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

64 Gender equality initiatives
In Luxembourg enterprises receive the “Agrément Ministériel du Projet d’Action
Positive” (Ministerial Agreement for Positive Actions) after having undergone an
auditing process consisting of (i) an assessment of the current situation; (ii) the elaboration
of an action plan; and (iii) the implementation of concrete measures (the so called
positive actions) to promote gender equality at the workplace. Finally, an evaluation
and follow-up takes place. The different phases of the process are:
• Preparatory phase: After the Committee for Positive Actions is informed on the
willingness of an enterprise to engage in the initiative, information meetings are
held and a collaboration convention is signed between the company and the
Ministry for Equal Opportunities. A working group is established including representatives
of the company management, HR, representatives of the employees,
equal opportunity commissioner; of the MEGA as well as an external expert).
• The first project phase refers to an analysis of the current situation within the
enterprise. The necessary information is – in co-operation with an external expert –
collected in meetings of Ministry representatives, company owners, shop stewards
as well as working groups of employees and also by means of a standardised
questionnaire to be filled in by the management and all employees. The results of
this analysis are presented to the jury who then decides upon eligibility of the
enterprise.
• In the second phase, i.e. the elaboration phase, the external expert presents to
the enterprise/the working groups the results of the previous analysis along the
three priority spheres of Positive Actions: equal treatment of men and women,
equality of women and men in decision making, work-life balance. Together with
the working group the expert then elaborates an action plan (including a set of
Positive Actions, ways for their implementation as well as time planning).
• In the implementation phase, the agreed Positive Actions are put into practice,
the Ministerial Agreement for Positive Actions is given, and the company agrees to
undertake an evaluation after two or three years.
• The last phase is the evaluation and follow-up phase where adaptations may be
effected. The analysis of the current situation, as it had been carried out at the
beginning of the auditing process, is repeated. The results are then compared and
the progress is assessed.
The design and implementation of a positive action plan has been a prerequisite for
being labelled in Spain, too. Meanwhile, such an equality plan is compulsory by law for
large companies with more than 250 employees.
An example with sustainable success is the “Entidad Colaboradora en Igualdad de
Oportunidades entre Mujeres y Hombres” (entity collaborating on equality of
opportunities amongst women and men), being a part of the programme Optima in
Spain. It was awarded to companies which aim at balancing the presence of women
and men amongst employees, occupations and the management board, at facilitating
the reconciliation of work/family, at avoiding sexual harassment and at avoiding gender
non-neutral manifestation. The labelling process consisted of two elements: