During the European Forum for New Ideas (EFNI) (16-18 October 2024, Radisson Blu Hotel in Sopot) – one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest conferences on global trends, new ideas and the future of Europe – the results of the RównoWaga competition were announced. This is a competition aimed at organisations and companies that practise inclusivity and equality policies. This year, the University of Gdansk received an award in the Equality Policies and Mechanisms category. The award was ceremoniously presented to the Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Responsibility, Professor Ewa Łojkowska.
The ceremony was conducted by Ewa Rumińska-Zimny, vice-president of the board of the Women’s Congress Association. As she pointed out, an important part of the competition is the sharing of good experiences. They benefit companies that are just about to introduce similar solutions in their organisations. The event was also attended by, among others: Henryka Bochniarz, Chairwoman of the General Council of the Lewiatan Confederation; Karolina Andrian, Founder and President of the Share the Care Foundation; and Joanna Maliszewska-Mazek, Director of Social Activism at the Kulczyk Foundation.
Awards and prizes were presented in the categories:
- Equality policies and mechanisms: University of Gdansk
- Development and training: Orange
- Work-home balance: KRUK S.A.
- Wages: Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation
- Health: DHL Parcel Polska Sp. z o.o.
In the competition application in the category Equality policies and mechanisms, participating institutions had to demonstrate, among other things, whether they had adopted a Gender Equality Plan, what equality policies they had developed for recruitment and promotion and what measures they had in place to counter bullying and sexual harassment.
The distinction in the area of Equality Policies and Mechanisms went to the University of Gdansk. As the organisers emphasised, the decision is motivated by the consistent introduction of equality mechanisms, procedures and policies, among which the Gender Equality Plan for 2022-2023 and for 2024-2028 can be singled out. In addition, female researchers from the University of Gdansk developed the report ‘Women in Science – Diversity Management and Gender Equality in the Social Responsibility of the University of Gdansk’ and co-organised with the Gdansk Science Museum an exhibition entitled. ‘Pioneers, researchers, leaders. Women of Gdansk science’, with the Hevelianum Centre an exhibition entitled ’Women of science. ‘Scientists’ and. In addition, the institution supports women in scientific development and emphasises the inclusion of their perspective in scientific research.
The award for the University of Gdańsk was received by Prof. Ewa Łojkowska, a plant biotechnologist, professor at the University of Gdańsk and researcher at the Inter-University Faculty of Biotechnology UG and GUMed, Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Responsibility. Prof. Ewa Łojkowska has been involved in gender equality issues at the University of Gdansk for many years. On behalf of the University of Gdansk, she is head of the international project HORIZON 2020 ‘MINDtheGEPs – Modifying INstitution by Developing Gender Equality Plans’. Since 2006, she has also chaired the Jury of the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women and Science. In addition, she serves as President of the Fahrenheit Women’s Club.
At the beginning of 2024, we spoke to Prof. Ewa Łojkowska as part of our Conversations on Sustainable Development series: Prof. Ewa Łojkowska: kobiety odgrywają istotną rolę w rozwoju naszego Uniwersytetu – Centrum Zrównoważonego Rozwoju Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego (CZRUG)
The organisers of the competition are: Kulczyk Foundation, Confederation of Leviathan and Women’s Congress Association.
More about the competition: RównoWaga: dobre praktyki i wyzwania stojące przed biznesem – EFNI
fot. EFNI