ILL's Policy on Gender Equality

A new round of negotiations began in 2021 between ILL Management and the representative unions with the firm intention of pursuing and improving the actions already initiated to foster equal treatment between men and women. In accordance with the provisions set out in the so-called “Rebsamen” law on staff representation, the new ILL agreement on gender equality and quality of work will include measures to improve equality and working conditions for all.

 The new agreement will focus on the following:

An annual budget will be allocated for the implementation of the new agreement. Strategic short and longer-term objectives are being negotiated, with key performance indicators over specified periods.

By embedding the principles of Gender Equality into the ILL’s culture, the Institute wishes to ensure that women feel included, that they thrive and develop a strong sense of belonging. The signature of a company agreement on gender equality and the introduction of the gender equality index are just some of the many initiatives underpinning ILL’s overall approach to Gender Equality. They will allow us not only to build a more inclusive workplace but also to ensure that ILL is accountable for and committed to Gender Equality.

By working closely with key departments, ILL ensures that processes, policies and systems are in place to provide equal opportunities for women to progress and achieve leadership roles. Every day, ILL is supporting a new generation of gender-inclusive leaders and, in doing so, aims to make a positive impact on science and society.

Link to the PDF version of ILL's gender equality plan (pdf - 0.97 Mi)

As a French “Société civile” with a membership covering 3 Associate and 11 Scientific Member countries and whose staff includes more than 35 nationalities, diversity, mutual respect and international collaboration have been guiding principles ever since the ILL was founded.

Our excellence comes from our ability to promote diversity of ideas and perspectives and a work environment that reflects the values of diversity and gender equality in all policies, procedures and practice.

To date, the ILL’s policy related to gender diversity and gender equality in the workplace has led to the signing, in March 2015, of a multi-year agreement on gender equality and the implementation of a policy to help combat moral and sexual harassment and sexist behaviour.

The ILL’s Gender Equality Plan focuses its actions on the following four themes:

For each of these themes, a list of actions and goals have been defined, along with a set of performance monitoring indicators. An annual report based on these indicators is analysed at the end of each year.

An ILL Gender Equality Commission has been set up comprising Staff representatives and members of the HR team. This commission together with ILL’s Staff Representative Committee and ILL Management monitor progress in achieving the goals set out in the Gender Equality Plan.

Adopted on 5 September 2018, the French law called “Loi Avenir Professionnel” requires companies with 50 or more employees to calculate and publish their “gender equality index” every year. This index is expressed as a score out of a maximum of 100 points and is calculated on the basis of 5 indicators, including the gap between men and women in pay, individual salary increases and promotions. The ILL began carrying out this exercise for the year 2018, when it recorded a score of 88/100. Its score for the year 2019 was 89/100 and for 2020 it was 88/100. It should be noted that 75/100 is the score below which corrective actions must be taken. For the year 2021, the ILL scored a remarkable 94/100.