GENDER ACTION PLAN
Background
The Gender Action Plan (GAP) was prepared by the Scientific Advisory Board for the Foundation and concerns the Foundation as a whole. The actions and key areas of interventions adopted in the Plan are in alignment with the outcomes of the FP7 project 'genSET — Gender in Science' and specifically with the expert recommendations elaborated in the 'Consensus Report: Recommendations for Action on the Gender Dimension in Science' (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/244301/reporting).
The EU is highly invested in fostering gender equality in science-related organizations, recognizing that it not only improves the quality of scientific inquiry but also enhances the social and economic position of women, among other benefits. Restricting the selection of top talent primarily to men results in suboptimal contributions to the scientific field and hinders research advancements. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent the loss of talented scientists due to the ceiling effect, systemic barriers, and gender discrimination.
The involvement of women in scientific developments— which, in turn, impact society—can lead to new discoveries, diverse perspectives, and deeper understanding. Considering different viewpoints enhances scientific outcomes and contributes to a more inclusive scientific community. Importantly, democracy dictates that power, and influence should be distributed equitably across all societal groups. To uphold this principle, we must ensure that equal opportunities are genuinely provided across all sectors of the scientific community. The eradication of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, race, and other factors should remain a priority in all institutions.
The Gender Action Plan was adopted by the Supervisory Council and its official initiation date was February 24, 2025, when the letter of the Council was signed by the Director of the Foundations and was subsequently circulated in the Foundation.
How we meet the mandatory requirements for GEPs
1.0 Public document
‘The GEP must be a formal document published on the institution’s website, signed by the top management and actively communicated within the institution. It should demonstrate a commitment to gender equality, set clear goals and detailed actions and measures to achieve them.’
The Gender Action Plan is publicly available at this web link: https://thorax.org.gr/index.php/en/the-work/gender-action-plan/ . The action plan sets out our institutional priority areas to support gender equality as follows:
1) closing the gender pay gap;
2) increasing the proportion of women in research roles.
3) diversifying our recruitment processes and approaches.
Additionally, our action plan sets out a range of goals and associated actions along with measures of success, including:
- Achieve and maintain at least 50% female representation among our researchers, a target we have already exceeded.
- Increase the representation of women in early- and mid-career research roles.
- Address the underrepresentation of men in administrative roles.
- Support researchers who are parents and caregivers.
- Provide inclusive support for colleagues who are trans or non-binary.
2.0 Dedicated Resources
‘A GEP must have dedicated resources and expertise in gender equality to implement the plan. Organisations should consider what type and volume of resources are required to support an ongoing process of sustainable organisational change.’
The Thorax Foundation has allocated fractional staff resources to support, monitor, and implement the gender equality plan. Additionally, we have established clear leadership and governance structures to ensure progress in gender equality. Tables 1 and 2 below summarize the gender balance among male and female researchers.
3.0 Data collection and monitoring
‘Organisations must collect sex/gender disaggregated data on personnel (and students, for the establishments concerned) with annual reporting based on indicators. Organisations should consider how to select the most relevant indicators, how to collect and analyse the data, including resources to do so, and should ensure that data is published and monitored on an annual basis. This data should inform the GEP’s objectives and targets, indicators, and ongoing evaluation of progress.’
The Foundation’s reporting process includes analyzing and reporting workforce data based on protected characteristics, including sex. This analysis covers representation across different grades, levels, and research disciplines. Additionally, we assess our overall Gender Pay Gap, examine disparities within specific research disciplines, and evaluate how occupational segregation contributes to these gaps. Tables 1 and 2 below summarize the representation of men and women across various disciplines at the Thorax Foundation.
4.0 Training
‘The GEP must also include awareness-raising and training actions on gender equality. These activities should engage the whole organisation and be an evidence-based, ongoing and long-term process. Activities should cover unconscious gender biases training aimed at staff and decision- makers and can also include communication activities and gender equality training that focuses on specific topics or addresses specific groups.’
The Foundation provides in-person training led by a dedicated Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) trainer. Additionally, several online EDI courses are available through our Learning Management System, including an overview of EDI and unconscious bias training. These courses are integrated into probation requirements for new colleagues and are also recommended for those involved in recruitment.
How we meet the recommended requirements for GEPs
1.0 Work-life balance and organisational culture
‘GEPs aim to promote gender equality through the sustainable transformation of organisational culture. Organisations should implement necessary policies to ensure an open and inclusive working environment, the visibility of women in the organisation and externally, and that the contribution of women is properly valued. Inclusive work-life balance policies and practices can also be considered in a GEP, including parental leave policies, flexible working time arrangements and support for caring responsibilities.’
Fairness and inclusion are integral to our research culture roadmap, for which an action plan is currently in development. This plan aims to:
- Foster psychologically safe environments where diverse skill sets, perspectives, and ideas are welcomed, respected, and valued, driving research forward.
- Prevent and address bullying, harassment, discrimination, and bias in all forms while promoting well-being across our diverse research community.
- Ensure that internal research processes, practices, and structures provide equal opportunities for success and create a sense of belonging for all.
2.0 Gender balance in leadership and decision making
‘Increasing the number and share of women in leadership and decision-making positions touches upon all aspects in the GEP. Measures to ensure that women can take on and stay in leadership positions can include providing decision-makers with targeted gender training, adapting processes for selection and appointment of staff on committees, ensuring gender balance through gender quotas, and making committee membership more transparent.’
Increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions is one of the three priority areas in our Foundation’s action plan. Tables 1 and 2 below provide relevant data on this initiative.
3.0 Gender equality in recruitment and career progression
‘Critically reviewing selection procedures and remedying any biases can ensure that women and men get equal chances to develop and advance their careers. Establishing recruitment codes of conduct, involving gender equality officers in recruitment and promotion committees, proactively identifying women in underrepresented fields and considering organisation-wide workload planning models can be important measures to consider in a GEP.’
Diversifying our recruitment processes and supporting career progression are two key priority areas in our Foundation’s action plan.
4.0 Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment
‘Organisations establishing a GEP should consider taking steps to ensure they have clear institutional policies on sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence. Policies should establish and codify the expected behaviour of employees, outline how members of the organisation can report instances of gender-based violence and how any such instances will be investigated and sanctions applied. They should also consider how information and support is provided to victims or witnesses and how the whole organisation can be mobilised to establish a culture of zero tolerance toward sexual harassment and violence.’
Our Equality Objective is to foster an inclusive culture that does not tolerate hate crimes, discrimination, victimization, or harassment. We conduct annual reviews to assess our progress and outline future plans to prevent gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
Evaluating the present situation of the FOUNDATION in terms of gender equality
Conducting an analysis of the current gender landscape—specifically, women's participation and gender aspects in research—is a crucial first step in ensuring that proposed actions and key areas of intervention are realistic, practical, and effective. One of the most evident indicators of gender gaps is the disparity in the number of women and men occupying various ranks and positions in the workplace.
In line with the Gender Action Plan (GAP) adopted by the Thorax Foundation, the first and most crucial step was to analyze numerical inequalities. Identifying these disparities makes it easier to investigate the underlying issues and inconsistencies. Below, we present data on:
- The number of women and men holding research positions at Thorax Foundation per research discipline and speciality.
- The total number of employees per sex in other positions (technical and administrative staff)
An analysis of Thorax Foundation employees (Table 1) reveals that women make up a larger proportion of researchers (59%) compared to men (41%). Similarly, across various roles, women constitute 61% of the workforce, while men account for 39% (Table 1). Administrative and technical assistant positions are also primarily held by women. Therefore, women are not underrepresented in any position or role at the Thorax Foundation.
Table 1: Number of men and women across different roles at Thorax Foundation.
Furthermore, looking at the data on scientific field (Table 2), it is clear that there is comparable distribution of men and women across different research disciplines.
Table 2: Number of men and women across different research disciplines at Thorax Foundation.
Data from the Thorax Foundation indicate that women hold the majority of research and administrative positions. These findings reflect the impact of long-term efforts to prevent the underrepresentation of women and support their career advancement.
Areas of action
The genSET consensus report presented recommendations for change according to four dimensions: 1. knowledge making, 2. human capital, 3. practices and processes, 4. regulation and compliance. Thorax Foundation reflects on these recommendations and implements priority actions and interventions by monitoring several key performance indicators.
1. Knowledge making
Leaders must recognize the importance of integrating sex and gender analysis into research. Demonstrating its impact on research excellence, using examples from European institutions (e.g., DG Research, ESF), can help drive institutional change. Scientists, researchers, and managers should receive training in these methods, which should be embedded across science curricula.
Sex and gender analysis must also be a key criterion in research assessments, including journal selection, promotions, and grant reviews. Granting agencies, journal editors, policymakers, and institutional leaders should ensure its integration into evaluation processes.
2. Human capital
Institutions must promote gender-diverse research teams through incentives and transparent hiring. Women should be more visible in science, with balanced public relations, nominations for prizes, and proper recognition.
Decisions should be data-driven, ensuring gender balance in key committees, grant panels, and leadership. Training and awareness programs should foster inclusive management styles, with diversity training as a priority.
3. Practices and Processes
Assessment procedures must be re-defined to focus on the quality, rather than quantity, of individual publications and research outputs. This must be consistently applied in individual, departmental, and other levels of assessment.
For instance, researchers should select the most important manuscripts that they have produced in a set number of years, rather than listing all publications. However, qualitative assessment must also avoid gender bias (e.g. reliance on recommendation letters in appointment procedures).
Persons with disproportionate committee and administrative duties should be provided with additional support staff or reduced teaching assignments to ensure that their research does not suffer.
Policies and procedures specifically affecting working conditions that differentially impact men and women in scientific institutions must be reviewed and revised, ensuring positive benefits for personal and professional development for both men and women. Revisions are needed in:
- implementing maternity and paternity leave policies at the institutional level;
- procedures for dual-career couples that specifically target increasing mobility of researchers by supporting partners in finding suitable employment in the same region (taking care to avoid nepotism);- institutional strategies for careers developed later in life (e.g. maintaining contact with individuals taking career breaks; providing grant opportunities for individuals at critical career/life moments and returners); and - awareness regarding salary negotiation tactics (through, for instance, targeted workshops and training for women)
Institutions should actively encourage women to apply for scientific positions by crafting broad, inclusive job announcements. Employment criteria must be objective and transparent. Leaders should proactively promote applications rather than relying on self-nomination. If no women apply, positions should be re-advertised.
4. Regulation and Compliance
Explicit targets to improve gender balance and action plans to reach scientists must be included in the overarching gender strategy of scientific institutions. The progress must subsequently be regularly monitored and made public.
Gender issues must be an integral part of internal and external evaluation of institutions. Policies at all levels must require this inclusion. This should begin with a critical review of gender mainstreaming processes within each institution, identifying current successes and failures. A member of the leadership team should be responsible for gender-related issues, such as following up on the gender action strategy for the institution.
Key Areas of Intervention
Key Priority Area 1: Gender in Governance, Decision Making, Research, and Administration
Key Performance Indicators -KPIs:
- · Gender balance within centers, administrative sections, and trainee groups
- · Publications and grant proposals by male and female investigators
- · Thesis completion rates by male and female trainees
- · Gender balance among invited speakers
- · Gender balance in patents and entrepreneurial efforts
Key area 2: Gender Equality in Recruitment, Selection procedures, and Career
Progression
Key Performance Indicators -KPIs:
- · Gender balance across research and administration staff
- · Balanced gender representation in applicant cohorts
- · Evaluation and follow-up of any complain regarding career progression
Key area 3: Work-life balance
Key Performance Indicators -KPIs:
- · Evaluation and follow-up of any complain
- · Rate of male employees that take parental leave
- · Records of female employees using absence days for female
health-related matters
Key area 4: Gender Discrimination, Harassment ,and Violence
Key Performance Indicators -KPIs:
- · Analysis of the surveys for frequency of complains
- · Analysis of the rate of complains
