“Talks on Opportunities”: Manens Promotes a Successful Discussion on Gender Equality
Padua, 18 October 2024 – The event “Talks on Opportunities: beyond Gender Equality in workplaces,” held last Thursday at Manens’ headquarters, saw strong participation and provided a valuable platform for discussing key topics such as gender equality and inclusion.
This event marks another milestone in Manens’ ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment, following its achievement of the Certification on Gender Equality (UNI/PdR125:2022) on March 2024.
During the event, the discussion focused on diversity, best practices, and future strategies for enhancing gender equality in the workplace. The speakers were University and the Province of Padua representatives, who shared their experiences and insights on this critical issue.
The discussion was led by Dr. Chiara Boscaro – expert in digital communication and gender equity strategy, and president of organizations promoting social inclusion, Riviera Donna and Amici dell’Arcobaleno – who emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy among institutions, universities, companies, and local organizations to drive lasting and structural change.
Dr. Silvia Scordo, Gender Equality Councilor for the Province of Padua, highlighted the crucial role played by institutions in ensuring equal opportunities, providing an overview of current policies and progress made in the area.
Representing the School of Engineering at the University of Padua, Prof. Francesca Maria Susin – coordinator and member of the Equal Opportunities Committee for the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (ICEA) – together with Prof. Monica Giomo, the Equal Opportunities Representative for the Department of Industrial Engineering, shared their academic perspective. They focused on the importance of education in overcoming gender stereotypes, the efforts made within their departments to raise awareness among new generations, and the initiatives undertaken by the University of Padua.
Finally, Prof. Fabrizio Dughiero, Director of the Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), and Prof. Gaudenzio Meneghesso, Director of the Department of Information Engineering (DEI) at the University of Padua, addressed the specific challenges in the STEM fields. They stressed the need to strengthen collaboration between universities and companies to create more inclusive and accessible career paths for women.
The event reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between the private sector, institutions, and the academic world to promote inclusion and equality policies. To take part in this process, Manens has established a Gender Equality and Inclusion Committee, coordinated by Dr. Maria Gabriella Adestrini.
A special thank you is extended to the speakers, the University of Padua, and the Province of Padua for their contributions in supporting this constructive dialogue and exchange on such essential topics.
