gender equality plan

 

Version: 1.0
Date: February 26, 2025
Review Date: March 2025

1. Official Endorsement

Nalantis is fundamentally committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and innovative workplace. We recognise that gender equality is a core ethical value and  a critical driver for excellence, creativity, and success in the competitive field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Diverse teams, where all genders are valued and empowered, lead to better problem-solving, more robust technological solutions, and a healthier organisational culture.

This Gender Equality Plan outlines Nalantis' strategic vision, concrete objectives, and planned actions to actively promote gender equality and address existing imbalances within our company for the period 2025-2028. It signifies a formal commitment from Nalantis’ leadership to embed gender equality principles into our structures, processes, and cultures.

The effective implementation of this Plan is a collective responsibility, requiring engagement from leadership, management, and every employee at Nalantis. We hereby endorse this Gender Equality Plan and commit the necessary focus and resources to ensure its successful implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement.

2. Executive Summary

The Nalantis Gender Equality Plan (GEP) for 2023-2026 details our strategic approach to fostering gender equality through meaningful structural and cultural choices within our AI/NLP company. Referring to the Horizon Europe GEP eligibility criteria, this plan reflects our commitment to best practices in equality, diversity, and inclusion.

The Nalantis GEP addresses four mandatory process-related requirements. Firstly, it is a formal, public document, endorsed by the CEO and the Atlas C-management team, accessible on our company website and accompanied by internal communication efforts. Secondly, dedicated resources, including designated personnel time and operational budget, are allocated for its implementation and management. Thirdly, the plan establishes robust mechanisms for the collection and annual monitoring of sex/gender-disaggregated employee data, using specific indicators to track progress. Fourthly, it mandates awareness-raising and training activities on gender equality and unconscious gender bias for all employees, with specific modules for leadership and recruitment teams.

Beyond these requirements, the GEP proactively addresses five key thematic areas critical to achieving substantive gender equality within Nalantis:

  • Sustainable high performance and organisational culture.

  • Gender balance in leadership and decision-making roles, particularly in technical leadership.

  • Gender equality in recruitment, retention, and career progression processes.

  • Integration of the gender dimension into our research, development, and AI/NLP product lifecycle, aiming to mitigate bias.

  • Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, ensuring a safe and respectful work environment.

This GEP is a dynamic roadmap for Nalantis, guiding our ongoing efforts to build a truly equitable organisation where everyone can thrive and contribute fully to our innovative mission.

3. Introduction: Commitment to Gender Equality at Nalantis

3.1 Context and Rationale
Nalantis operates at the forefront of AI and NLP technology. In this rapidly evolving field, innovation thrives on diverse perspectives and collaborative environments. Gender equality is integral to achieving this. We recognise that the tech industry, and AI specifically, faces challenges regarding gender representation and potential biases embedded in algorithms and data. Addressing these challenges is not just a matter of social responsibility but a strategic imperative for Nalantis. Promoting gender equality helps us attract and retain top talent, enhance the quality and fairness of our AI solutions, foster a more positive and productive work culture, and strengthen our company's reputation and ethical standing. This GEP provides a structured framework to translate our commitment into tangible actions and measurable outcomes.

3.2 Scope and Definitions
This GEP applies to all individuals employed by Nalantis, regardless of contract type or role, including permanent staff, fixed-term researchers, developers, administrative personnel, and interns where applicable. It encompasses all organisational policies, procedures, practices, and cultural aspects. We adhere to standard EU definitions for terms such as 'gender', 'gender equality', 'sex/gender-disaggregated data', and 'gender dimension in R&I'. We also acknowledge the importance of intersectionality and strive to consider how gender interacts with other characteristics in our equality efforts, where feasible and appropriate.

3.3 GEP Development Process
The development of this initial GEP involved an internal review of existing practices and preliminary workforce data, consultation with Nalantis’ leadership, and consideration of the specific context of an AI/NLP software company. It draws upon the Horizon Europe guidance framework and established best practices. This plan is considered a living document, subject to review and adaptation based on ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and feedback from our employees.

4. Meeting Mandatory Horizon Europe Requirements

4.1 Publication and Official Endorsement
Nalantis ensures this GEP is a formal and accessible document. It is signed by our CEO, signifying top-level commitment. The official signed version is published and maintained on the Nalantis public website at https://www.nalantis.be/gep. Internally, the GEP and its objectives are communicated through various channels, including company all-hands meetings, the internal knowledge base/intranet, and integrated into the onboarding process for new hires, ensuring broad awareness of our commitments and shared responsibilities. Annual progress updates will also be made publicly available.

4.2 Dedicated Resources
Nalantis commits dedicated resources to effectively implement this GEP. The responsibility for coordinating the GEP implementation, monitoring, and reporting is assigned to the CEO, allocating approximately 10% of their working time to these tasks. A cross-functional GEP Working Group, comprising representatives from HR, technical teams, and management, will be established to support the GEP Lead, provide diverse input, and champion actions within their respective areas. Nalantis will allocate an appropriate annual budget to support specific GEP activities, such as specialized training, data analysis tools, or expert consultation if required. We will ensure access to relevant expertise in gender equality, either through internal capacity building or external resources, particularly concerning the gender dimension in AI development.

4.3 Data Collection and Monitoring
Nalantis commits to the systematic collection and analysis of sex/gender-disaggregated data for our workforce. This data will cover key areas such as employee numbers by role/level, recruitment (applicants, shortlisted, hired), promotion rates, representation in leadership and technical lead roles, pay gap analysis (where applicable by law or best practice), uptake of parental leave and flexible working arrangements, and participation in training. Data collection will occur annually, managed primarily by the HR department in coordination with the GEP Lead. Specific indicators, linked to the objectives in Section 5, will be tracked to monitor progress. An annual monitoring report summarizing key findings, progress towards targets, and any identified challenges will be prepared by the GEP Lead and Working Group, reviewed by leadership, and a summary made publicly available. All data handling will strictly adhere to GDPR and relevant data protection regulations, ensuring confidentiality and appropriate use.

4.4 Training and Capacity Building
Nalantis will implement comprehensive training initiatives to support this GEP. Mandatory training on gender equality principles and unconscious gender bias will be provided for all employees involved in recruitment, performance management, and promotion decisions, including line managers and senior leadership. General awareness sessions and resources on gender equality and the importance of this GEP will be made available to all staff through various formats (e.g., workshops, online modules, internal articles). Crucially, given our field, specific training modules focusing on identifying and mitigating gender bias in AI/NLP – covering data sets, algorithm design, model evaluation, and user interface considerations – will be developed and delivered to all technical and product development staff. Training on Nalantis's policies regarding respectful workplace conduct and procedures for addressing harassment (Section 5.5) will be integrated into onboarding and refreshed periodically for all employees.

5. Thematic Areas: Objectives and Actions for Nalantis

5.1 Work-life Balance and Organisational Culture
Nalantis aims to cultivate an organisational culture that actively supports a healthy sustainably high performance for all employees, irrespective of gender, and fosters an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We will review and proactively communicate our policies on flexible working arrangements (including remote and hybrid models), parental leave (encouraging uptake by all parents), and other forms of leave, ensuring these are implemented fairly and do not hinder career progression. We will promote transparent workload management practices within teams, encouraging open discussion about capacity and realistic deadlines, particularly important in project-driven software development. We commit to fostering an inclusive communication culture, actively discouraging gender stereotypes in internal and external communications and promoting respectful interaction within all teams, especially technical collaboration forums. Success will be measured through employee survey feedback on sustainably high performance satisfaction and perceived inclusivity, alongside monitoring the uptake of flexible work and leave policies by gender.

5.2 Gender Balance in Leadership and Decision-Making
Nalantis strives to achieve better gender balance in leadership positions across the company, with a particular focus on technical leadership roles (e.g., team leads, architects, senior researchers) and senior management. Our objective is to increase the representation of the underrepresented gender in these roles towards a target of at least 50% by the end of 2026. To achieve this, we will implement transparent processes for identifying and appointing individuals to leadership and key decision-making roles (e.g., product strategy committees, technical review boards). We will actively encourage applications from the underrepresented gender for internal openings and consider gender balance when composing project leadership teams and strategic committees. Mentorship and targeted leadership development opportunities will be made available to support the progression of high-potential employees of all genders into leadership tracks. Progress will be tracked by annually monitoring the gender composition of leadership tiers and key internal committees.

5.3 Gender Equality in Recruitment and Career Progression
Nalantis is committed to ensuring fairness and eliminating gender bias throughout the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance evaluation and promotion. We will actively work to attract a diverse pool of candidates for all positions, particularly technical roles where gender imbalances are common in the wider industry. This includes using gender-neutral language in job descriptions, broadening our recruitment channels to reach diverse communities (e.g., women-in-tech networks, diverse university groups), and ensuring diverse representation on interview panels where possible. Structured interview processes and objective evaluation criteria will be consistently applied. Mandatory unconscious bias training will be provided for everyone involved in hiring. Performance review processes will be reviewed to ensure they are fair, transparent, and recognise diverse contributions. Career development pathways will be clearly communicated, and access to training and advancement opportunities will be monitored to ensure equitable participation. Key indicators will include the gender breakdown of applicant pools, shortlist ratios, hiring rates, promotion rates by level/role, and employee feedback on the perceived fairness of these processes.

5.4 Integration of the Gender Dimension into Research, Development, and AI/NLP Products
Recognising the significant societal impact of AI/NLP, Nalantis places high importance on integrating the gender dimension and actively mitigating bias throughout our research and product development lifecycle. Our objective is to ensure our technologies are developed responsibly and ethically, avoiding the creation or perpetuation of harmful gender stereotypes and biases. We will develop and implement internal guidelines and checklists for assessing potential gender bias in data collection and annotation, model training and evaluation, and user interface design. Specific training (as mentioned in 4.4) will equip our technical teams with the knowledge and tools to identify and address these issues proactively. We will foster a culture where raising concerns about bias and ethical implications is encouraged and integrated into our standard review processes (e.g., code reviews, design reviews, pre-deployment testing). Where feasible, we will seek to include diverse perspectives in user testing. We will monitor the implementation of these guidelines and track the extent to which our core products undergo specific gender bias assessments before release.

5.5 Measures Against Gender-Based Violence, Including Sexual Harassment
Nalantis is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and professional work environment for all employees, free from any form of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment and bullying. We uphold a strict zero-tolerance policy towards such behaviours. Our Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct clearly define unacceptable behaviours and outline the procedures for reporting incidents. We will ensure there are clearly communicated, accessible, and confidential channels for reporting concerns or incidents, including designated, trained points of contact within HR. All reports will be treated seriously, confidentially (to the extent possible during an investigation), and investigated promptly and fairly according to a defined procedure. Appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken where misconduct is confirmed. We will ensure that individuals reporting concerns are protected from retaliation and that support resources (internal or external) are clearly signposted for those affected. Regular awareness training for all staff will reinforce our policies and expectations for respectful workplace conduct. Monitoring will involve tracking the number of reported incidents (while maintaining confidentiality) and assessing employee awareness and confidence in reporting mechanisms through surveys.

6. Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation Framework

The CEO of Nalantis holds ultimate responsibility for the successful implementation of this GEP. The CEO is responsible for the day-to-day coordination, monitoring, and reporting, supported by the GEP Working Group and relevant department managers (e.g., Engineering Lead, Product Lead).

Progress will be monitored annually against the objectives and indicators defined in this plan, based on the collected sex/gender-disaggregated data and qualitative feedback. An annual monitoring report will be shared internally with leadership and employees, and a public summary will be made available on our website.

A mid-term review of the GEP will be conducted in late 2025/early 2026 to assess effectiveness and make necessary adjustments to actions or targets. A full evaluation will be performed at the end of the plan's cycle in 2026 to measure the overall impact and inform the development of Nalantis's subsequent Gender Equality Plan.


Changes to this Plan: This plan has been last updated on 26 March 2025.