Gender Equality Plan

The ICM has taken important steps regarding equality between women and men, but there are still challenges ahead. In order to advance in the fulfilment of our commitment to equality, we have provided ourselves with an institutional instrument, our first Gender Equality Plan, which is the result of the articulated work and consensus between multiple actors in the organisation under the leadership of the European LeTSGEPs project team and the coordination of the ICM’s Equality Task Force.

In compliance with the law and to lay the foundations for the design of the Gender Equality Plan, a cross-cutting institutional diagnosis has been carried out in order to assess the specific reality of women and men working at the centre in relation to equal treatment and opportunities. This process identified the existing inequality gaps and potential gender discriminations and the factors or conditions that favour them.

Thus, the Gender Equality Plan establishes the logical framework of intervention and the ICM’s roadmap to address existing gender gaps and biases and the factors that favour them. Moreover, the GEP promotes a structural change that allows a gender mainstreaming approach in all areas and actions of the organisation. Even though gender mainstreaming represents a challenge that implies carrying out cultural and organisational changes, it is also a new approach to our scientific activity. Our institution has a great responsibility to society and our goal is to achieve scientific excellence by promoting a more inclusive, diverse, and transformative marine science.

Furthermore, for the Gender Equality Plan to be successful, we recognize that beyond providing it with the necessary resources, it is essential that it is promoted by the Governing Board, the Equality Task Force representatives, and the involvement of the entire staff.

This is our commitment.