Initiative

Gender Equality (creation of a Department for reconciliation and equality)

Summary of the initiative

Grupo Placentina, founded in 1962, is a family-owned small enterprise with 19 employees (half women/half men). Services include a driving school, school of machinery, e-learning and training on industrial safety, prevention and fire extinction.

As part of its CSR activities, the company has been promoting gender equality. It was the first enterprise in Spain to create a Department for reconciliation and equality in 2007. Other measures include:

- the creation of an in-house childcare facility (servicio de guarderia)

- CONFIO programme: to improve the reconciliation of family and working life

- ELOISA project: elaboration of a Gender Equality Action Plan

- collaboration with the government of the autonomous community of Extremadura to elaborate the “Strategy for Women’s entrepreneurship”

- collaboration with Spanish Ministry for Health, Social Security and Equality to establish protocols on women’s presence in boards of administration and other enterprise functions.

Since 2010 the enterprise is also a member, and currently the only representative in Extremadura, of the network “Red de Empresas con distintivo Igualdad en la Empresa” set up by the Spanish government and co-funded by the ESF. It aims at strengthening the exchange of good practices and experiences on equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market. GP is also involved publicly in pertinent initiatives such as seminars, technical training days and online platforms.

In the context of the network and to improve the satisfaction of their employees and clients, they are fully committed:

- to eliminate sexist language in external and internal communication

- to internally train both managers and staff on gender equality issues

- to extend some measures to be used also by their students (e.g. childcare)

- to better apply the legislative framework

- to cooperate with other entities that strive for equality.

Grupo Placentina received several awards/certificates for its efforts on gender equality, including:

- 2008: Corporate Social Responsibility Award granted by the Junta de Extremadura.

- 2010: Equality in Business award granted by the Ministry of Health, Social Security and Equality

- 2012: Certificate for EFQM (Business Excellence).