Gender Equality Plan

Version: 1.0

Date: April 9th, 2025

1. Objectives and Commitment

Adhera Health is committed to fostering a workplace that promotes gender equality and inclusiveness. As a small organization of 20 employees—equally represented by women and men—we recognize the importance of formalizing our commitment to ensure that equality is sustained and embedded in all aspects of our operations.

This Gender Equality Plan has been approved by our top management, published on our website, and will guide our actions through concrete, realistic, and proportional measures.

 

2. Dedicated Resources

Given our size, our approach to dedicated resources is agile but effective:

  • Responsibilities: The Gender Equality Focal Point (department heads) is responsible for coordinating the GEP’s implementation.

  • Key Actions:

    • Time and resource allocation from the leadership and relevant staff to support GEP activities. Access to external expertise when needed (e.g., for training or policy review).

 

3. Data Collection and Monitoring

We will collect and review basic gender-disaggregated data annually, focusing on employee distribution by gender and role, recruitment and promotions (if any), participation in decision-making or leadership roles, training attendance by gender.

Given our small size, data will be aggregated while ensuring confidentiality. Annual internal reviews will be conducted, and outcomes will be shared transparently with staff.

 

4. Training and Awareness

To ensure our team remains aware of biases and empowered to act we will organize at least one training/workshop per year on gender equality and unconscious bias, tailored to small teams.

As part of the on-boarding process, new staff will be introduced to our equality principles.

Leadership will participate in occasional external webinars or events on gender equality and inclusive leadership.

 

5. Focus Areas and Actions

5.1 Work-Life Balance and Organisational Culture

We believe that a healthy work-life balance and a respectful, inclusive culture are essential to employee well-being, performance, and retention. As a small organization, we value our close-knit team and aim to foster an environment where everyone feels supported, empowered, and free from discrimination or bias.

Key Objectives:

  • Promote a workplace culture that values both professional growth and personal well-being.

  • Ensure that all staff, regardless of gender, caregiving responsibilities, or life stage, have access to flexible and supportive working conditions.

  • Strengthen inclusiveness and a shared sense of belonging within the team.

1. Flexible Work Arrangements

  • We maintain and encourage flexible working hours and remote work options.

  • We allow for part-time work or adaptable schedules when needed (e.g., due to parenting, caregiving, or health-related responsibilities).

  • We promote transparency in policies so that all employees are aware of their rights to flexibility.

2. Leave Policies and Support for Care Responsibilities

  • Ensure staff are informed about their entitlement to parental leave, paternity/maternity leave, and other caregiving-related leaves.

  • Normalize the use of such leave across all genders to challenge traditional role expectations.

  • Offer informal support structures, such as flexible returns from parental leave or coverage planning for absences.

3. Feedback-Driven Culture

  • Conduct regular team check-ins and annual feedback surveys to assess work-life balance and job satisfaction.

  • Encourage open dialogue where staff feel comfortable discussing workload, stress, or personal constraints.

  • Use anonymous suggestions to identify areas for improvement in daily work culture.

4. Inclusive and Respectful Workplace Culture

  • Foster an inclusive environment through:

    • Inclusive language in communication and documentation.

    • Establishing ground rules for meetings and collaboration to ensure all voices are heard and respected.

5. Mental Health and Well-Being

  • Share resources on topics like stress management, mental health, and resilience.

  • Ensure that managers are trained to spot signs of burnout and offer support.

  • Promote a culture where taking time off for mental well-being is accepted and supported.

 

5.2 Gender Balance in Leadership and Decision-Making

In a small organization like Adhera Health, leadership and decision-making are often shared and collaborative. Nevertheless, we are committed to ensuring that all staff, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to participate in shaping our direction, lead initiatives, and access development opportunities that can position them for greater influence.

Gender-balanced participation in leadership roles enhances the quality of decisions, supports diversity of thought, and helps counteract unconscious bias and structural inequalities.

Key Objectives:

  • Ensure fair and equal access to formal and informal leadership roles.

  • Promote transparency in decision-making processes.

  • Encourage balanced gender representation in strategic discussions, project leadership, and governance.

1. Promote Gender-Balanced Representation

  • Aim for gender balance in any leadership teams, committees, or strategic working groups—especially where decisions affect the direction of the organization or allocation of resources.

2. Transparent Role Assignment

  • Ensure that project leadership roles, team coordination responsibilities, and client-facing positions are assigned through transparent and merit-based processes.

  • Rotate opportunities for leading internal initiatives (e.g., task forces, external presentations, proposal or paper writing) to avoid unintentional bias or repetition of gendered patterns.

3. Involve Staff in Decision-Making

  • Ensure that key decisions (organizational direction, policies, strategy, resource allocation) are made through inclusive consultation processes where diverse voices are heard. We believe in a horizontal rather than vertical structure, promoting teamwork, open communication, and equal participation

  • We use tools like anonymous feedback or all-staff surveys to gather diverse perspectives and prevent dominance by any one group.

4. Raise Awareness of Bias

  • Include discussions of unconscious bias in leadership in our gender equality training efforts.

  • Encourage leadership to be mindful of:

    • Unequal “invisible labour” distribution (e.g., emotional support roles, office admin tasks).

    • Who gets assigned high-profile tasks and why.

    • Who speaks or is heard most in meetings.

 

5.3 Gender Equality in Recruitment and Career Progression

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment, onboarding, and internal career progression are guided by fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity. While our team is currently gender-balanced, we recognize the importance of actively maintaining this balance and preventing the emergence of unconscious bias or structural barriers over time.

Given our small team size, even a single recruitment decision can significantly impact our organizational makeup and culture. Therefore, our practices aim to support equality at every stage of the employment journey.

Key Objectives:

  • Eliminate gender bias in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion processes.

  • Ensure equal access to training, development, and advancement opportunities.

  • Foster an environment where all staff can build careers equitably.

1. Inclusive Job Design and Advertising

  • Use gender-neutral language in all job advertisements and role descriptions.

  • Clearly state our commitment to equal opportunity and diversity in all external postings.

  • Encourage applications from underrepresented genders in specific roles, if a gender imbalance is identified.

2. Fair and Transparent Recruitment Process

  • Ensure gender-diverse recruitment panels whenever possible, even if drawing from external peers or advisors.

  • Apply structured interviews with pre-defined criteria to reduce bias in evaluation.

  • Evaluate candidates based on skills, experience, and potential, not on assumptions or stereotypes about roles traditionally associated with certain genders.

3. Bias Awareness for Hiring Personnel

  • Provide unconscious bias awareness training to anyone involved in recruitment and evaluation processes.

  • Share brief guidance notes with hiring managers on how to avoid common bias pitfalls (e.g., assumptions about career breaks, parental status, or assertiveness).

4. Equal Access to Career Progression

  • Regularly review internal advancement opportunities (e.g., promotions, project leadership, salary reviews) to ensure they are communicated to all staff.

  • Encourage all team members, regardless of gender, to participate in skill-building and leadership initiatives.

  • Implement transparent performance evaluation criteria, with documented feedback, to support fair promotion decisions.

5. Support for Non-Linear Career Paths

  • Recognize and accommodate diverse career trajectories, including those shaped by caregiving, part-time work, or career changes.

  • Avoid penalizing gaps in CVs or nonlinear experiences during hiring and internal evaluations.

 

5.4 Integration of the Gender Dimension into Research and Innovation Content

Objective

Ensure the gender dimension is considered in research content, where relevant.

Actions

  • Ask project leads to consider if sex/gender differences are relevant to their work.

  • Provide brief guidance when applicable.

Monitoring

Note when the gender dimension is considered in internal project documentation.

Responsible: CEO or R&D Manager

5.5 Preventing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is safe, respectful, and free from all forms of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment. We recognize that such behaviours—whether explicit or subtle, isolated or systemic—can have severe consequences for individuals' dignity, well-being, and professional development, and must be actively prevented and addressed.

Although our organization is small, we understand that size does not eliminate the risk of such issues. Our goal is to create a culture of zero tolerance, accountability, and support.

Key Objectives:

  • Prevent gender-based violence and sexual harassment through awareness, education, and culture-building.

  • Provide clear procedures for reporting, response, and protection of those affected.

  • Foster a work environment where everyone feels safe, respected, and heard.

1. Policy Framework and Communication

  • Develop and disseminate a clear Anti-Harassment and Anti-Violence Policy, defining:

    • What constitutes gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, bullying, and microaggressions.

    • The procedures for reporting incidents.

    • The consequences for those found to have engaged in inappropriate behaviour.

  • Make the policy easily accessible to all staff and include it in onboarding materials.

2. Clear Reporting Channels and Support Structures

  • Designate at least one confidential contact person for reporting concerns or incidents.

  • Offer an external reporting option, such as access to an independent advisor, ombudsperson, or external HR consultant, to protect confidentiality and neutrality.

  • Ensure no retaliation against individuals who report incidents in good faith.

3. Awareness and Preventive Education

  • Conduct annual awareness-raising sessions or training for all staff on:

    • Recognizing various forms of gender-based violence (verbal, physical, psychological).

    • Understanding power dynamics and boundaries in professional settings.

    • How to intervene as a bystander.

    • Reporting procedures and how to support affected colleagues.

  • Include specific training for leadership and line managers, focusing on creating safe teams, handling reports appropriately, and responding sensitively.

4. Regular Assessment and Feedback

  • Periodically (e.g., annually) conduct anonymous staff surveys or feedback mechanisms to assess workplace safety and inclusivity.

  • Include questions that help detect patterns of discomfort, discrimination, or harassment.

  • Use findings to inform updates to policy, communication, or training.

5. Inclusive and Respectful Culture

  • Foster a culture where inclusive communication, mutual respect, and boundary awareness are part of daily work.

  • Encourage team members to speak out against disrespectful behaviour and support each other.

  • Ensure meetings and workspaces are managed in ways that make all genders feel welcome and safe.

6. Responsive and Fair Resolution

  • Ensure any reports of gender-based violence or harassment are handled promptly, fairly, and confidentially.

  • Investigations will follow a structured, impartial process, including:

    • Initial intake by a designated contact.

    • Opportunity for both parties to be heard.

    • Escalation to management or external mediator when necessary.

  • Apply appropriate consequences in line with the severity of the behaviour and provide protection for victims or whistleblowers during and after the resolution process.

 

6. Monitoring and Updates

This GEP will be reviewed annually by the team leaders. Adjustments will be made based on team feedback, monitoring data, and any new requirements or developments.