What is the Equality Badge?

According to Article 21 of Law 4604/2019 (as amended by Article 21 of Law 4808/2021), the General Secretariat for Equality and Human Rights (GSEHR) “rewards public- and private- sector enterprises that stand out for implementing policies of equal treatment and equal opportunities for male and female employees, as well as policies for the prevention and combatting of violence and harassment at work, by granting the Equality Badge. For the awarding of the Equality Badge, the following are taken into account, among other things: equal pay for work of equal value; balanced participation of women and men in managerial positions or in professional and scientific groups established within the enterprise; equality in career advancement; compliance with labour legislation regarding the protection of maternity and parental leave; compliance with legislation on measures for the prevention and handling of violence and harassment; the implementation of equality plans or other innovative measures promoting substantive gender equality; the development and implementation of policies for preventing violence and harassment and for effectively managing internal complaints; For the awarding of the Sign of Equality, factors considered include, among others, equal pay for work of equal value, balanced participation of women and men in managerial positions or in professional and scientific teams formed within the company, equality in professional development, compliance with labor legislation regarding maternity protection and parental leave, compliance with legislation regarding measures for the prevention and handling of violence and harassment, the implementation of equality plans or other innovative measures promoting substantive gender equality, the development and implementation of policies for the prevention of violence and harassment and for the effective management of internal complaints, the support of support for employment; the adoption of reasonable adjustments to work arrangements and the granting of leave to employees who are victims of domestic violence; as well as advertising practices that promote the company’s products or services in a way that discourages sexism and gender-based discrimination.”

By Ministerial Decision 112972/22.12.2023 (Government Gazette B 7567), issued by the Deputy Minister for Social Cohesion and Family (YKOISO), pursuant to the authorization of Law 4808/2021, Article 21, paragraph 2, and following a recommendation by the GSEHR, the procedure, terms, participation requirements, and validity period of the Badge were established.

The Methodology for Awarding the Gender Equality Badge to Enterprises 2024–2026 incorporates to a significant extent the knowledge and experience gained from the implementation of the project “SHARE: Promotion of Work–Life Balance in Enterprises and Better Allocation of Care Responsibilities between Men and Women,” which was implemented by the GSEHR (Coordinating Authority), the Research Centre for Gender Equality (KETHI), and the women’s professional empowerment organization Women on Top, with the co-funding of the European Commission’s “Rights, Equality and Citizenship” Programme (2014–2020).