Quality jobs

CASE STUDY: The Equality Observatory

We have developed the Equality Plan with a view to benefiting our workforce and society as a whole on two levels:

• Conveying our respect for human rights and equality in the workplace to our suppliers and subcontractors, thereby providing an incentive for more than 5,800 organisations.
• Providing an example of good practices for the business world.

To monitor this, we have created the Equality Observatory, a body made up of 17 workers from different areas and representing different interests which is responsible for performing a real-world diagnosis of the situation of female workers within the organisation. This diagnosis allows for the incorporation of their demands, needs and aspirations, thus guaranteeing the effectiveness of the measures.

The actions promoted by the Observatory to date have focused upon the following areas:

• The elimination of physical obstacles, social prejudices and traditional roles that perpetuate discriminatory habits.
• The use of non-sexist language in the workplace: we have published the Guide for Equality-Based Communications in Eroski, in collaboration with the cooperative organisation HISPACOOP, and promoted professional training and internal promotional campaigns.
• Improving working conditions affecting the health and wellness of women, providing workshops on health at work, from both a preventative and palliative point of view.
• Implementing measures that help reconcile personal and professional lives: we offer the chance to take advantage of more flexible or reduced working hours, increases in maternity leave, etc.

Equality Plan

	Indicator of Objective	ACTION
ADAPTATION OF LANGUAGE Staff training in the use of non-sexist language	External audit on the use of language in official documents, internal and external communications, presentation material, events, etc. Qualitative report from the EROSKI Board of Directors on language use, with recommendations for improvement	Style book on non-sexist language
		Criteria for using images and slogans in communication supports: advertising and external images
		Adaptation of the Articles of Association and Internal Regulations on the use of discriminatory language
		Adapt corporate communication supports to use non-sexist visual and written language: Nexo and Aduana, Interdog, Sede, etc.
		Introduce the male/female variable in applications, questionnaires and information systems
REMOVAL OF PHYSICAL BARRIERS Creation of optimum workplaces adapted to women?s physical conditions	Reduction of the occupational accident rate for women that relate to their jobs and working conditions	Evaluation of jobs and tasks when defining ergonomic criteria for protecting women at work.
		Development of occupational health and safety programmes that put a specific emphasis on women's problems
COMMUNICATIONS Raise the awareness of the men and women working at EROSKI so their actions and decisions contribute enforcing non-discriminatory measures	Perception of 7 on a satisfaction scale of 1-10	External awareness-raising campaign on discrimination
		Advertise the presence of women in management positions
		Raise awareness through the social entities