Diversity and Inclusion
Good for our people, good for our business
As the bank of the European Union, we are committed to the EU’s objectives and values, and aspire to live up to one of its founding principles – United in diversity.
Diversity and Inclusion encompass everything that makes us who we are. We believe that encouraging colleagues to be comfortable bringing their identities to work is essential to the success and development of the Bank, and reflects Europe itself. Our diverse backgrounds, perspectives and passions help us shape the inclusive environment in which we work every day.
A diverse and inclusive workplace is the key to having higher performing colleagues, more innovative solutions and greater motivation and engagement.
An inclusive culture requires both action and commitment. We believe it is the responsibility of each and every one of us at the Bank to foster inclusion.
We will realise our vision of a work environment where everyone contributes to the best of their ability through our 2018-2021 Strategy for Diversity and Inclusion, which is centred on three pillars:
- Protect
- Impact
- Invest
The three priority areas of our internal Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategy echo those of the EIB Group Gender Strategy in Operations, which provides an overarching framework for embedding gender equality considerations and, in particular, women’s economic empowerment in the Group’s activities.
In the spotlight: women at the EIB
Since 2018, the Bank has published an annual diversity and inclusion report to demonstrate the progress made. We continue to strengthen our efforts and embed the concept of diversity and inclusion within the fabric of our institution.
Gender balance further improved in 2020 at senior officer and officer level. Although the percentage of management positions held by women remained stable, two of the three externally recruited candidates at management level were women. To help reach 2021 targets, significant efforts have been made across the Bank to make sure diversity and inclusion are always considered in all key HR processes. In addition, further initiatives aimed at boosting gender balance at all levels of the organisation have been introduced.
Disability at the EIB
Here at the EIB we care about your different abilities and special needs. We support colleagues with disabilities through the recruitment process, the on-boarding and throughout their time at the Bank. We raise awareness through external and internal initiatives and regularly participate in careers fairs specific to people with disabilities to encourage you to apply.
Our colleagues with disabilities have already made significant contributions to reaching the Bank’s objectives. They also create inclusive teams and offer a different perspective on ways of working and collaborating that are beneficial to all.
Our disability@eib.org mailbox is a point of contact for any of you with a disability who would like further information or may require any reasonable adjustments during the selection process or after joining us.
Our Engagement with External Partners
We believe that together we can be more impactful. We partner with organizations that drive positive change and who are making a difference in thriving a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive workplace environment.
The EIB has been awarded the EDGE Move and EDGEplus certifications, recognizing the Bank’s progress in the area of gender equity and its commitment to analysing intersectional issues between gender and other dimensions of diversity. EDGE is the leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender and intersectional equity. It measures where organizations stand in terms of representation, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices to ensure equitable career flows as well as inclusiveness of their culture.
We have developed a partnership with Where Women Work to showcase the impressive work and achievements of EIB women, and to motivate potential women candidates to consider applying for a role at the EIB Group as the next step in a successful career path. Check our profile on WWW: EIB careers (wherewomenwork.com).
Catalyst: Workplaces That Work for Women is a global non-profit working with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies around the world to help build workplaces that work for women. Founded in 1962, Catalyst drives change with pioneering research, practical tools, and proven solutions to accelerate and advance women into leadership - because progress for women is progress for everyone.
In June 2021, the EIB became the first Multilateral Development Bank to join the world’s biggest community for disability business inclusion. The Valuable 500 is a global business collective made up of 500 CEOs/presidents and their organisations to drive system change when it comes to disability inclusion in the workplace.
We are part of PurpleSpace, the world's only professional development hub for disability network leaders, which helps disability networks to support their members and to influence the disability inclusion agenda in their organisations.
The EIB is a founding member and co-lead of the International Dual Career Network (IDCN) Luxembourg. IDCN plays an important role in highlighting some of the many career opportunities that Luxembourg has to offer for dual-career partners.
The EIB is one of the signatories of the Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg. By signing the Charter, we engage to respect and promote diversity with concrete actions going beyond legal and regulatory non-discrimination requirements.
The Diversity Charter is promoted by IMS Luxembourg, the leading network of Luxembourg businesses active in corporate social responsibility, of which the EIB is a member organisation.
The EIB became a member of Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) in 2023. NiB is a business-led forum functioning as an industry group for organisations to share industry good practice on neurodiversity recruitment, retention and empowerment. NiB’s vision is to foster a corporate environment where neurodivergent people are understood and form an invaluable part of the work culture.
Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Internal Partners
To reach our objective of a more inclusive workplace, we support our formal and staff-led groups – the main partners with whom we coordinate our activities and initiatives.
The Joint Committee on Equal Opportunities (COPEC)
COPEC (Comité Paritaire pour l’Égalité des Chances) is EIB’s independent committee promoting equal opportunities for all staff members. It consists of twelve delegates, six appointed by EIB’s department for personnel management and six by the Committee of Staff Representatives.
Within its responsibilities to promote and foster equal opportunities, COPEC can propose actions and initiatives to EIB’s department for personnel management and to the management committee; is consulted on proposals affecting personnel policy to be submitted to the management committee; monitors managerial selection processes; and raises awareness with regard to diversity and inclusion.
For further information about COPEC’s responsibilities and governance, please see the Convention of COPEC here.
As diversity and inclusion are key elements of corporate responsibility, the Corporate Responsibility Department actively supports the Bank’s D&I efforts and initiatives.
The Department further ensures that the Bank communicates appropriately on its diversity and inclusion policies and practises, both externally by publishing corporate responsibility documentation such as the Sustainability Report and by responding to information requests from external stakeholders, and internally through awareness-raising presentations to various audiences.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, are voluntary groups led by and for staff sharing a common vision and goal and organised around certain shared characteristics or life experiences. ERGs are open to all staff of the EIB Group and provide a safe space, support, learning and networking opportunities, contributing to personal and professional development.
ConnectedWoMen is a forum open to all women working within the EIB Group, as well as to everyone interested in gender diversity, and willing to share their experience and advice in a constructive manner. ConnectedWomen aims to develop practical solutions for everyday challenges encountered in the workplace.
EIB Proud is a network of EIB Group staff who identify as LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer) and LGBTIQ Allies. The network aims at supporting the EIB Group to become a more diverse and inclusive employer and an employer of choice and to mainstream diversity and inclusion into the EIB Group activity and business
enAble is a support network for colleagues living with a disability, caring for a person with a disability, a chronic illness or special needs, and for all motivated and interested staff. enAble aims to raise awareness and advocate for disability rights, in line with European and international legislation and with the motto of organisations representing persons with disabilities and carers: “Nothing about us without us.”
DEIB Champions
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Champions, or DEIB Champions, are a network of colleagues who have decided to volunteer to foster an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. Thanks to the engagement of colleagues all across the Bank, DEIB Champions organise and disseminate events, learning opportunities and start conversations to raise awareness of key topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Find out more
Sports and disability: first-hand experience
Ensuring that our staff have a healthy work-life balance is core to our values as the EU Bank.
Sport is a great vehicle for inclusion and integration. Being physically active and healthy is good in itself, but sports also has the potential for positive mental, personal and social outcomes.
Here are some of the experiences of EIB staff involved in sport and disability.
Enthusiastic swimmer
Giovanni Padovani, an enthusiastic swimmer and one of the founders of enAble, our disability Employee Resource Group:
“It’s a commitment to myself beyond the professional and family life. However, it doesn’t mean that it is always easy to find the motivation. Yet, after training, when I get out of the water, I am rewarded by the good feelings that doing sports gives.
The curious thing is that when I go the pool and before I enter the water, where I indeed feel most ‘free,’ is also the moment my disability is the most visible to others and myself.
I wish that more people with disabilities would be present in places for sports, such as the swimming pools, not to feel like a ‘white fly,’ as we say in Italian.”
Basketball in a wheelchair
Paulo Agostinho Soeiro, found his sport – basketball in a wheelchair – by chance and fell for it immediately:
“It’s not only for physical and mental benefits – it’s a way of life for me.
In disability team sports, there is often a mix of disabilities in the team. Everyone is unique and special; we need to know exactly each other strengths and weakness to be able to play our best.
Definitely sports is a form of inclusion, where inclusion can also become a matter of sharing good advice with those who also have a disability on how to manage life with their disability better. It can be very small and practical things like how to get in and out of the wheelchair, for example, or how to access certain facilities more easily.”
Hand cycling and aiming for the next Paralympics
Giovanni Pagotto practices hand cycling and is aiming for the next Paralympics!
“Today, I am practicing very seriously and aiming for the next Paralympics in Paris. It’s great to have an objective; it makes me feel alive and motivated to train hard! Sports is meeting people and going outside of your home, so of course it’s a vehicle of inclusion in that respect.
Spending time with other disabled people allows you to understand and meet the challenges that we face,
better, easier, since you learn so much from the experience of others.”
A snapshot of diversity at the EIB
Today, on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), we the EIB and the EIF (the EIB Group), remind ourselves that everyone should be able to enjoy the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Yet, because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, millions of people around the world are vulnerable to discrimination and even criminalisation. Gender identity and sexual orientation are essential to our human identity; LGBTIQ rights are human rights. This is true in the workplace and in society in general.
A career in Luxembourg for my partner and my family?
We understand it is not always easy to make the decision to move to another country, or even another continent, for a new job. This decision becomes even more difficult when it means that your partner and family will also have to pack up, find a new job and a new home and adjust to a new environment.
This is frequently the case for new employees at the European Investment Bank (EIB). For this reason, we decided to become a founding member of the International Dual Career Network (IDCN) Luxembourg. IDCN plays an important role in highlighting some of the many career opportunities that Luxembourg has to offer for dual-career partners. IDCN members are open to investigating career possibilities with people whose partners have accepted a job in Luxembourg with another IDCN member.
For further information about IDCN Luxembourg please see here.
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