BPIE management requests compliance with this Gender Equality Policy and the associated objectives by all staff. Any complaints or observations of discrimination should be brought immediately to the attention of the HR Manager who will inform the Management Team. 

1. OVERALL CONTEXT 

BPIE (Buildings Performance Institute Europe) is a not-for-profit think-tank and independent research institute which employs a wide spectrum of staff with different nationalities and professional backgrounds.  

Our multilingual and multidisciplinary team covers a broad expertise relevant to the field of energy, climate change and buildings with higher education degrees in a variety of disciplines including engineering, architecture, economics, physics, environmental law and political science, environmental design and resource management, finance, and business administration. This diverse team can work in over ten languages and produces fact driven, analytical and innovative research and disseminates best practices and experience across the globe.  

BPIE’s Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is defined and implemented to ensure that no discrimination on any grounds is taking place within BPIE or in its immediate sphere of influence. BPIE adopted the European Commissions’ definition of a GEP to be “a set of commitments and actions that aim to promote gender equality in an organisation through a process of structural change.” 

BPIE fully supports the European Union’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020 – 2025 (COM/2020/152 final). 

In order to eliminate any potential discrimination based on gender or the social, cultural, religious and ethnical background of its staff and current or future partners, BPIE is committed to the following principles and measures. 

BPIE provides equal opportunity in all employment practices to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to gender, colour, ethnic, national, or social origin, religion or belief, age, disability, civil, military, or parental status, sexual orientation, or any other category.  

BPIE fosters equal participation in all aspects of life and supports measures focusing on work-life balance and organisational culture, gender equality and diversity in recruitment and career progression, and gender balance in leadership and decision-making. Diversity, equal treatment and transparency, gender equality and inclusion are at the heart of the organisations’ values. 

2. SCOPE OF APPLICATION 

The present Gender Equality Plan gives guidance on the key areas which will be reviewed annually and readjusted if necessary.  

The document defines objectives and actions for all employees and leaders of BPIE. 

3. KEY PRIORITY AREAS 

a/ Work life balance and organizational culture 

BPIE ensures to create a safe, welcoming, and very human environment for its staff in a values-based, mission-driven organisation. We strive to provide a flexible working environment to all, promote work-life balance, and we offer a range of benefits applying to all, namely: 

• a flexible working schedule (flexitime) as well as allowing part-time occupation  
• an extended remote working policy outside the country of residence i.e., Belgium or Germany, and a home working policy 
• legal and extra-legal holidays  
• parental and paternity leave, sabbatical leave, unpaid leave 

• a transparent salary scale based on roles and responsibilities 
• additional extra-legal benefits

OBJECTIVES	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Supporting and maintaining the well-being of staff	Encouraging dialogue in raising any issues Creating a safe environment to talk about work-life balance challenges Openness to different opinions and personalities and healthy conflicts Favouring disconnection during hours outside regular working hours  Support in particular parenting, co-parenting, single parenting by encouraging parental and paternity leave, sabbatical leave if opportune, parental holidays while ensuring sound back-up plans
Maintain appropriate remote and home working	Reviewing the remote and home working policy annually

	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Supporting and maintaining the well-being of staff	Encouraging dialogue in raising any issues Creating a safe environment to talk about work-life balance challenges Openness to different opinions and personalities and healthy conflicts Favouring disconnection during hours outside regular working hours  Support in particular parenting, co-parenting, single parenting by encouraging parental and paternity leave, sabbatical leave if opportune, parental holidays while ensuring sound back-up plans
Maintain appropriate remote and home working	Reviewing the remote and home working policy  annually

b/ Gender equality in recruitment and career progression 

All BPIE job advertisements are gender neutral. Advertisement texts are always worded to ensure they address everybody in the same way. All applications are screened without taking into account personal data. Questions regarding family status and existing or planned family or care duties for example are not considered in job interviews. Selection is solely made on professional skills and competencies. 

The best qualified person for a specific position will be hired while ensuring that there is no gender discrimination or any other kind of discrimination taking place. 

Managers have a responsibility to support the development of their team and individual talents based purely on professional performance, skills and ability.  

To support career progression and the professional development of employees, an annual training plan is developed and reviewed according to priorities defined on the organisation, team, and individual level. Training needs are considered based on required skills, on the employee’s role and level in the staff classification without regard to gender or any other personal characteristic.  

BPIE also provides specific and tailored mentoring and coaching to top management (Heads of Department) and line managers to make sure they know how to provide fair feedback and support to team members, with confidence and with no bias related to gender, marital or personal status. 

Any decisions regarding promotion of staff or any other opportunities for professional development are not influenced by gender considerations, nor will they be influenced by potential absences due to childbirth, parental leave or any other individual circumstances which are not directly related to staff performance. 

OBJECTIVES	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Support fair and transparent career development for all	The Management team regularly addresses the topic of professional development and creates space for new initiatives and new opportunities.  Training and career paths: personal development opportunities and career development are equally open to all staff members and are discussed with line managers on a regular basis to find suitable support
Ensure inclusivity and diversity in teams	Stimulate open dialogues within the team and organise an open space session on the topic at the next team retreat

c/ Gender balance in leadership and decision-making process 

The governance structures of BPIE, i.e., the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the Management team with Heads of Department, are working based on the principles of ensuring diversity, gender balance and inclusiveness and strive to ensure a gender balanced team.  

OBJECTIVES	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Set targets for the representation of women in the Board of Directors	Aim at reaching gender balance by assessing solely skills, competence, and professionalism

d/ Awareness-raising on gender equality and related issues 

BPIE has a strict policy of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and gender discrimination and liaises with the external service for occupational health and risk management to implement the necessary preventive measures and protect workers against gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as moral or sexual harassment in the workplace. No occurrence related to such issues have been brought to the attention of management to date. However, a response plan will be prepared should a relevant incident be reported.  

Moreover, all staff will be educated and sensitised on gender equality, unconscious gender stereotypes and biases through an internal awareness raising process. 

OBJECTIVES	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Raise awareness about no-tolerance policy of gender-based discrimination and violence, moral or sexual harassment as well as about ways to find support in case a discriminating incident would happen	All staff, including the management team, will be encouraged to participate in internal exchanges and workshops as needed on issues related to gender biases, unconscious gender stereotypes, sexual harassment, or inclusive behaviour The Gender Equality Plan is part of the welcoming package of any new staff member Legal provisions and preventive measures to protect staff against violence and psychological/ sexual harassment at work are clearly communicated to staff and a response plan is elaborated in liaison with the external service for occupational health and risk management
Require and support non-discriminatory behaviour Promote culture of acceptance and care, also through communication and use of language	Sensitize staff on gender issues through internal communication and discussion sessions with the entire team during annual team retreat

e/ Integration of the gender dimension into research content  

BPIE’s research covers a wide range of topics related to buildings and construction. Where relevant, the team will consider potential gender disparities and bias when delivering its research, ensuring gender equality is integrated in its research where appropriate and possible. 

OBJECTIVES	MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Raise awareness about the gender dimension in research content	A list of topics that could affect genders differently are identified in the early stage of a project and solutions on how to address them are identified.
Consider gender dimension in methodological approach, especially in relation to social and economic impacts	Methodological approach includes gender dimension, if relevant
Improved communication about gender dimension in building and construction	Project outputs and dissemination include gender dimension, if relevant Create panels at BPIE-organised events with a gender balanced line up of speakers/moderators When invited, raise issues with event organisers in case we observe a strong gender imbalance regarding chosen speakers and moderators at third party events.

BPIE management requests compliance with this Gender Equality Policy and the associated objectives by all staff. Any complaints or observations of discrimination should be brought immediately to the attention of the HR Manager who will inform the Management Team. 

Brussels, on  

Oliver Rapf 

Executive Director 

ANNEX – Annual reporting (December 2022) 

In order to run a comprehensive assessment on the status of gender equality, BPIE is presenting an analysis of figures reflecting the current situation. Here is the status quo of the present structure: 

Gender	BPIE Staff
Female	71%
Male	29%
Non-binary	0%
Total	100%

Gender Distribution – BPIE Staff 

Gender Distribution – BPIE Management Team   

Gender	Management Team
Female	80%
Male	20%
Non-binary	0%
Total	100%

The Management team is composed of four women and one man. 

Gender distribution – BPIE Board of Directors 

Gender	Board of Directors
Female	38%
Male	63%
Non-binary	0%
Total	100%

The BPIE Board of Directors is composed of 5 men and 3 women. 

END OF ANNEX