Equality: does your company stand out?
January 21, 2013 marked the deadline for applications for the award of the 2012 “equal opportunity employer” logo; and the list of the new companies awarded the logo looks set to be published in the Official State Gazette in six months’ time.
The aim of the logo, according to Article 50 of Organic Law 3/2007, of March 22, 2007, is to reward and promote the work of companies committed to equality that stand out due to the application of policies to ensure equal treatment and opportunities in working conditions.
In addition to benefiting from institutional publicity and promotion by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, eligible companies will be able to make use of the logo awarded for a period of three years (i) in their business dealings and for advertising purposes; (ii) when being assessed for the obtainment of certain public subsidies, and (iii) when being considered for the award of public contracts on the terms established.
At present, a limited number of companies have been able to enjoy these advantages: 69 companies in total (39 in the 2010 call for applications and 30 in 2011) since the award and use of the “equal opportunity employer” logo was first regulated under Royal Decree 1615/2009, of October 26, 2009.
These figures prove that it is not easy to obtain and that it is only awarded to those companies that, in the opinion of the Directorate-General of Equal Opportunities of the above Ministry, meet the required standards of excellence in this area. These obstacles to obtaining the logo have been criticized by some, who argue that it may put off some companies from committing to such crucial equality policies (having the opposite effect to that intended when the logo was created).
