ITENE and FGV work together on a strategic plan to boost gender equality

The Packaging, Transport and Logistics Research Centre (ITENE) and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV), the organisation that manages transport services for Metrovalencia and the Alicante TRAM, have been working together within the framework of the European TInnGO project, funded by the Horizon 2020 programme, on an action plan for equality and diversity. This strategy introduces improvements to FGV’s existing equality plan and aims to provide the same opportunities for the internal promotion of men and women in this Valencian public-sector company.

FGV has had equality plans and comprehensive measures for work-life balance in place since 2008. Its participation in this study has given the company the chance to find out first-hand what its employees think about it and to share information with other similar companies.

Building on this solid background, new measures have been proposed to ensure further progress can be made both in this and in other companies in the industry.

The initiative, carried out during the month of September by ITENE and FGV, consisted firstly of finding out what the perception of FGV employees was in terms of gender equality and access to internal promotion.

A questionnaire was drawn up for employees on gender, functional and occupational diversity, the answers to which served as the basis for the strategic plan, entitled the Gender and Diversity Action Plan (GaDAP), which includes lines of action to encourage internal promotion and foster equal access to positions traditionally held by men.

In this second aspect, special emphasis was given to FGV employees and users, thus dovetailing with the specialist areas of the project’s Spanish hub, led by ITENE. As a result, measures have been proposed to strengthen equal opportunities in FGV’s internal promotion processes, and to improve accessibility both for employees (to offices and workspaces) and users (to the trains, trams and facilities).

The measures to improve internal promotion opportunities include participation of women in visibility activities organised by FGV with different groups, mentoring for women who want to change jobs within the Valencian public-sector company, and the implementation of further actions to promote a good work-life balance. These measures will now be submitted to internal analysis and approval by FGV.

The TInnGO project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme and involves 20 European partners. Its main objective is to inclusively promote gender equality in the EU transport sector through the creation, gathering and exchange of knowledge. Its main outcome is a gender smart mobility observatory that includes studies, good practices and statistics on this subject. Check out the observatory at www.transportgenderobservatory.eu.

The TInnGO project has 10 ‘hubs’ or coordination centres across Europe. The Spanish TInnGO hub, led by ITENE and with FGV as one of the participating organisations, is in charge of analysing the situation of women in relation to safety, as well as promoting the improvement of employment opportunities for women in the transport sector. The hub also fosters the provision of mobility services adapted to women, taking into account their mobility patterns, needs and conditions of employment.

FGV has participated in various events promoted by the Spanish hub such as the workshops on “Transport and gender: adaptation of services, safety and employability” and the breakfast on “Equality and gender”, in which its presented its equality plan.