IT outsourcing and SDGs II: SDG 5 – Gender equality

Gender equality, also known as SDG 5 (Sustainable Development Goal 5), is central to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda.
To achieve this goal, we need to consider innovative approaches to promote gender equality in all sectors, including the IT industry.
This is where the concept of responsible IT outsourcing comes into play.

In responsible outsourcing, the service provider actively promotes gender equality and the advancement of female employees in the IT industry.
This is done through careful design and targeted programs and initiatives that ensure that women in IT have the same opportunities and development possibilities as their male colleagues.

What measures can we use sensibly here?

Equal pay

One of the key aspects of gender equality is equal pay.
A responsible IT provider ensures that women are paid fairly for their work and receive equal salaries for equal qualifications (e.g. level of education, skills and work experience).
This helps to reduce the gender pay gap that has developed worldwide.

Promotion of women and family

Employees who want to start a family should be encouraged by their employer.
In our view, this is not just a one-sided social component: Anyone who performs at their best every day as a parent and can manage a family routine is also capable of top performance at work – we believe in that.
Employees with families are organizational talents, multi-tasking professionals, communication experts and much more.
That is why we support women who have become mothers, initially by giving them the opportunity to take a break for up to a year without any disadvantages when returning to work and then return to work part-time at a later date, for example.
We are also currently testing parental leave models for men – for all male employees who would also like to acquire a few superpowers.

Initiatives against harassment

Women and minorities must be able to feel safe in the work environment.
Creating a safe working environment should therefore be a top priority for an IT outsourcing provider.
Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination initiatives and awareness building will create a workplace where women can reach their full potential free from discrimination.

Safety and transportation

We also use state-of-the-art security technology, such as camera surveillance and fingerprint sensors, to ensure that women feel safe in our offices and on their way to work.
To ensure a safe journey to work, we offer a transport service on request.

In our view, the realization of SDG 5 is one of the most important concerns if you want to make IT outsourcing social and sustainable.
We therefore regularly ask our employees for feedback on where further improvements can be made.