D&I in SY processes
1. D&I PROCESSES: GENERAL CULTURE
The SY management is conscious of the importance of diversity, and measures have been put in place to keep it and improve it.
They include:
- Explicitly including D&I as new aim/boundary condition in recruitment.
- Regularly updating and making available on the SY D&I website dashboards and Key Progress Indicators. More detailed KPIs are available for managers (ex: presented during SYMB) or specific events (ex: Hiring workshop mentioned in point.
- A budget of 25 kCHF/year available for D&I outreach, workshops, events, travel etc.
- Making D&I in SY a collective effort and responsibility via decision-making processes involving not only the higher management.
- Regular meetings between the SY higher management and the various coordinators, panel members and DIO.
This section gives an overview of some actions, procedures and policies implemented or in the making.
An overview of CERN-wide rules, guidelines and codes of conduct is also provided.
2. D&I PROCESSES: COMMITTEES
2.1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The DH checks the diversity in the composition of internal panel/boards, to balance it according to gender, nationality and technical background. One example of this is the SY Promotion Panel (SYPP).
The DH checks the MERIT advancement and promotion proposals vs. the diversity of the candidates.
2.1 STUDENT AND GRADUATES SELECTION
The Coordinators for the selection of graduates (ORIGIN and QUEST) and of technical students (DOCT, TECH and ADMI) actively check that a sufficient level of diversity in both gender and nationality is present in the proposed candidates list.
During the candidate selection process, reserve candidates will be looked into if the overall diversity is deemed not sufficient.
Whilst the hiring can be continuous, the selection is “quantized” during the year (ex: semestrial for GRADs) to validate the overall requests vs the SY dept policies.
“Excellent” and diverse personnel in the GRAD and DOCT categories (feeder categories for LD positions) are also actively identified.
2.2 LD STAFF HIRING
A Department Representative team (mandate https://codimd.web.cern.ch/s/goo69bp3j#) was nominated In November 2023 to take part in the LD selection process with HR: a DepRep is dedicated to each selection board and follows it from its kickoff meeting onwards.
The Department Representatives report directly to the DH and focus on checking and improving the diversity (nationality and gender) at each step of the selection process (long listing, short listing, selection board).
3. D&I PROCESSES: WORKING GROUPS
3.1 Focus groups for the 2021 SY Dept diversity and inclusion review
Four focus group sessions were carried out organized in 2021 as the initial department assessment within the 25by’25 programme.
A subset of about 10% of the SY department MPE population was chosen to carry out the review, divided into four groups including members of the same staff category, to promote full disclosure.
The review participants were selected to represent different categories in SY according to age group, gender, nationality, seniority and role at CERN.
Four Focus Group sessions were carried out, each one in-person and lasting between two and three hours. Carefully planned questions and discussions allowed gathering quantitative and qualitative feedback on the perceived D&I level in SY with respect to seven benchmark criteria.
The outcome of the discussion is summarized here https://edms.cern.ch/document/2669329/3 and constituted the basis to select the SY Fitness Plans actions https://edms.cern.ch/document/2812561/2 .
3.2 Workshop on “Improving Diversity in Recruitment”
A workshop to improve the diversity in the LD recruitment process was carried out in October 2024. The SY/EPC group agreed to participate in the workshop and to have its hiring experience/outcome as main workshop topic.
DH, DDH, DPO, DIO, HR and EPC management actively took part in the workshop, that was driven by an external consultant.
The workshop was focused on the formulation of vacancy notices and on unconscious bias. It included theory as well as break out activities.
This workshop – or a similar formulation – could become a pilot project for HR and be applied to other groups at CERN.
A second workshop including the same participants is planned as follow-up in Q1 / Q2 2025.
4. D&I PROCESSES: SY POLICIES
SY is developing a set of D&I workplace policies as guidelines that support aligning the Organization’s vision and values to the day-to-day work.
The SY policies are issued by the SY DH, reflect general CERN values and are aimed at both supervisors and supervisees. They are related to and applicable within the SY department but may be adopted by other departments.
The SY policies exist in parallel to and in synergy with the CERN rules & regulations, administrative procedures and codes of conduct mentioned in paragraph 2.
4.1 SY D&I policy on timing of meetings
The “SY D&I policy on timing of meetings” [https://codimd.web.cern.ch/s/q1APYCJ5B# ] is aimed at supporting a healthier work-life balance.
4.2 SY D&I policy on maternity leave management
This policy aims at ensuring that women are not discriminated about work responsibilities when going to or coming back from a maternity leave.
A working-group is being setup to provide the DH with a list of points to consider when issuing the policy.
5. CERN-WIDE D&I-RELATED RULES, GUIDELINES AND CODES OF CONDUCT
The expected behavior of people working at CERN is dictated by rules, policies and codes of conduct.
The Chapter 1, Section 3 of the Staff rules and regulations [LINK: https://hr.web.cern.ch/staff-rules-and-regulations-conduct ] define how CERN’s members of personnel should behave.
CERN’s Code of Conduct [LINK: https://cds.cern.ch/record/2240689/files/BrochureCodeofConductEN.pdf ] was introduced in 2010 as a guide in helping all CERN contributors (members of the personnel, consultants, contractors working on the site, or people engaged in any other capacity at or on behalf of CERN) to understand how to conduct themselves. treat others and expect to be treated.
CERN’s Diversity Policy [LINK: http://cds.cern.ch/record/2001016/files/DiversityPolicy.pdf ] is based on the three principles of “appreciating differences, fostering equality and promoting collaboration” which are drawn from CERN’s Diversity value. The policy aims at achieving an optimally diverse workforce.
CERN’s anti-harassment policy [LINK: https://hr.web.cern.ch/anti-harassment-policy] describe the company’s zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and the steps that should be taken.
The “CERN Supplier Code of Conduct” [LINK: https://cds.cern.ch/record/2908061/files/CERN-Brochure-2024-004-Eng.pdf] outlines what CERN expects of its suppliers and the principles that apply to them, thus embedding the principles initiating from the CERN Code of Conduct within CERN’s commercial transactions. In particular from a D&I viewpoint the “Human Rights” sections mentions the need for absence of discrimination as well as promotion of inclusiveness and gender balance within the supplier’s workplace.