Equal opportunities & Compatibility
Gender equality and balance means that all employees receive fair development opportunities and support from their employer to adapt their work situation to their individual circumstances, if necessary – regardless of their gender, family structure, or other life circumstances.
As part of the DEI framework, it is not just about gender equality or work-life balance: it is much more about striking a balance between work, often invisible and unpaid care work, social life, and health. Organizations have a responsibility to identify and remove structural barriers so that we can come to work in harmony with our individual life situations as human beings. Gender equality should therefore not be seen as “equal treatment,” but rather as individual support based on need.
Why – Our strategy & goals
For the DWI as a research organization, this means flexibility in the design of working models, transparent career paths, and targeted measures to promote underrepresented groups. This naturally includes the ongoing promotion of women's representation in science across all career levels (starting with young talent through events such as Girls' Day, continuing with doctoral and postdoctoral women through the WIMA Award, and extending to programs for female professors), but there is also a need to consider other marginalized groups and give them equal opportunities for development and an inclusive working environment. Considering different perspectives, and where possible all perspectives, and finding solutions for them is part of the work of the Gender Equality & Compatibility focus group.
At the DWI, therefore, different care and nursing obligations, as well as other possible burdens, are actively taken into account. The aim is to create a space in which the value of care work alongside paid work is strengthened and living with chronic illnesses or mental health issues is no longer taboo, so that these are genuinely possible options for those who want them. A culture of work-life balance not only strengthens individuals, but also the DWI's overall capacity for innovation and future viability.
Another aspect is the recognition of non-binary and diverse gender identities. Gender equality therefore encompasses not only men and women, but everyone whose identity falls outside traditional binary concepts. The DWI aims to ensure appreciation for all employees through an inclusive attitude that creates space for these diverse realities.
What we are currently working on – measures
- Promoting career and personnel development for young talent
- Participating in the Leibniz Female Professors Program
- WIMA Award for female scientists in materials science
- Total E-Quality certificate
- Establishing safe spaces such as relaxation rooms and parent-child offices
- Support in individual life situations (e.g., caring for close relatives, returning to work after parental leave)
- Use of sensitive and gender-neutral language
Feedback & Get Involved
Your perspective matters!
We want to actively shape our DEI initiatives together—because that's the only way we can live the cultural diversity that exists at our institute and establish equal opportunities. Your experiences, ideas, and suggestions help us create an inclusive space that truly includes everyone.
Whether you want to give feedback or contribute new ideas, we look forward to hearing from you! Write to us, get involved, and become part of a community that not only recognizes diversity, but lives it.
This page is a living project – under construction, in motion, in dialogue. We know that we cannot portray everything perfectly and that we still have a lot to learn. That is why we see this content as a work in progress and welcome constructive feedback, new perspectives, and honest comments.
Focus group “Equal Opportunities & Work-Life Balance”: Claudia Mohr, Christa Graalmann, Julia Wette, Elisabeth Heine
If you would like to learn more about our work or get involved, please write to our DEI email address, mentioning the focus group “Equal Opportunities & Work-Life Balance” in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you!
Further information & resources
Further information & resources
The DWI promotes equal opportunities on the basis of the research-oriented equality and diversity standards of the DFG, the Leibniz equality standards, the GWK implementation agreement on equality, and the General Equal Treatment Act.
In order to move closer to its goal of equality, the DWI has implemented the cascade model for the academic sector and set specific target quotas for each personnel and management group. The cascade model is a form of gender quota in which, starting from a specific career or qualification level, the proportion of women at the next lower level forms a target for the proportion of women to be achieved.