SLU.ua.Fe.2014.2.5.5-311 Division of Human Resources Action plan for equal opportunities work 2014 SLU shall be a well-functioning workplace and study environment for staff and students. Equal opportunities work shall be an integral part of the core business, research, teaching, collaboration and environmental monitoring and assessment. The university and society have an interest in utilising the resources available in the wider community in the recruitment of staff and students. SLU shall be characterised by openness, equality and inclusion. The university utilises the diversity that the different backgrounds, life situations and skills of employees and students bring. SLU s strategy for 2013 2016 specifies the overall strategic objectives of SLU. SLU has what is for Sweden a unique profile focusing on research, education and environmental monitoring and assessment in fields of great strategic importance to society in a national as well as a global perspective. The stated objectives for staff and students are: for students and staff to have a work environment and working conditions that are among the most attractive, for the organisation to work well, with distinct leadership and efficient use of resources, for gender equality and diversity perspectives to have a strong position throughout operations, for staff and students to be our best ambassadors. SLU s staff policy states that work at the university must be characterised by good leadership and employeeship, sustainable use of skills, communication and participation, as well as creativity and diversity. SLU has set values and concepts of leadership and employeeship. Equal opportunities means that all staff, students and applicants must feel welcome and be given equal opportunities regardless of sex, sexual orientation, transgender identity or expression, disability, ethnic origin, religion, other belief or age. SLU, Box 7070, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden Phone: +46 (0)18-67 12 27 CIN 202100-2817 Monica.Ostman@slu.se www.slu.se
Equal opportunities applies to all staff and students and must be a collaboration between employers and employees, as well as between the university and the student unions. Equal opportunities work includes active measures in the workplace and in teaching under the Swedish Discrimination Act (SFS 2008:567) and measures for improved accessibility in accordance with SFS 2001:256. Equal opportunities work objectives Equal opportunities work at SLU shall result in equal opportunities and equal rights for staff and students in their work and studies respectively. Equal opportunities work shall contribute to achieving the objectives of the SLU Strategy. This is done by: ensuring equal opportunities in terms of working conditions, salaries, participation and career opportunities; providing employees and students with information about the content of the Discrimination Act and the university s equal opportunities work and emphasising the zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment and other abusive treatment; creating recruitment processes that contribute to a more equal work and study environment; utilising the talents, skills and resources of all; striving for an even distribution of gender 1 at the workplace within different employment categories, including doctoral students, and striving for a more even distribution of gender at undergraduate level; ensuring an even distribution of gender in decision-making bodies; making it easier for staff and students to combine work/study and parenting; providing good accessibility to activities, information and premises for staff and students. Equal opportunities work shall be integrated in all activities at SLU. This means that such work is not primarily concerned with temporary measures and efforts but instead involves activities that are continuously and routinely performed within the various parts of the organisation. 1 Even distribution of gender means at least 40% of each sex 2(7)
The plan includes long-term, ongoing work within equal opportunities as well as specific objectives and measures for 2014. Those indicated as being responsible for a measure shall manage the work and be responsible for the planning required for that measure to be implemented. Ongoing work Such activities are presented below, formulated as ongoing assignments for the various units within the university. Ongoing assignments for the Division of Human Resources Primary responsibility for drafting SLU's equal opportunities plan Support equal opportunities work at different levels at SLU. Ensure that knowledge about equal opportunities issues is always included in SLU leadership courses. Provide information about the university s equal opportunities work during new employee induction. Responsibility for equal opportunities content on the website. Draft action plan for equal salaries and conduct salary analyses and salary mapping in accordance with the requirements of the Equal Opportunities Act. Analyse the gender distribution in various job categories and promote measures that lead to a more even distribution of gender. Ongoing assignments for the Division of Student Affairs and Learning Development (SUS) Work with the Human Resources Office to provide a student perspective in the drafting of SLU s equal opportunities plan. Provide advice and support to students and instructors regarding equal treatment issues. Ensure that training of different categories of instructors contains information on equal treatment issues, including gender-conscious pedagogy. Provide support to students with disabilities and provide information on the support to applicants, students and instructors. Provide new students information on the Discrimination Act and the procedures for reporting discrimination and harassment. Ongoing assignments for the SLU Estate Office Ensure that the guidelines established by the Swedish Agency for Disability Policy Coordination (Handisam) are applied to all building alteration planning and new construction. Accessibility measures shall also be applied to minor building alterations/renovations and leased premises. Take responsibility for planning of interior fittings and equipment necessary for persons with disabilities in conjunction with premises provision measures. Ongoing assignments for the IT Division Ensure that SLU's telesystems are developed to be accessible to everyone to the greatest possible extent. 3(7)
Ensure that SLU supplies enough computers with relevant software for employees and students with reading and writing difficulties or other disability. Ongoing assignments for the Division of Communication Develop SLU's web pages with increased user friendliness and accessibility from a disabilities perspective. Ensure that SLU's informational material is non-discriminatory and nonexclusive. For example, the content of SLU s prospectus and other informational materials shall reflect ethnic diversity and shall not reinforce the heterosexual norm or gender stereotypes. Ongoing assignments for the Library The Library's Equal Opportunities Committee shall draft an equal opportunities plan each year. This plan must be approved by the Library Director. This plan must be based on the university-wide equal opportunities action plan. Media, websites and IT systems for publication and searching as well as instruction and library premises shall be adapted to increase accessibility for students with disabilities. Library staff and library stewards shall pay attention to equal opportunity issues in their work. They shall also know where to find the procedures that are to be followed if discrimination or harassment is suspected. Ongoing assignments for the Vice-Chancellor s Office Ensure that education days for new union officials contain information on the Discrimination Act, SLU's equal opportunities work and procedures for reporting discrimination and harassment. Conduct study-social questionnaire surveys every other year, aimed at Swedish-speaking and English-speaking students at Bachelor s and Master s level, as well as PhD students. Ongoing assignments for the faculties The Equal Opportunities Committee of each faculty shall audit its equal opportunities plan annually. The plan is then approved by the dean of the respective faculty. This plan must be based on the university-wide equal opportunities action plan. Gender distribution objectives 2 for new-hire research and instructing staff shall be set annually by the respective faculty. Scheduling of instruction shall as far as possible be undertaken with due consideration to students with parental responsibilities. 4(7)
Instruction and examination forms shall be adapted to increase accessibility to students with disabilities, while maintaining quality and being based on the intended course learning outcomes. Instructors and other members of the faculty staff shall pay attention to equal treatment issues in their work. They shall also know where to find the procedures that are to be followed if discrimination or harassment is suspected. Inform work placement hosts and external supervisors of the Discrimination Act and the fact that it also applies to work placements. Formulate measures on the basis of the results of student welfare surveys. Ongoing assignments for the Student Welfare Council Deal with general strategic issues regarding supporting, coordinating, stimulating and developing work with student welfare issues, including diversity and equal treatment of students Follow up on faculty measures on the basis of the results of student welfare surveys. Responsible for following up and evaluating the student unions' kick-off activities Responsible for ensuring that an annual kick-off course is arranged for union kick-off supervisors. Said course must include information on the Discrimination Act and SLU's equal opportunities work. Provide viewpoints and submit proposals for actions in the equal opportunities plan as regards student issues. Ongoing assignments for the University Administration The Equal Opportunities Committee of the university administration shall audit its equal opportunities plan annually. The plan is then approved by the dean of the respective faculty. This plan must be based on the university-wide equal opportunities action plan. Ongoing assignment for the University Animal Hospital (UDS) The University Animal Hospital (UDS) shall audit its equal opportunities plan annually. The plan must be based on the university-wide equal opportunities action plan. Specific measures for 2014 General Education and information Objectives: Increase student and staff awareness of equal treatment issues Measure: Start work to ensure that all students in each study programme are given the opportunity to discuss value issues related to equal treatment. Responsibility: The faculties in consultation with the Division of Student Affairs and Learning Development (SUS) 5(7)
Review of equal treatment work at SLU Objectives: Work on the equal treatment of students shall be systematic and effective Measure: Investigate the working methods and organisation of work on the equal treatment of students with the help of an external analyst. Responsibility: Head of SUS Increased knowledge of different equal opportunities work at SLU Objectives: Equal opportunities work shall be well known at SLU and information on equal opportunities shall be easily accessible Measure 1: Make equal opportunities information on the website more comprehensive and reader friendly Responsibility: Head of Human Resources Division Measure 2: Publish a series of articles in the staff bulletin "Resurs" which highlights the different grounds of discrimination Responsibility: Head of Division of Communication Diversity Inclusive approach Objectives: SLU shall have an inclusive work environment Measure: Implement the Inclusive approach a strategy for diversity in the public sector (Swedish title: Inkluderande synsätt en strategi för mångfald i staten) of the Swedish Agency for Government Employers Responsibility: SLU s Head of Human Resources in collaboration with the Equal Opportunities Committee, UDS and staff organisations Gender equality Equality indicators Objectives: Integrate equality data into the planning of activities Measure: Launch equality indicators. Responsibility: SLU s Head of Human Resources in collaboration with the Vice- Chancellor s Office. Greater equality in recruitment Objectives: A more equal SLU 6(7)
Measure: Start work on the mentoring project, diamond cutters Responsibility: Head of Human Resources Division Ethnic affiliation, religion or other belief Image project Objectives: The images on SLU s website and printed material shall reflect the university s international character and people of all ethnic backgrounds should feel welcome at SLU Measure: Renew and expand the stock of images in SLU s image database to include more international students and employees of foreign origin Responsibility: Head of Division of Communication Disability Information Objectives: Increase the accessibility of information for persons with disabilities. Measure 1: Arrange training for SLU staff on how to create accessible PDF files (that can be listened to using voice synthesis), and publish information about this on the staff web Responsibility: Heads of Division of Communication and Division of Human Resources. Measure 2: Improve the accessibility of SLU s websites on the basis of the accessibility survey carried out for SLU s websites in autumn 2012. Responsibility: Head of Division of Communication 7(7)