Equality badge: what it is and how to obtain it

Thanks to years of awareness, people who have championed gender equality and pioneering companies that have dared to close the gender gap in the business sector, women are increasingly earning the place they deserve in the workplace. However, this is still a topic that society as a whole must continue to work on, not only to avoid undoing what has been achieved but also to reach new and more ambitious goals such as, for example, breaking the glass ceiling or improving work-life balance, among other measures.

Promoting an equitable and diverse work environment is not only an ethical imperative but also brings tangible benefits to organizations. Therefore, in this post, we want to talk about the “Equality in Business Distinction” as recognition for those companies that are actively committed to promoting gender equality. Let’s see what it’s all about!

What is the Equality in Business Distinction and who is it awarded to?

The Equality in Business Distinction is an award granted in Spain by the Ministry of Equality, recognizing companies that demonstrate a real commitment to promoting gender equality in their workplace. To receive this distinction, organizations must implement policies and practices that foster equality between men and women in aspects such as access to management positions, work-life balance, harassment prevention, and equal pay.

What must be done to obtain the Equality in Business Distinction?

For a company to receive this recognition, it must demonstrate its commitment to equality through concrete actions. For example, some organizations carry out the following measures:

Develop an Equality Plan: companies must design and implement an Equality Plan that includes specific measures to eliminate gender discrimination within the organization.

Equal Pay: any organization pursuing equality must pay special attention to ensuring salary parity between men and women performing work of equal value.

Promotion and Career Development: encourage the promotion of women to leadership positions and offer equal opportunities for professional growth.

Work-Life Balance: implement measures that allow employees to balance work and personal life, such as flexible schedules or remote work.

Harassment Prevention: companies must establish protocols and policies to prevent and address sexual harassment and gender-based harassment at work.

Training and Awareness: organizations should provide gender equality training to employees and executives to foster a culture of equality.

Communication: promote internal communication that encourages gender equality and diversity.

Evaluation and Monitoring: finally, companies must continuously monitor equality policies and periodically review the Equality Plan.

How long is the Equality in Business Distinction valid?

The “Equality in Business Distinction” in Spain is valid for a period of three years. This means that once awarded, companies must renew it every three years to ensure they continue meeting the requirements and commitments on gender equality, which are currently evolving rapidly in pursuit of increasingly fair objectives for everyone.

During this period, companies must continue implementing and maintaining the policies and measures that initially earned them the distinction, thus ensuring that they remain committed to promoting gender equality over time and adapt to the changing needs of their work environment.

When is an Equality Plan mandatory in a company?

Since March 7, 2020, all companies with between 151 and 250 employees are required to have their own approved Equality Plan. In fact, this is subject to labor inspections, and any organization of this size without an Equality Plan may be fined between 751 and 7,500 euros.

These corporate equality plans can be defined as strategic documents that include specific measures to promote gender equality in the workplace. They outline concrete actions related to pay equity, women’s access to management positions, work-life balance, harassment prevention, and gender equality training, among other aspects.

Furthermore, and very importantly, Equality Plans establish indicators and deadlines for implementing these measures, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure their effectiveness in promoting an inclusive and equitable work environment.

We hope this post has cleared up all your questions about the Equality in Business Distinction — what it is and how to obtain it. If you want to learn more about new equality initiatives in companies, personal development, business trends, professional growth, and innovation, don’t miss anything from Educa.Pro. We’ll be waiting for you!