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Declaration of Amsterdam: for an inclusive workplace

Published on November 18, 2021
Margot Weijnen and Bianca Nijhof signing the Declaration of Amsterdam
Margot Weijnen (NWO, left) and Bianca Nijhof (Workplace Pride, right)
signed the Declaration of Amsterdam. Photo: WPP/Greenwood.

NWO today signed the Declaration of Amsterdam, committing the organisation to creating a corporate culture that is inclusive and fosters the integration of LGBTI+ employees. By signing the Declaration, NWO undertakes to adopt measures that foster a working environment in which everyone feels welcome, can be their authentic selves and can realise their full potential, individually and in teams. The Declaration of Amsterdam is an initiative of Workplace Pride, an international not-for-profit foundation based in Amsterdam, which has been campaigning for ten years to promote inclusive corporate cultures by raising awareness, monitoring progress, conducting research, providing training and building networks.

Specific actions
NWO joined Workplace Pride several years ago and regularly organises events devoted to encouraging knowledge-sharing and networking among the employees of NWO itself, as well as its institutes. The Declaration of Amsterdam was signed during the LGBTI+ conference ‘DIFFER(ent) kinds of energy’ at the NWO institute DIFFER. Signing the Declaration marks a further step in the organisation’s efforts to reverse existing patterns, structures and processes and so cultivate a more inclusive workplace. The Declaration includes an agreement to reserve a fixed amount per employee for programmes to support inclusiveness, as well as commitments to adopt internal measures and to monitor progress in achieving its goals.

Worldwide benchmark
In anticipation of the signing of the Declaration, last year NWO completed the Workplace Pride Global Benchmark, a tool designed to measure the quality of an organisation’s LGBTI+ policies. The benchmark is also used by internationally active employers and therefore closely reflects the international profile of NWO’s institutes. The benchmark also suggests practical improvements to policies and practices and shows how the organisation performs in relation to its peers. NWO will draft a plan for the implementation of policies on diversity and inclusivity recommended in the benchmark report. One of the improvements suggested in the report was to strengthen and support structures that contribute to progress with the implementation of LHBTI+ policies within the organisation. In addition, NWO is investigating the inclusiveness of the working conditions for all of our employees.

Recap of Workplace Pride at DIFFER
‘It’s a great shame that we cannot welcome you in person here today, but we are nevertheless happy that we are still able to hold this important event online.’ With these words, the Workplace Pride event was opened by Léon Ouwerkerk, LGBTIQ+ coordinator of NWO. Each year, the event is organised in a different Dutch city, and this time it was the turn of Eindhoven. The conference was transmitted live from NWO Institute DIFFER. During this meeting, the theme was inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community, sustainability and the links between the two.

After the words of welcome from Léon Ouwerkerk and Bianca Nijhof, a variety of speakers took to the floor. Some of them presented their story from the studio and some from behind a screen at home. They spoke about fusion and renewable energy, diversification of our energy system and system integration. The subjects fitted seamlessly in the programme because the presentations also made clear that diversity is of importance in these matters. Without it, our modern lifestyle with technological needs cannot be optimally supported.

Personal stories
Personal stories were also shared. Two students from Eindhoven University of Technology, Ari Sibiescu and Ave Ottens (non-binary and transgender, respectively), explained the different forms of gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. They explained that a completely inclusive society is still a long way off for the LGBTIQ+ community. LGBTIQ+ students still experience a lot of inequality in, for example, healthcare and accommodation. For instance, Ari cannot participate in a team sport: ‘All team sports are played in men’s and women’s teams and as a non-binary person I do not fit into that.’ Ave talks about her struggles about dressing for formal meetings: ‘The more formal the event, the more male the clothing for women becomes. That is difficult if you do not feel comfortable wearing that.’ The students hope to increase awareness by sharing their experiences.

The afternoon was rounded off with a fine speech from Margot Weijnen, member of the NWO Executive Board. ‘More than fifty years ago, I went to a girls-only high school. When I started my studies at TU Delft, I suddenly realised what it was like to stand out in the crowd. I became part of a minority overnight, as fewer than five percent of the students were women. Since then, a lot has already improved in the area of gender equality but we’re not there yet. As an employer, we bear responsibility for a work field that is representative for society, and this is certainly not yet the case.’

More information
Declaration of Amsterdam (pdf, download)
Diversity and Inclusivity at NWO
More information about Workplace Pride
Interview with the organisers of DIFFER(ent) kinds of energy

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