Estação Biológica de Mértola

EBM's Commitment to Gender Equality

EBM is a Centre for Technology Enhancement and Transfer focusing on the territorial specialisation areas of biodiversity, agroecology, wild resources, and game resources, with a cross-cutting theme of addressing the effects of Climate Change on the territory and the associated desertification phenomena. As a demonstration and knowledge and technology transfer platform in its areas of operation, it is geared towards disseminating knowledge and technological innovation, building the capacity of the business sector to strengthen its competitiveness, resilience, and economic, environmental, and social sustainability, and of local governance to actively and effectively participate in territorial specialisation processes. It promotes the attraction of young people and qualified professionals, contributing to Mértola’s integration into a long-term environmental research and monitoring strategy, particularly concerning the functional dynamics of ecosystems and their relationship with human activities and global changes.

In close alignment with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, Portugal’s 2030 Strategy, and the Alentejo Regional Strategy 2030, EBM’s mission is framed by its commitment to improving the performance of the territory and region in terms of knowledge incorporation, technological intensity, competitiveness, sustainability, innovation, and value creation, in line with the enhancement of natural and heritage resources and with organisational and technological innovation, creating better development conditions and quality of life in an environment of collaboration, sharing, and proximity.

EBM acknowledges that the quality and excellence of its work depend on policies based on the principles of inclusion, equality, and diversity, ensuring equal opportunities, gender non-discrimination, and diversity, supported by strong community engagement and regional, national, and international partnerships.

In this context, EBM commits to:

  1. Publishing a formal document on gender equality and inclusion on its website;
  2. Allocating its own resources to ensure that gender equality actions are implemented and monitored;
  3. Ensuring the collection of sex-disaggregated data, including students, to enable long-term monitoring and the production of annual reports using clear indicators;
  4. Promoting training and awareness-raising actions for staff and administration to ensure an inclusive and equitable organisational culture;
  5. Implementing measures that promote work-life balance;
  6. Promoting gender balance in leadership and management positions, ensuring all genders are equally represented within the organisation;
  7. Ensuring gender equality in recruitment and career progression;
  8. Integrating the gender dimension into the research and training programmes it proposes;
  9. Ensuring the implementation of measures for the prevention of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, guaranteeing a safe and respectful work environment.

In an active, dynamic, and transparent manner, EBM is committed to ensuring gender equality, diversity, and inclusion at all organisational levels and in its scientific and technological fields of action, for the development and socio-economic and institutional sustainability of the territory.

Mértola, 26th September 2024

Download the commitment