Centre of Entrepreneurship Competence and Excellence (ECECE)

Date of Publication: [ January 15, 2024]
Plan Period: January 2024 - December 2027
Website: www.ecece.org/gep

Approved by:
board of Directors, ECECE

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary & Declaration of Commitment

2. Introduction & Rationale
   2.1 About ECECE
   2.2 The Strategic Rationale for a GEP
   2.3 Alignment with Horizon Europe Criteria

3. Methodology: Data Collection, Monitoring & Evaluation
   3.1 Baseline Data Collection
   3.2 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
   3.3 Monitoring and Reporting Cycle

4. Core Area 1: Work-Life Balance & Organisational Culture

5. Core Area 2: Gender Balance in Leadership & Decision-Making

6. Core Area 3: Gender Equality in Recruitment & Career Progression

7. Core Area 4: Mainstreaming Gender into Research, Training & Policy Content

8. Core Area 5: Measures Against Gender-Based Violence & Sexual Harassment

9. Training & Capacity Building

10. Governance & Dedicated Resources

11. Communication & Dissemination Strategy

1. Executive Summary & Declaration of Commitment

The European Centre of Entrepreneurship Competence and Excellence (ECECE) is proud to launch its first formal Gender Equality Plan (GEP). This four-year strategic plan underscores our profound commitment to embedding gender equality as a core value and operational standard within our research centre.

As an organisation dedicated to excellence in entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and EU-funded research, we recognise that diversity is a key driver of innovation and impact. This GEP provides a structured framework to address gender imbalances within our own structure and to mainstream a gender perspective across all our activities—from internal management to our research projects, training programmes, and policy recommendations.

This public commitment, signed by our top management and backed by dedicated resources, ensures our eligibility for Horizon Europe funding while aligning our practices with the highest European standards of inclusive research and organisational governance.

2. Introduction & Rationale

2.1 About ECECE
The European Centre of Entrepreneurship Competence and Excellence (ECECE), based in Klagenfurt (Carinthia, Austria), is a private research centre with broad experience in EU-funded projects. Our core expertise lies in the fields of research, implementation of innnovative trainin methodologies, sustainable development, community engagement, and evidence-based policy design. We operate at the intersection of research and practice, aiming to foster a more innovative and inclusive European Union.

2.2 The Strategic Rationale for a GEP

• Research Excellence & Innovation: Integrating a gender dimension into our research content enhances its quality, relevance, and creativity, leading to more robust and sustainable outcomes.

• Organisational Integrity: As a promoter of best practices, we must exemplify them in our own operations. A fair and inclusive workplace is a moral imperative and a marker of a modern, effective organisation.

• Competitive Advantage: A demonstrable commitment to gender equality through a formal GEP is increasingly a prerequisite for securing EU funding and attracting top-tier international talent and project partners.

• Social Impact: Our work in community engagement and policy design is strengthened by ensuring our methods and outputs do not perpetuate gender biases but actively combat them.

2.3 Alignment with Horizon Europe Criteria
This GEP is explicitly designed to fulfil the four mandatory process-related requirements for Horizon Europe:

1. Publication: This document is formally published on the ECECE website and signed by the Managing Director.

2. Dedicated Resources: Human resources (a Gender Equality Committee) and time are dedicated to implementing this plan.

3. Data Collection & Monitoring: A framework for collecting sex/gender disaggregated data and annual reporting is established herein.

4. Training: Mandatory awareness-raising activities on gender equality and unconscious bias are outlined for all staff.

3. Methodology: Data Collection, Monitoring & Evaluation

3.1 Baseline Data Collection
ECECE will collect and analyse anonymised data annually:

• Personnel Data: Gender disaggregated data on recruitment (applicants, shortlisted, hired), promotions, career progression, and professional development opportunities.

• Leadership & Decision-Making: Composition of management, project coordination teams, and internal committees.

• Project Activities: Gender distribution of project leaders (PIs), researchers, external consultants, and speakers at ECECE-organised events.

• Perception Data: Short annual staff survey on organisational culture, inclusion, and perceived barriers.

3.2 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Each core area has specific, measurable KPIs. A full table is provided in Annex B.

3.3 Monitoring and Reporting Cycle

• Ongoing: The Gender Equality Committee (GEC) maintains oversight.

• Annually: The GEC prepares an internal progress report for the management board.

4. Core Area 1: Work-Life Balance & Organisational Culture

Objective: To foster a supportive and flexible organisational culture that enables all staff to excel in their careers while maintaining a healthy personal life, recognising the diverse needs of a research team.

Concrete Measures:

1. Formalise existing flexible working arrangements (remote work, flexible hours) into a clear policy accessible to all staff.

2. Actively encourage and monitor the equal take-up of parental leave by all parents.

3. Lead by example by discouraging a culture of constant overtime and respecting boundaries outside of working hours.

4. Ensure meeting schedules respect core working hours to accommodate care responsibilities.

Targets:

• 100% of staff are aware of the flexible working policy by Q2 2024.

• Increase in the uptake of parental leave by non-birthing parents over the plan period.

• Maintain high scores (>4/5) on work-life balance in the annual staff survey.

5. Core Area 2: Gender Balance in Leadership & Decision-Making

Objective: To ensure gender balance in all leadership and decision-making bodies within ECECE, including project consortia leadership roles.

Concrete Measures:

1. Apply a "gender balance rule" for all internal appointments to committees and working groups.

2. Proactively encourage and support staff of all genders to take on leadership roles within EU project consortia.

3. Ensure gender balance in speaker selection for all ECECE-hosted conferences, workshops, and public events.

4. Set a target for gender representation on the management board.

Targets:

• Achieve  representation of each gender on the management board by 2027.

• 100% of ECECE-organised public events feature gender-balanced panels by 2025.

6. Core Area 3: Gender Equality in Recruitment & Career Progression

Objective: To implement fair, transparent, and unbiased procedures for recruitment, appraisal, and career progression.

Concrete Measures:

1. Mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff involved in recruitment or promotion decisions.

2. Use of gender-neutral language in all job advertisements and application materials.

3. Strive for gender-balanced composition on all recruitment and promotion panels.

4. Conduct an annual review of role descriptions and salary bands to ensure gender neutrality and equity.

Targets:

• 100% of hiring panels are trained in unconscious bias by end-2024.

• Zero gender pay gap for equivalent roles and experience by 2026.

7. Core Area 4: Mainstreaming Gender into Research, Training & Policy Content

Objective: To leverage our expertise to systematically integrate a gender dimension into the content of our research projects, training materials, and policy recommendations.

Concrete Measures:

1. Include a section on the gender dimension in the internal checklist for developing new project proposals.

2. Provide guidelines and resources for researchers on how to integrate gender analysis into socio-economic and entrepreneurial research.

3. Ensure that case studies, examples, and imagery used in training materials and publications are gender-balanced and non-stereotypical.

4. Where relevant, ensure data collected in projects is sex/gender disaggregated and analysed as such.

Targets:

• 100% of new H2020/Horizon Europe proposals include a considered gender dimension by 2025.

• Develop a internal "Gender Mainstreaming in Research" guide by Q1 2025.

8. Core Area 5: Measures Against Gender-Based Violence & Sexual Harassment

Objective: To ensure a safe and respectful working environment for all, with zero tolerance for any form of gender-based violence or harassment.

Concrete Measures:

1. Disseminate and reinforce a clear Code of Conduct applicable to all staff, events, and project-related activities.

2. Appoint two designated confidential contact persons trained to support anyone experiencing harassment.

3. Establish a clear, safe, and confidential procedure for reporting and addressing incidents.

4. Mandatory briefing on the Code of Conduct for all new and existing staff.

Targets:

• 100% of staff complete the Code of Conduct briefing by Q2 2024.

• Annual staff survey confirms that ≥95% of staff feel safe and aware of reporting procedures.

9. Training & Capacity Building

Objective: To build internal capacity and awareness on gender equality issues relevant to our work.

Concrete Measures:

1. Integrate a module on gender equality and unconscious bias into the onboarding process for all new employees.

2. Organise at least one dedicated workshop per year on a relevant topic (e.g., gender mainstreaming in research, inclusive communication).

3. Encourage and support staff to participate in relevant external training and conferences on gender equality.

Targets:

• 100% of new hires complete onboarding training by end-2024.

• At least 80% of research staff participate in one gender mainstreaming workshop by end-2025.

10. Governance & Dedicated Resources

Governance:

• Gender Equality Committee (GEC): A cross-functional committee with representatives from research, administration, and management. The GEC is responsible for driving the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the GEP.

• Overall Accountability: The Managing Director holds ultimate responsibility for the GEP's success.

• Integration: Goals from the GEP are integrated into the organisation's annual planning and reporting cycles.

Dedicated Resources:

• The GEC members are allocated dedicated time for their committee work.

• The centre commits to securing the necessary resources for the implementation of the actions outlined in this plan.

11. Communication & Dissemination Strategy

Internal Communication:

• The GEP will be presented and discussed in a all-staff meeting.

• Progress updates will be shared regularly via internal channels.

• A dedicated section on the internal network will host the GEP and related resources.

External Communication:

• The GEP will be publicly available on the ECECE website.

• Our commitment to gender equality will be highlighted in relevant project proposals and presentations.

• We will share our experiences and best practices through our networks, contributing to the wider discourse on gender equality in research and entrepreneurship.