Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Excellence in science needs diversity

At Forschungszentrum Jülich, diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to our ability to fulfil our mission. We foster a fair and supportive culture, bring together different perspectives and integrate diversity-sensitive perspectives throughout our research.

Our workforce brings together people from different countries, backgrounds and life experiences. Diversity is a fact. Yet diversity in the workplace cannot be taken for granted. It is fostered through intentional choices that enable people with different strengths to contribute their expertise to solving some of humanity’s most important challenges.

We strive for excellence and seek out the best minds. But the best minds are also whole people. When we take their individual needs and challenges into account, we create the conditions for outstanding scientific performances.

We believe that everyone deserves to be treated fairly at work, and to have their individual needs taken into account. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion reflects our organizational values and our responsibility to our employees. At the same time, it is essential to our ability to fulfil our mission. To attract and retain the right people, and enable them to contribute fully to their teams, we need to foster a fair and supportive culture. This requires processes and practices that recognize people’s different experiences and the biases that can influence how we make decisions.

Our responsibility, however, goes beyond the diversity of our own organization. We conduct research on behalf of society and therefore have a responsibility to consider the needs of the people we serve. Bringing together different perspectives is an important part of this, but it is not enough. We also want to ensure that diversity-sensitive perspectives inform our research, allowing a range of needs and experiences to shape the questions we ask, the research we conduct and the outcomes we seek.

Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

For many years, FZJ has developed measures to support our diverse employee community and create fair working conditions. We support employees and families in different circumstances through flexible working arrangements, an on-campus kindergarten in Jülich and other measures that support work and care. International advisory services and cross-cultural training support our culturally diverse community. Employee networks and counseling services contribute to a stronger sense of belonging.

We also work to make the practices that shape working life more inclusive. Guidelines, training modules, assessment tools and individual consultation help hiring managers and supervisors identify and reduce hidden biases at every stage of the hiring process. . The Equal Opportunities Representative and the Representative for People with Disabilities help ensure fair selection processes. We raise awareness of neurodivergence and provide guidance on how managers and teams can better accommodate and value diverse ways of working. In addition, we consult with heads of units on creating more inclusive working environments and provide supervisors with guidance to effectively lead diverse teams.

A safe working culture also requires awareness. Our activities include training on sexualized violence, discussions on healthy masculinity and self-care, and opportunities to engage in greater depth with topics such as queerness at work and disability in science.

Our commitment extends beyond our own workforce. We promote diversity-sensitive approaches to research through training and provide individual consultations on how gender and diversity perspectives can be integrated into specific research projects.

Our plans for diversity, inclusion and gender equality

We support women in science and management positions. To this end, we implement targeted measures in five fields of action. Download our Gender Equality Plan.

We are preparing a new diversity and inclusion strategy. You can find more detailed information on our goals in our D&I action plan.

Learn more about our diversity, equity and inclusion journey.

Our commitment

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is reflected in our day-to-day work, our organizational practices, and our ongoing efforts to improve.

We regularly review our practices to identify areas for improvement. This includes addressing gaps and adapting our measures as the needs of our workforce and society evolve.

Our efforts have also received external recognition, including the Total E-Quality award, which recognizes organizations that successfully embed equal opportunities in their human resources and organizational practices. Such recognition is encouraging, while our focus remains on continuing to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion in our everyday work.

Contact persons for equal opportunities, diversity, inclusion and Gender equality

Equal Opportunities Bureau

The Equal Opportunities Bureau provides services and structures to help Forschungszentrum Jülich become an even more inclusive science organization. Here, you can find more information or ask for support.

Diversity & Inclusion in science

We promote diversity from the very start of a scientific career: whether international researchers, different educational backgrounds, or diverse life realities – we are committed to equal opportunities for all.

Equality, Equal Opportunities Officer and Gender Equality Plan at FZJ

Find out more about the progress we're making towards our equality goals, as well as developments and initiatives for innovative measures at Forschungszentrum Jülich in the area of gender equality. Get in touch with the Equal Opportunities Officer, her deputies and the women's representatives at FZJ's branch offices.

Copyright Headerbild: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau