Gender, diversity and inclusion

PARI OPPORTUNITA

"The society of the future needs different creative contribution from each of us."

What does Politecnico di Torino pursue through equal opportunities and inclusion principles?
Our University starts from the recognition of the legal and social equality of each individual, regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual or political orientation. The aim is to enhance the differences to improve everyone's quality of life by responding effectively to the transformations of society.
The purpose of Equal Opportunities policies is to overcome unfavorable conditions through the achievement of an effective equality in employment and student life that removes all forms of discrimination and accompanies inclusion through awareness-raising, training and other positive actions.

Gender policies
Inclusion policies
Diversity management
Against harassment
Alias careers

Gender policies

researcher woman

For more than twenty years the polytechnic community has been questioning itself on the broad theme of Equal Opportunity, which includes attention to the gender balance of the student population and staff: from the Women: Engineering Profession project in the early 2000s to the current WeAreHERe project.

It collects and interprets gender data at the University level the Gender Equality Report with an analysis dedicated to faculty, technical-administrative staff and the student community. If the Gender Balance is triennial, an updated subset of particularly significant indicators is available annually in the Gender Data Monitoring section

The Gender Equality Plan (GEP) and the Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) are correlated and interconnected to the Gender Balance Sheet and are fundamental in the pursuit of the University's gender policies.

The Gender Observatory monitors and coordinates gender policies at the University level. By reinterpreting national and international good practices and by participating in the CRUI gender table with national guidelines, the Gender Observatory is an advisory body that, appointed by Rectoral Decree, pursues gender objectives in the new strategic plan and, confirming the adherence to and implementation of the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, puts in place initiatives aimed at monitoring and governing equal opportunities in relation to the various aspects in which diversity is declined, starting from gender.

bilancio di genere 2023

The analysis of disaggregated data according to the gender dimension is carried out comprehensively every three years, with the publication of the Gender Equality Report of the University.

The first gender report, covering the three-year period 2016-2019, was published in 2020 with the focus Diversity is Excellence and the full version in Italian is available for download here.

On 28 November 2023, the University's second Gender Equality Report, entitled Diversity is Change, was presented to the University and approved by the Academic Senate at its meeting on 15/11.

 

LINGUAGGIO INCLUSIVO

Within the framework of the University's initiatives from a gender perspective, in line with the 2022-2024 Action Plan and the actions envisaged by the Gender Equality Plan - GEP, a number of significant actions have been carried out with a view to raising our community's awareness of the inclusive use of language, also through the integration of the gender dimension in research and education.

Specifically, with a view to inclusive language, two sub-actions were announced at the Academic Senate meeting of 18 July 2023:

  • Practical Guide for Inclusive Communication prepared, in collaboration with the CIRSDe of the University of Turin, in order to disseminate in the polytechnic community some essential guidelines for the correct use of inclusive language and take a further step towards achieving gender equity within our institution. The aim of the publication, of which an extended and a more agile version is available for download, is to support the PTAB and the teaching and research staff in the drafting of communications and proceedings with inclusive language, for clear and concise communication that at the same time goes beyond socio-cultural barriers by adopting non-discriminatory language.An extended and agile b/w print version is also available.
  • Updating the Athenaeum address book in an inclusive language perspective through a specific procedure that offers each person in the community the opportunity to choose the gender declination of his or her role within MYPOLI. It is understood that, if the person does not intend to make any changes to his or her public profile, the gender shown in the address book will remain the current default one, i.e. with declination linked to his or her gender.

GEP (Gender Equality Plan) in the edition 2021-2024, approved by the BoD in the session of December 22, 2021, integrates the gender policies outlined in the strategic plan of the Politecnico di Torino 2018-2024, PoliTo4Impact, configuring itself as an accompaniment to redefine some addresses starting from the context analysis in a gender perspective carried out in the Gender Equality Report 2020 of Politecnico di Torino, Diversity is Excellence. In this context, the GEP has been structured to highlight the presence of the characteristics required by the European Commission for participation in all the Horizon Europe calls for research and innovation.   

GEAP (Gender Equality Action Plan) - an integral part of the GEP - is the tool through which gender policies of the University become operational. It also has a three-year duration and is accompanied, in addition to an ongoing monitoring of actions, by periodic monitoring through specific indicators (KPIs) identified for each action. Downstream of this periodic monitoring, the GEAP is redefined through the addition of an additional year and the elimination of the concluded year. A strong point of the above-mentioned GEP - as well as a guarantee of integration of gender policies to the University strategies - is the choice to fully include the GEAP in the Action Plan of the University.

The Gender Balance is drawn up every three years; an updated subset of indicators considered particularly significant is published annually in order to have an immediate and significant overview of the situation in the University as regards gender data.

A.Y. 2020/21.

 

The monitoring of the actions that constitute the GEAP consists of two phases, each of which involves the identification of output indicators (defined in the GEAP as action measurement indicators), for the ongoing monitoring of the implementation process of individual actions, and impact indicators (KPIs), for the ongoing monitoring of the implementation and effectiveness of individual actions in relation to the objectives defined in the GEP. To this end, each of the GEAP actions is linked to one or more KPIs for the definition of outcome objectives, which will be measured with one or more analytical indicators.

In relation to the periodic monitoring phase and in order to measure the effectiveness of individual actions in relation to the objectives defined in the GEP, the Gender Equality Action Plan is based on the 5 KPIs. KPIs 1 and 2 are taken from the University's Strategic Plan while KPI 3 was subscribed to by the Polytechnic as a member of the European Association CESAER; KPIs 4 and 5 were defined by the GEP based, respectively, on evidence from the Gender Balance Sheet and indications that emerged from the CUG and the Trust Advisor.

Similar to the periodic monitoring section of the University's gender data, in this section it is possible to download the definition of the relevant KPIs proposed in the Gender Balance, in terms of operational, value and level of detail. For all KPIs, the initial value or zero value has been identified as can be viewed in the related document.

In the case of the Gender Balance indicators, this corresponds for staff to the value recorded as of 12/31/2019 and for the student population to the value recorded at the beginning of the 2019/20 academic year. In the case of KPIs, the zero value corresponds for staff to the value measured as of 12/31/2021 and for the student population to the value measured at the beginning of a.y. 2021/22. Subsequent updates will be published annually in the dedicated section starting in February 2021, with the support of the PSQ offices.

Politecnico di Torino considers equal opportunity and inclusion to be founding values of the community and is committed to promoting them in every aspect of the University's life, including scientific and/or popular events organized and/or sponsored by the University.

For this reason, it incorporates and extends the guidelines available to date at the national level in order to ensure gender balance and enhance diversity in the academic community. These Guidelines for Gender Balance and Diversity in Events are addressed to the structures and individuals involved in the organization and promotion of the above-mentioned scientific and/or popular events, in order to direct them to respect gender balance and diversity.

Gender balance means the indicative representation for each gender between 40% and 60% - in any case, the least represented gender should not be less than 30%. By diversity, we mean the inclusion in interventions and/or event organization of people with different cultural, professional, and backgrounds, whether identity, social, geographic, ethnic, or other.

Inclusion policies

foreign students inclusion

As mentioned in the introduction, the overall goal remains equality regardless of gender and special needs; a high goal that can be pursued while respecting and valuing the parameters of individuals such as religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or politics.

As part of the policies to promote the inclusion of the LGBTQI+ community of the University, thus enhancing diversity, and in an attempt to give concrete follow-up to Art. 6 of the ethical code of the University (Dignity and respect for others) an event was held on June 21 with the emblematic title Questioni d’identità: il Politecnico di Torino e la lotta alle discriminazioni, organized with the scientific coordination of Daniele Marchisio, the support of Life service and with the sponsorship of the CUG PoliTO and UniTO. 

On June 17, 2022, the Gender Research Group at the Politecnico di Torino, in collaboration with Arcigay Torino Circolo Ottavio Mai, the association Famiglie Arcobaleno and CUG PoliTO, organized Stories of Pride: an event that, in the month traditionally dedicated to pride, brought the stories, experiences and emotions of queer activists inside Politecnico di Torino; a meeting that, through small groups of telling, listening and confrontation, fostered political awareness on the issue.

In the religious field, the project of a virtual platform of spiritual support is being finalized in order to allow the Politecnico community to meet the different religious and areligious confessions.

Politecnico di Torino aims to create the conditions of inclusion, equity and hospitality as shown here and  has also adhered to the UNHCR manifesto for inclusive universities.

In September 2020 a Working Table was set up to promote the planning of actions in support of refugees and women refugees: a topic that, although updated by the tragic situation in Afghanistan, has long been affecting our communities, calling us to take responsibility and launch initiatives to ensure living conditions, study and work that at least partly mitigate the drama of those who live in this situation.
Coordinator of this table Claudia De Giorgi as Vice Rector for Quality Welfare and Equal Opportunities with Laura Montanaro (Pro-Rector) as auditor and other participants: David Chiaramonti (Vice Chancellor for Internationalization), Michele Bonino (Rector's Delegate for International Relations w/China and East Area), Beppe Quaglia (Scope Coordinator Inclusion and Equity - Green Team), Arianna Montorsi (Rector's Referent for Gender Equality and Diversity), Daniela Bosia (Rector's Referent for Initiatives to Support Care, social integration and rights of disabled people), Francesca De Filippi (University Coordination for Development Cooperation), Tania Cerquitelli (CUG President) with a representation of the CUG (including the representative of PhD students), Paola Ghione (Head of LIFE Service and Diversity & Disability Manager of the University) and Elisa Armando (Head of Internationalization Area).

Diversity management

Our university, among the first public administrations to do so, in December 2019 created the post of Diversity and Disability Manager with the aim of activating actions to enhance and respect all the diversities present in the organizational context and to create an open and inclusive climate and foster the shared growth of our organization.

The position, held by Dr. Paola Ghione until 31 December 2023 and which from November 2022 had become Diversity Manager, envisaged the functions of implementing the University's strategic programmes on the subject of recognizing gender differences and their value with a view to employer branding, identifying and activating services and solutions to support the autonomy of people with disabilities in the University and to promote and guarantee the application of Law 68/1999.

Since 1 January 2024, these activities have been included in the broader Diversity Management area, for which Professional People&Diversity Management, Dr Cinzia Ninetto, is referent; in her role, she is responsible for preparing organizational arrangements and technological solutions to facilitate the integration of people with disabilities into the workplace, checking the implementation of the process of integration of people with disabilities into the workplace and into the educational pathways of the university, and receiving and reporting to the competent structures any situations of discomfort and integration difficulties. It is also responsible for analyzing and assessing the training needs of people with disabilities and the managers of the University structures.

Against harassment

What is sexual harassment?
It is undesirable conduct with sexual connotations, expressed physically, verbally and non-verbally, with the aim or the effect of violating the victim’s dignity and creating an intimidatory, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive situation.

The person appointed by the University to provide assistance and advice to anyone (student, faculty or technical administrative librarian staff) who has suffered discrimination or sexual harassment or harassment is the Confidential Counselor: one of the figures assigned to implement the principles of Codice Etico for the protection of the dignity of female workers and the student population of the Politecnico di Torino.

As part of the University initiatives to combat harassment, with the help of the previous Confidential Counselor  Avv. Arianna Enrichens and in collaboration with Life service, which at the time belonged to PSQL Area, and the University Legal Affairs service, now Avvocatura Staff Structure, a short Guide against harassment has been arranged. 

The Guide aims to contribute to spreading awareness on the phenomenon of harassment and on the existing protection tools.

In order to encourage collective reflection on the topic and on the role of each person in creating a responsible climate, two interactive video lessons were held in 2021, introduced by a video of the Rector, edited by the Councilor of Trust.
The first meeting was dedicated to identifying and recognizing stereotypes, the second to the existing protection tools: the recording of the lessons is available here.

Alias careers

The Alias Career ("Carriere Alias") is intended to create an alternative identity that replaces the personal data with the "elective" name", chosen by the person in a gender transition, within the computer system of the university as reported in the Guidelines for Italian Universities on the implementation of career alias of the National Conference of Equality Bodies of the Italian Universities.

The administrative procedure for the adoption of the Alias Career in accordance with the Guidelines for Italian Universities is indicated in detail here (extract of the full resolution approved by the Academic Senate in its meeting of 20th July 2021) and later updated on 14th July 2022.

In line with the provisions adoped in July 2021 regarding the new process for the activation of alias careers for students, on 14th July 2022 the Academic senate approved the Guidelines for the activation and management of Alias Careers for the whole University Community (research fellows, doctoral candidates, faculty, researchers, managers, technical administrative and library staff, technologists and language experts).