Study on non-legislative initiatives for companies to promote gender ...

Gender equality initiatives 139
5 Conclusions
Gender equality is a fundamental right and a common value of the EU. Although being
a basic principle of the European legal framework its practical implementation differs
considerably across countries and is, in general, hampered by a lack of information on
how gender equality can work at enterprise level. Thus, many European countries have
created or supported the establishment of non-legislative initiatives for companies
where a company’s practices in promoting gender equality are assessed and
highlighted. This includes labels, prizes and awards, charters, rankings and compendia
of good practice. These non-legislative initiatives have several advantages, e. g.:
• Positive incentives are easier to be enforced politically than punishment
systems.
• The implementation of gender equality represents a fundamental change within
the organisational structures of an enterprise. The initiatives can contribute to
motivate companies to undergo this process.
• The initiatives can increase the benefits of the enterprises’ “investment” in
promoting gender equality.
• The initiatives represent a possibility for enterprises to assess and improve their
practices.
• The highlighting of good practices illustrates practicable solutions which have
been tested and approved in the enterprises’ daily business.
Moreover, such initiatives can move gender equality on the agenda of the media and
public debate. Thus, they contribute to raising awareness of the issue in general.
For the companies the participation in non-legislative initiatives can enforce the positive
effects of implementing gender equality measures and establish gender equality as a
business case. Winning a prize, being labelled or signing a charter represents
recognition for the enterprises’ efforts to increase gender equality and can serve as a
communication tool internally within the company and externally with business partners
and costumers. The communicated social responsibility taken by the employer will
increase the motivation of the staff and decrease fluctuation. Moreover, it is easier to
recruit key personnel for an employer of choice. Motivated and mixed staff is a
prerequisite for innovation and creativity. The participation in a non-legislative initiative
gives the company the opportunity to revise and further develop its HR management
assisted by external experts. And finally, the participants can be part of a network of
likeminded companies.
Through the different types of initiatives business communities in different stages of
maturity in terms of gender equality can be addressed (see chapter 4.4). Initially, it is
important to find an easy access to motivate a company to put gender equality as a
topic on its agenda and to have its HR management externally assessed. Initiatives
where enterprises “have much to win and nothing to loose” and are not forced to
commit themselves too strongly seem to be adequate in this context. Prizes and
awards recognise the efforts already done, have the advantage to not mention the
non-winners, the participation, in general, entails no costs and a broad media echo is