Full speed ahead for SWOPS

Berlin Senate for Labour, Integration and Women (Senate) granted additional funding for SWOPS – Berlin LIGAS GmbH supports SWOPS

The supplementary grant by the Berlin Senate (SenAIF) and a generous donation by the Berlin LIGAS GmbH are the own funds of the EUProjekts now fully furnished. Since the extraordinary meeting of BPW Club Berlin on July 8, 2015 is clear: Green light for the continuation of SWOPS.

(computer-aided translation)

For one thing, the Berlin Senate for Labour, Integration and Women (SenAIF) has agreed SWOPS, or to support the BPW Club Berlin on. On the other hand, the LIGAS GmbH, an innovative Joinery operation from Berlin, promised a generous donation. Thus, the self-imposed and also to our members communicated target is reached and even exceeded, to close the equity gap up to the project half-time in the summer 2015th Especially as the content exciting phase is only just beginning: the discussions, feedback sessions and workshops in the companies that are to raise awareness among business leaders and ideally even lead to the formulation of the first varying measures.

In this context, cooperation with the fundraising agency of Dr. Elke Ahrens could be closed, which is a member of the BPW Club Stuttgart. The fact that we are right with the selected practice approach, also proved again the latest studies and research findings. The US scientist Lauren Rivera draws the conclusion that HR (unconsciously) prefer candidates who are equal to them as possible in thought and conduct. They reproduce so even and stifle diversity in the bud. (Source: Berliner Zeitung, special supplement “industry Berlin, decision-makers”, 14.7.2015, p 06/07)

An application for funding was submitted in the summer of SWOPS 2013 with the aim to explore the reasons why an opportunity in terms of fairness in business still glaring contrast between expectations and reality is. We went on the assumption that structural factors and the roles of the owner and managers play a crucial role: Whether manager or human resources manager – as long as they are (unconsciously) be guided by traditional role models, have male executives in the company a good chance of favoritism – whether in the setting, for promotions, salary increases, bonuses or training opportunities. At the same time there are also at working women different characteristics traditional thinking and acting. SWOPS aims at designing a HR tools, which in particular will investigate the causes of inequality in the world of work on the ground and developed criteria for measurability of impact.

SWOPS in the partner countries: In Austria, ARGE.at is currently in preparations to carry out the actual analysis, with which examines the political, legal and regulatory frameworks in the participating locally small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and on the basis of the next step internal corporate deliberations be made. With the implementation of the Country Report, the Austrian partners will start the formal approval by the EU Commission immediately afterwards. In France there are since 1 January 2012, statutory agreements between companies and unions to equality and non-discrimination for companies with over 50 employees. These agreements may be replaced under certain circumstances, through action plans, which have recently done all those companies in which our French partner had turned in the SME acquisition.

How effective the measures are in reality, however, the company is less well known, which is why it agreements, action plans and reports corresponding commissions that exist in the French companies now evaluate and use the important insights for the development of the consulting model applies. Thus, these findings are in a SWOPS with. Furthermore, to be determined in a second round of talks, which changes since the new legal regulation in the companies have actually taken place, in which areas and with what consequences for the employees. In feedback workshops the results will be discussed with the company’s owner / occupied / n and verified and this made aware of potential for action in their company. Unlike in France it behaves in Sweden, where most of the 130 SMEs would apply in business clusters Tillväxt Motala to attend SWOPS.

With the aim to participate as many SMEs in order to enrich the basis of as many insights into different corporate structures SWOPS with findings, the Swedish partner saw called to offer a broad-based selection process, which they now put together in cooperation with the University of Linköping. The managers of SMEs were invited to open interviews – in two cases, it was the respective HR managers. In these interviews, our Swedish partner SWOPS have presented, collected basic information about the company and created an inventory of gender equality measures in the company. On this basis could then be discussed together with the SME, which measures the company can be useful. Explicitly, the topic of structural change and its implications for workers and employers was discussed.

Finally, a look inside: The new team constellation has proven itself. All intermediate results achieved so far are on time with incorporated into the mid-term report, which must be submitted by the EU Commission for the project mid-term and in the bringing together all stakeholders and potential challenges project progress from their respective work areas. The submission was made to the day on 14 July 2015, that the middle-polling of the second installment can be done on time. After the summer break, the end of August it goes on with planning the content and drafting of the consultants workshops, which will take place during the period 21 to 23 October 2015. Sweden.