Gender Equality Plan (GEP)

1. Institutional Commitment

IROC is committed to promoting gender equality and preventing discrimination in all its activities, in line with Article 157 TFEU, EU Gender Equality Strategy, and Horizon Europe eligibility requirements.

This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) has been formally adopted by the company's management and applies to all employees, contractors, and management staff.

Gender equality is understood to include equality regardless of:

• sex or gender
• gender identity or expression
• sexual orientation
• family or care responsibilities

2. Governance and Responsibility

Overall responsibility for the implementation of this GEP lies with:

GEP Responsible Officer: Nolwenn Morris

The GEP Responsible Officer will:

• oversee implementation of actions
• ensure compliance with EU and national legislation
• report progress to company management at least once per year

Adequate time and organisational resources are allocated within existing roles.

3. Objectives

The objectives of this GEP are to:

• Ensure equal treatment and equal opportunities for all genders
• Promote fair recruitment, retention, and career progression
• Support work–life balance and inclusive working conditions
• Prevent and address gender-based violence, harassment, and bias
• Foster a respectful, inclusive organisational culture
• Monitor progress using gender-disaggregated data, where legally possible

4. Areas of Action and Measures

4.1 Work–Life Balance and Organisational Culture

Measures

• Offer flexible working arrangements where compatible with business needs (e.g. flexible hours, remote or hybrid work)
• Ensure equal access to parental leave and care-related leave in line with national law
• Avoid penalisation of employees taking parental or care leave

Indicators

• Use of flexible working arrangements by gender
• Return-to-work retention after parental leave

4.2 Gender Equality in Recruitment and Career Progression

Measures

• Use gender-neutral and inclusive language in job advertisements
• Apply transparent, skills-based selection criteria
• Where possible, ensure diversity in interview panels
• Ensure equal access to training and professional development

Indicators

• Gender distribution of applicants and new hires
• Gender distribution across job categories and seniority levels
• Participation in training by gender

4.3 Gender Balance in Decision-Making

Recognising the size and structure of an SME, IROC commits to:

Measures

• Monitoring gender representation in management and decision-making roles
• Ensuring transparent criteria for promotion and leadership responsibilities
• Encouraging balanced participation in strategic discussions where feasible

Indicators

• Gender distribution in management roles
• Gender distribution in decision-making bodies (if applicable)

4.4 Prevention of Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

IROC applies a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of harassment, discrimination, or gender-based violence.

Measures

• Maintain a clear internal code of conduct
• Provide confidential reporting channels (e.g. HR contact or management)
• Ensure timely, fair, and confidential handling of complaints
• Protect complainants against retaliation

Indicators

• Awareness of reporting procedures among staff
• Number of incidents reported and resolved (anonymised)

4.5 Gender Dimension in Activities (Where Relevant)

Where relevant to the company's activities (e.g. R&D, product development, services):

Measures

• Consider gender-related impacts in project design and delivery
• Encourage awareness of gender bias in products, services, or data use

Indicators

• Gender considerations documented in relevant projects (qualitative)

5. Data Collection and Monitoring

In compliance with GDPR and national data protection laws, IROC will:

• Collect gender-disaggregated data on staff composition, recruitment, and career progression where legally permissible
• Review data annually
• Use findings to inform improvements to policies and practices

Data will be used solely for equality monitoring purposes.

6. Training and Awareness

Measures

• Provide periodic awareness-raising activities on:
  • gender equality
  • unconscious bias
  • respectful workplace behaviour
• Ensure employees are informed about this GEP and related policies

Training may be delivered internally or through external resources, depending on company capacity.

7. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Review

• Progress on the GEP will be reviewed annually
• A summary of actions and outcomes will be documented internally
• The GEP will be updated if:
  • organisational structure changes
  • legal or funding requirements evolve
  • monitoring identifies gaps

8. Publication and Accessibility

This Gender Equality Plan is:

• Formally adopted by company management
• Publicly available at: https://iroc.app/gep
• Communicated internally to all employees

9. Statement of Adoption

This Gender Equality Plan was adopted by the management of IROC on 01/08/25 and is effective for the period 2026–2030.