> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ersilia.gitbook.io/ersilia-book/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ersilia.gitbook.io/ersilia-book/about-us/gender-equality-plan.md). # Gender Equality Plan ## Purpose and Context This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) sets out the Fundació Ersilia Open Source Initiative (Ersilia) commitments, principles, and actions to promote gender equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging across the organisation. It aligns with the eligibility requirements of Horizon Europe and reflects best practices in equity, diversity, and inclusion. The GEP is informed by an intersectional, evidence-based, and inclusive approach, recognising that structural inequalities affect individuals differently depending on multiple and intersecting identities, including but not limited to gender, race/ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic background, and sexual orientation. Ersilia is a non-profit, open-source initiative developing AI tools for neglected disease drug discovery, with a mission grounded in equity and global health justice. This GEP reflects our organisational values and our commitment to ensuring that internal practices and research outputs are equally just and inclusive. ## Scope This GEP applies to: * All staff, leadership, interns, volunteers, and affiliated researchers * External collaborators and project participants, where applicable * All organisational processes, including recruitment, governance, research, and workplace culture * Research activities carried out as part of Horizon Europe consortia and other funded programmes ## Building blocks of the GEP ### Public Documentation This GEP: * Is formally approved by the board of directors and is made available on Ersilia’s GitBook webpage (). * Is made available in English, the working language of Ersilia. * Is shared with all staff, collaborators and volunteers at Ersilia. * Complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The reports produced will also be shared internally and externally and will be available on Ersilia’s platforms (website and GitBook). ### Dedicated resources Ersilia recognises that sustainable organisational change requires dedicated time, expertise, and accountability structures. The following arrangements are in place: #### Equality Lead The Programmes & Partnerships Manager (PPM) will serve as Equality Lead with allocated time to implement and monitor this GEP. The Equality Lead’s responsibilities include: * Overseeing implementation of GEP actions and targets * Serving as the primary point of contact for equality matters for staff, collaborators, and partners * Coordinating data collection, analysis, and annual reporting * Ensuring new Horizon Europe project applications meet the GEP requirements * Organising training activities and onboarding equality workshops #### Equality Committee An Equality Committee, comprising the Equality Lead and the Executive Director, will meet twice a year to review GEP progress, discuss data, assess whether targets are being met, and plan corrective actions. Meeting notes will be documented internally. #### Wider Staff Participation Gender equality is the responsibility of all staff, not only the Equality Lead. Staff across all roles are expected to engage with equality training, contribute to a respectful workplace culture, and flag concerns or ideas to the Equality Lead. #### Financial Resources Ersilia commits to allocating proportionate financial resources for training, data systems, and equality-related activities within its operational budget. Resource allocation will be reviewed as part of annual planning and noted in progress reports. ### Data Collection and Monitoring Ersilia will systematically collect, analyse, and publish sex/gender-disaggregated data on personnel on an annual basis. Annual reporting is required under the Horizon Europe eligibility criterion; any reference to ‘biennial’ reporting in earlier drafts has been corrected accordingly. #### Data Collected The Equality Lead will collect and maintain the following data, disaggregated by sex/gender at minimum: * Workforce composition by role and seniority (staff, interns, volunteers, affiliated researchers) * Leadership and governance representation * Recruitment applicant pools and selection outcomes * Participation in training activities * Staff retention and any recorded exits * Participation in decision-making bodies and project governance roles * Where applicable: gender pay gap and salary bands #### Data Collection Process Data will primarily be collected through HR records, onboarding forms, and internal surveys. In line with GDPR, all personal data will be handled confidentially, stored securely, and only reported in aggregate. #### Annual Reporting An annual gender equality monitoring report will be included in the annual report of Ersilia. The first report will be published within 12 months of GEP adoption, and thereafter annually. ### Training and Capacity Building Ersilia will implement structured awareness-raising and training activities on gender equality for all staff and decision-makers, as required by the Horizon Europe eligibility criterion. Training activities will be evidence-based and tailored to Ersilia’s organisational context, rather than delivered as a standalone requirement. Activities may include: * Training on gender equality and unconscious bias * Awareness programmes on inclusive practices * Capacity building for integrating the gender dimension in research These training sessions will be held once a year in-person, online, or through self-study materials and coordinated by the Equality Lead. Whenever a new member joins the Ersilia team, a workshop on equality will be held to explain Ersilia’s principles of equality as set out in this document. ## Key Thematic Areas and Measures ### Work-Life Balance and Organisational Culture Flexibility is recognised as a key enabler of equity and participation, which Ersilia promotes by: * Flexible working arrangements: remote work, flexible hours, and asynchronous communication norms are standard across the organisation * Parental and family leave: Ersilia supports staff in accessing all applicable statutory leave rights. Leave periods will not disadvantage career progression or project participation * Inclusive organisational culture: Ersilia commits to inclusive language, dignified workplace interactions, and active visibility of diverse role models. * Post-leave reintegration: staff returning from career breaks will receive support, including catch-up briefings and adjusted workloads during the transition period ### Gender Balance in Leadership and Decision-Making Ersilia is committed to achieving meaningful gender balance in leadership, governance, and project decision-making roles. The measures toward this are: * Transparent selection and promotion processes * Application of gender balance principles when selecting representatives for external events, consortia governance, and advisory bodies In addition, Ersilia commits to gender-neutral and inclusive recruitment practices * Job descriptions and advertisements will use inclusive, gender-neutral language and be reviewed by the Equality Lead prior to publication * Recruitment panels will be gender-balanced where team size permits; any imbalance will be documented and justified * Shortlists with no gender diversity will trigger a review by the Equality Lead before proceeding * Bias awareness will be embedded in all hiring processes, including consistent evaluation criteria and structured interviews ### Gender dimension on research Ersilia’s mission centres on AI-driven drug discovery for neglected diseases, which predominantly affect communities in the Global South. Integrating sex and gender analysis into our research is both a scientific and ethical imperative. To that Ersilia will: * Integrate sex and gender analysis in research design when relevant — including in computational models, training datasets, and study populations used in drug discovery projects * Promote diversity in research teams and study populations * Ensure ethical and inclusive research practices * Encourage consortium partners to apply the same standards in jointly designed research activities ### Prevention of Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination Ersilia ensures a dignified, safe, and respectful environment by: * Enforcing zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence * Providing confidential reporting channels. The Equality Lead will always be available to meet with any team member who needs to speak to them in complete confidence * Establishing clear procedures for prevention and response ## Monitoring, Indicators, and Reporting Ersilia will define and track the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress against this GEP. The Equality Lead will collect and analyse this data annually. | Indicator | Measured by | Frequency | | -------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | -------------- | | Gender distribution by role and seniority | HR records, annual headcount | Annual | | Gender balance in leadership & governance | Governance records | Annual | | Recruitment: applicant pool & hire gender split | Recruitment records | Per hire cycle | | Training participation rate by gender | Training attendance logs | Annual | | Gender pay gap (where data available) | Payroll / HR records | Annual | | Research projects with integrated gender dimension | Project documentation review | Annual | | GEP actions completed vs. planned | Equality Committee review | Bi-annually | | Number of harassment/discrimination reports | Equality Lead records (anonymised) | Annual | ## Implementation timeline | Action | Timeline - Responsible persn | | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | GEP adoption and publication | Immediately upon signing — Executive Director | | Designate Equality Lead & Equality Committee | Immediately — Executive Director | | Baseline sex/gender data collection | Within 3 months — Equality Lead | | First Equality Committee review meeting | Within 6 months — Equality Lead + Exec Director | | First annual GEP progress report published | Within the first annual report after GEP approval — Equality Lead | | Full review and update of GEP | 24 months post-adoption — Equality Lead + Exec Director | | Ongoing training, monitoring, and reporting | Continuous — Equality Lead |
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